'It's a grow-up moment': Broncos CEO tells players to improve culture, no guarantee of Ezra Mam's future

Brisbane boss Dave Donaghy has ordered his players to grow up, while refusing to guarantee star five-eighth Ezra Mam a future at the Broncos in the wake of his traffic collision.

Donaghy on Monday delivered a scathing assessment of his players, indicating he believed there were leadership and culture issues at the NRL club after a year from hell.

In the latest drama to hit the club, Mam is currently awaiting the result of a secondary sample test after he allegedly failed a roadside drug test following a head-on car crash.

Police say they will allege the 21-year-old was driving without a license.

Donaghy said Mam was relieved the occupants of the other car were not seriously injured, and was also apologetic to the Broncos with his future now in the hands of the club, NRL and police.

Asked directly on Monday whether Mam had played his last game for the club, Donaghy said it was too soon to tell.

"We haven't had a discussion internally in depth," Donaghy told 4BC radio.

"We don't have all the facts. We want to ensure that we've got all the information so we can make the right decision for us.

"But certainly from a club's perspective, we're very disappointed to find ourselves in a position like this.

"Ezra is a young man, he's a 21 year old. Unfortunately, in this industry, you need to grow up quickly. That's the price of entry. It's a very privileged role.

"I am big on personal responsibility and accountability. I am sure there will be that opportunity once the full facts are known."

Pointedly, though, Donaghy conceded that the issues at Brisbane extend beyond Mam.

The Broncos endured several off-field incidents during the COVID period, with Donaghy declaring last January that players had been shown a "line in the sand".

Brisbane then reached last year's grand final with a relatively drama-free year, before issues re-emerged this season as they plummeted to 12th on the ladder and coach Kevin Walters was moved on.

Co-captains Pat Carrigan and Adam Reynolds' pre-season scuffle outside a bar foreshadowed issues this year.

Mam and Reece Walsh were investigated by the NRL's integrity unit after a post-season interaction with a fan in Bali, before the five-eighth's latest drama.

Renowned disciplinarian Michael Maguire will arrive as the club's new coach on Wednesday, but Donaghy said the responsibility for the driving change would go beyond him.

"I've seen commentary previously about this being a line-in-the sand moment. I think for this group it's a grow-up moment," Donaghy said.

"We've been very deliberate about investing in our leadership capability and our culture in the football program.

"We have been disappointed across the course of the year with where we are.

"I'm not going to shy away from the fact I do believe we've got some cultural challenges.

"Part of it is back to leadership. It's an area I've highlighted we need to invest in.

"We know that is going to take a lot of hard work. We might not fix it overnight, but we will certainly be very deliberate about designing it."

ABC

 

[Redfern_1980]

What a bloody good CEO you have up there. So jealous, wish we had somebody like that at the Rabbits who says it like it is. A bunch of softcocks we have 'leading' us at Redfern.

 

[Mr Fourex]

Brisbane boss Dave Donaghy has ordered his players to grow up, while refusing to guarantee star five-eighth Ezra Mam a future at the Broncos in the wake of his traffic collision.

Donaghy on Monday delivered a scathing assessment of his players, indicating he believed there were leadership and culture issues at the NRL club after a year from hell.

Co-captains Pat Carrigan and Adam Reynolds' pre-season scuffle outside a bar foreshadowed issues this year.
"I've seen commentary previously about this being a line-in-the sand moment. I think for this group it's a grow-up moment," Donaghy said.

"We've been very deliberate about investing in our leadership capability and our culture in the football program.

If I'm DD......I'm calling Arey, Patty and Walsh into my office.

and I've got Maguire standing behind them while they explain themselves.

 

[Lockysillegitimatechild]

By far the best thing about this situation is that the players have ZERO chance of leverage to push back against any hard nose approach by maguire. He has 100% free reign to torch these *****, and if they don't like it they can **** off with zero resistance from the fan base despite the bs that will be spun from tallis and co.

 

[theshed]

The more you see Dave’s comments the more it sounds like a pending sacking.

Even saying Ezra’s crash is a grow up moment for the whole team. To me that is an ominous comment if I’m Ezra

 

[LittleDavey]

This sounds to me like what many of us suspected...the squad (and perhaps even coaching staff??) got big heads after last year, had an interrupted pre-season, expected this year to just happen like last year did and for the most part bought into the press and had overinflated egos to match all of the above.

Another serious wake up call for both squad and club in general, thought 2022 would have sufficed but here we are. If any effort anywhere in the club is less than 100%, you won't be there at the pointy end of the season.

Knock some heads together, DD and Madge. Turn this fucking shit show around, on AND off the field. The right words are being said, let's hope the actions continue to follow.

 

[Skyblues87]

The more you see Dave’s comments the more it sounds like a pending sacking.

Even saying Ezra’s crash is a grow up moment for the whole team. To me that is an ominous comment if I’m Ezra

The telling part of DD interview was that once the facts are known, there is a process to go through.
I could be wrong, but to me it reads like if he has wronged according to rumours, then he will be terminated.

 

[NSW stables]

Donaghy on Monday delivered a scathing assessment of his players, indicating he believed there were leadership and culture issues at the NRL club after a year from hell.

"We've been very deliberate about investing in our leadership capability and our culture in the football program." . . . .

"Part of it is back to leadership. It's an area I've highlighted we need to invest in.

"We know that is going to take a lot of hard work. We might not fix it overnight, but we will certainly be very deliberate about designing it."

ABC

It is the above statements within the article that I find interesting.

Although capewell was not at his personal peak performance and was caught out a couple times under fatigue in the GF, his maturity was undoubtedly good for the team and he was an effective leader. He was also forcing piakura and riki to play well to maintain their place/break into in the team. Allowing him to leave lost a leader and his maturity.

Herbie I think would have developed into a leader due to his work ethic and he became a good communicator with capewell on the left, but we lost him too.

These losses impacted the leadership design that they appeared to be building. Again the fell into the 2019-2020 trap of youth with potential.

Getting rid of kev also makes me think that DD may not see Kev as an effective leader or driver of change. He must think Maguire can be.

 

[Jedhead]

It is the above statements within the article that I find interesting.

Although capewell was not at his personal peak performance and was caught out a couple times under fatigue in the GF, his maturity was undoubtedly good for the team and he was an effective leader. He was also forcing piakura and riki to play well to maintain their place/break into in the team. Allowing him to leave lost a leader and his maturity.

Herbie I think would have developed into a leader due to his work ethic and he became a good communicator with capewell on the left, but we lost him too.

These losses impacted the leadership design that they appeared to be building. Again the fell into the 2019-2020 trap of youth with potential.

Getting rid of kev also makes me think that DD may not see Kev as an effective leader or driver of change. He must think Maguire can be.

Well whatever way you slice it this "culture shortfall" all went on during Kevvie's four year tenure. If it was there before he got there he had four years to stamp it out and failed. If however, it materialized during his time there it's another reason he had to be asked to stand down. Either way Kevvie dropped the ball in this aspect.