Remorseful Mam vows to earn back respect and jersey

Ezra Mam has spoken publicly for the first time since being issued with a breach notice from the NRL, expressing his remorse for his actions while vowing to earn his way back into the Brisbane side.

Mam pleaded guilty in December to driving while a relevant drug was present in his blood or saliva and driving without a licence following an incident in October.

He was fined $850 and disqualified from driving for a period of nine months by the Brisbane Magistrates Court. 

The Broncos fined Mam an additional $90,000 on top of the NRL’s notice and required him to undertake a Safer Driving Training Program, take part in ongoing work/study placement designed by the club’s Wellbeing and Education department and partake in an ongoing Wellbeing Support Program.

“I'm truly sorry and regret what I've done and that's the main thing that I try to remind myself every day; that I was in the wrong,” Mam told reporters at his first press conference since being sanctioned.

“But right now, I'm looking forward to getting back on the right path and being a positive role model for the future, for the future generations, but definitely regret my actions, but I've accepted that and am moving forward.

“I do understand that I'm a big part in young people's lives and what's happened has happened and I've had to accept that and the only way I can get myself back out there is through my actions and gaining respect through my actions on and off the field from now on.

“I've done a lot of work on myself in that process, which is one thing that I'm proud of, to make a better step for myself and my friends and family and Brisbane Broncos as well and the and the game, being NRL.

“I think for myself, accepting what's happened and being the best version of myself and for everyone else.”

Mam will not be considered to play in the NRL until Round 10, but he is not guaranteed to slot straight back into the side, with Ben Hunt to pair with Adam Reynolds in the halves to start the season.

While he has been back training with the squad for the majority of their pre-season, Mam said he was happy to bide his time and earn his way back into a Broncos jersey.

“I think it's more of a learning curve for myself, with the time I've got off, I can use that to work on myself and work on my habits and do what's best for myself and the team,” Mam said.

“We've been training here, I've been training with the team now and the best thing for the team is if I put my best foot forward and challenge everyone else at training here to get their habits better.

“For me it's just about working on myself, which I'm continually doing as we go along this road.

“The pre-season's been pretty good, and no one's set on their role at the club and I think that's a good thing that we have at this club is a lot of competition within the players.

“I'm just going to have to work my way into the side and whatever happens, I'll have to do my best at training on the footy field and hopefully I can do my best to try and get back in the team and if I don't get back in the team, then I'll be pushing to try and get back get into that team.

“I think I've got a lot to work on off the field and as well as on the field, so I'm not really in a rush to get back on the field.

“I just want to be the best person I can and that's through training on and off the field with the boys.

“The last few months, it has been tough, but that's the consequences that you get from the actions that I've done.

“I've just had to accept what I've done and I just have to work to get back to where I was and even better.”