Latest news with #EzraMam
Daily Mail
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Footy legend Gorden Tallis is slammed for comparing AFL great Adam Goodes to NRL star who put a little girl in hospital in drug-driving crash
Footy legend Gorden Tallis has been slammed by fans online after comparing scandal-hit NRL star Ezra Mam to Adam Goodes. In what one supporter labelled 'one of the worst takes', the Queensland cult hero likened the hostile treatment Mam has received in recent weeks to the ugly booing storm that saw Swans champion Adam Goodes walk away from his football career prematurely in 2015. Mam was taunted by fired-up Bulldogs fans last Friday at Accor Stadium - but he silenced the knockers to orchestrate a comeback 22-18 win for the Broncos. The 22-year-old has been targeted by away crowds after serving a nine-match suspension handed down by the NRL. It followed Mam pleading guilty to driving under the influence of illicit drugs without a licence following a car crash that injured three people - including a four-year-old girl - in October last year in Brisbane. Footy fans were seething when Mam was fined $850 and disqualified from driving for nine months by the Brisbane Magistrates Court. No conviction was recorded. While many believe Mam should have been suspended for the entire 2025 NRL season, Tallis has raised eyebrows after his extraordinary take on the pivot's return to the game. 'Ezra Mam is getting an Adam Goodes-style treatment,' Tallis said on Triple M's Sunday Sin Bin. 'No matter what ground he went at, Adam Goodes was targeted for a while and Ezra Mam is getting that now. 'It was coming loud and clear through the television the other night when he played the Dogs. It was every time he touched the ball.' Many footy fans were in disbelief after hearing Tallis's views. 'One of the worst takes you've ever seen,' posted one on X. 'Batsh*t from Gorden Tallis,' said another. 'Tallis is in fact, out of touch with reality,' a third commented. Another pointed out that there's a huge gulf between what Mam did and why Goodes was driven out of the game A third supporter felt Tallis was 'out of touch with reality' In 2015, Goodes famously performed his iconic Indigenous war dance in a match versus Carlton - and was then a constant crowd target at Swans' away games. Two years earlier, Goodes was targeted by a teenage Collingwood supporter who called him an ape - and chaos followed. As the saga intensified, Goodes - a two-time Brownlow Medallist and dual premiership winner - felt the game didn't support him. Goodes then retired in 2015, and has chosen to distance himself from the sport ever since. 'He's living his best life. We miss him, we love him and hopefully at some point we will get to see him again,' former teammate and Swans board member Michael O'Loughlin said recently. 'He loved the game... Adam should have walked out a hero and the fact he didn't is a real indictment on us.'
Daily Mail
08-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Top Brisbane Broncos official makes stunning drink-driving confession in court - and the timing is awful for the NRL's glamour team
A public relations worker for the NRL 's glamour team who guided the club through a player's drug-driving crisis has herself admitted crashing into parked cars while more than three times over the alcohol limit. Broncos media officer Melissa Telhia Mallet, 39, faced Brisbane Magistrates Court on Tuesday on one count of high-range drink driving. Mallet is the third person linked to the Broncos to be charged with drink or drug driving in the past 10 months. Broncos player Ezra Mam was driving his ute when it collided with an Uber at Bardon, in Brisbane's west, on October 18 last year, injuring a woman and child. Mam pleaded guilty to drug driving and driving without a licence, receiving an $850 fine and a licence suspension for six months. Broncos former premiership player Steve Renouf last week apologised after allegedly being caught by police driving in Brisbane with a 0.197 blood alcohol concentration. Mallet has gone from guiding the club through star player Ezra Mam's drug-driving scandal to confessing her guilt after crashing her vehicle into 'numerous' parked cars on June 2 Magistrate Joseph Pinder on Tuesday asked Ms Mallet how she would plead to the charge. 'Guilty, Your Honour,' Mallet said. Police prosecutor Paul McPhee told Mr Pinder that officers responded to a traffic crash at 9.45pm on June 2 in the inner Brisbane suburb of Paddington. 'Police when they arrived observed members of the public on the street and numerous vehicles damaged,' he said. 'It appeared a car had run into numerous parked cars.' Sergeant McPhee said police spoke to Mallet, who said she had been driving and her tests returned with a 0.156 blood-alcohol concentration. '(Mallet) appeared confused and had slurred speech. She was asked to provide a recollection of the incident but said she was unable to,' he said. Mallet told police she had consumed four or five glasses of wine prior to the incident. To make matters even worse for the team, club legend Steve Renouf (pictured) was allegedly caught behind the wheel with a 0.197 blood alcohol reading last week Defence solicitor Michael Kelly said Mallet had shown remorse by pleading guilty as soon as possible and had immediately booked herself into rehabilitation. He said Mallet was 'deeply embarrassed' by media attention on her case. 'The car that she hit bumped into another car. She has spoken to the owners of both those vehicles and apologised,' Mr Kelly said. 'She is personally liable for the cost.' Mr Pinder said Mallet's offence was very concerning as she was more than three times the legal limit and it was only good luck that nobody was injured. 'You displayed signs of being severely intoxicated,' he said. 'Undoubtedly the accident that occurred, with you crashing into two parked cars, was a consequence of your inability to control your motor vehicle because you were drunk.' Mr Pinder said Mallet's driving history was 'not particularly flattering' but she had no prior drink-driving charges. 'The conduct is uncharacteristic. Your employer speaks highly of you ... you present as a person who is very unlikely to reoffend,' Mr Pinder said. Mallet was fined $1000 and disqualified from holding a licence for nine months with no conviction recorded. She declined to comment as she left court.
