‘Would cop a bigger fine for a careless high tackle’: Outrage over Bronco’s court sanction

Broncos star Ezra Mam’s punishment for pleading guilty to driving charges has left NRL commentators staggered.

Watch every ball of Australia v India LIVE & ad-break free during play in 4K on Kayo | New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer >

The 22-year-old five-eighth was charged by Queensland Police last month with one count each of driving while relevant drug is present in blood and drive motor vehicle without a driver licence.

The five-eigth collided head-on with an Uber driver carrying a woman and her four-year-old daughter in Brisbane on October 18 and three days later checked himself into a rehab centre.

Mam failed a roadside drug test when spoken to by police at the scene of the incident on October 18.

After pleading guilty on Monday, Mam was fined a total of $850.

His licence has been disqualified for six months.

No conviction has been recorded.

The size of the punishment has been widely criticised by figures across the rugby league industry.

It has also put more pressure on the NRL and the Broncos to come down hard on Mam when the league and football club announce their own disciplinary action.

The NRL Integrity Unit is still concluding its investigation into the incident.

NRL radio commentator Mark Levy has been one of the loudest voices, claiming Mam’s punishment was not severe enough.

He directly criticised Magistrate Mark Nolan, who handed down the sentence at Brisbane Magistrates Court.

“Magistrate Mark Nolan, he was talking tough yesterday,” Levy said on 2GB.

“He gave Ezra Mam a dressing down. He said, ‘You’re lucky to be here. You’re lucky you didn’t kill someone’. Well magistrate Nolan, you should hang your head in shame for the paltry penalty imposed on this so-called role model in the community.”

Levy said he had contacted the NRL and “implored” the league to impose a tough suspension on Mam.

He said the punishment was “a slap on the wrist”.

“I’m sorry, the $850 fine and six month disqualification of license that was imposed on Ezra Mam is quite simply put paltry and not a penalty that fits the crime,” he said.

“Ezra Mam should have been dealt with appropriately by the courts and if the Attorney-General (the Honourable Deb Frecklington) had any bottle up in Queensland they’d be asking for an explanation from the court as to why such a lenient sentence was imposed.

“I know there’s a separation of powers, but surely, the Attorney-General up in Queensland will look at this punishment and say it’s not good enough.”

He said Mam should miss the entire 2025 season.

“The National Rugby League should be suspending this bloke for the next 12 months,” he said.

“If the league wants to continue to talk tough when it comes to off field behaviour of its players, rub him out for a season. Send a clear message to the rest of the NRL and the rest of the NRL playing fraternity that this will not be tolerated.”

He said it was a “disgrace” that Mam’s fine totalled only $850.

Others pointed out Mam would have received a bigger fine at the judiciary than he copped in court.

“Ezra Mam would cop a bigger fine for a careless high tackle on an NRL field, than the $850 imposed by Queensland’s courts for driving into a family with a cocktail of drugs in his system,” Scott Bailey tweeted.

The Daily Telegraph’s Michael Carayannis declared on SEN: “I think he should’ve missed a whole season.

“This is a serious offence. The court’s punishment was a joke. $850? It was weak.

“He’s lucky someone wasn’t killed. It was reckless and dangerous.”

Despite the suggestions Mam was only hit by a wet lettuce leaf, Magistrate Nolan did give Mam a tongue lashing during sentencing on Monday.

“On this particular occasion you shouldn’t have been driving because of the fact you didn’t have a licence,” the magistrate said.

“Having made that stupid decision to get behind the wheel of the car, as well as use illicit substances as well … a cocktail of cocaine and other matters that were found in your blood on this occasion.

“At so many levels you are fortunate to stand where you are today … you could have been injured or killed, or the other persons could have been injured or killed.

“There’s no place for illicit drugs in our community, and there’s certainly no place for a person who is using illicit drugs to get behind the wheel of a car.

“You’ve got to learn from this.”

The Broncos have previously stated that Mam will not have his contract terminated.

With the club’s approval, he has been working unpaid at a building site in Brisbane since leaving rehab.

According to Code Sports, Mam has not returned to training with teammates, but has been doing individual sessions at the team’s Red Hill headquarters.

He was remorseful when he spoke with reporters when leaving the court on Monday.

“To all the people involved in this accident, I’m truly sorry,” Mam said.

“This incident isn’t a reflection of who I want to be or what is expected of me as a role model.

“And, to the NRL, the Broncos, my teammates, the fans, and my family – I am sorry, and I promise to be a better person and representative of the club and the game that I love.”