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Startling news about who would have replaced Cameron Munster in Origin decider
Billy Slater has confirmed Cameron Munster will play in the State of Origin decider on Wednesday night, after resisting the urge to bring Ezra Mam back into Queensland camp. Munster will re-join his Maroons teammates in Sydney on Tuesday afternoon, after leaving camp to be with his grieving family after the death of father Steven last weekend. 'Cam will arrive this afternoon, so it'll be good to see him, I can't wait to give him a hug,' Slater said on Tuesday morning. 'Naturally he's been pretty upset over the last couple of days, but he's been where he's needed to be with his mum and his sister. He's spent some time with them on his way back into camp now. 'They are tragic circumstances and it was a real sad and sombre mood over the last couple of days. I'm sure the lads are looking forward to seeing him and getting around him as well. There was a fair bit of uncertainty with 'Mun' on Sunday morning when I was sitting in his room, but the one thing he was certain about is that he was playing on Wednesday night. 'That's one thing that he was very firm with. He didn't have a lot of answers for a lot of other things, but he gave that one to me pretty straight. Once he said 'I'll be playing Wednesday night' that was it for me. We'll get around him this afternoon. It's a huge game and he wants to be a part of that.' Slater was forced to devise a contingency plan on the off chance that Munster couldn't play. Broncos five-eighth Mam would be the perfect replacement, and was 18th man for the Maroons for Game 2. But Slater instead opted to use Walsh at No.6 if he needed to make a last-minute change. Walsh is a fullback by trade, but has played one game at five-eighth at NRL level. He trained in the halves on Monday amid Munster's absence, but the fact Slater didn't call on a back-up five-eighth meant he knew Munster would play. The death of Munster's father Steven has saddened the Queensland playing group, but it's also come as a source of inspiration as they look to make Origin history. No Maroons team has ever won a series after losing the opening game at home and going on the road for the second and third fixtures. Harry Grant, a teammate of Munster with the Maroons and Melbourne Storm, grew up in the same home town of Rockhampton and knows the Munster family well. He said Steven would be proud of his son's decision to play on Wednesday night. "When you think about it, Cameron Munster captaining Queensland brings so much pride to his whole family, and Stevie-boy would love to see him out there in the maroon captaining his state," Grant said on Monday. "I think it is very brave the way he is handling the situation. We have to respect the way he is handling it and give him that time and space ... and then flick the mindset to Queensland Maroons, Origin and what is around the corner. "The best way we can support him is throwing our arms around him and ultimately ... with our performance and our preparation. It shows the strength of character of Cam and who he is, and more importantly how much the Maroons mean to him and his family." RELATED: Queensland Origin star spills secret about Johnathan Thurston NSW insider answers key question surrounding Nathan Cleary Grant said the tragic loss of a beloved family member puts the game - and life itself - into perspective. "It hits everyone hard, as we are all aware. You don't know what is around the corner, so you have got to be nice and present, and take in the moments you have," Grant said. "(Munster has) a beautiful family and I've had plenty of moments and plenty of experiences with the family over the years. What we can control is our performance, and that's the best way to pay our respects to the family. It's a real reminder that this is just a game, and as much as we love it there is more to life than rugby league. At the end of the day sometimes rugby league is people's lives as well." with AAP
News.com.au
07-07-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Australia's next ‘Adam Goodes' saga' is already happening
Australia's next 'Adam Goodes' saga may have already begun, Broncos icon Gorden Tallis has suggested. The Queensland cult hero has likened the hostile treatment Ezra Mam has received in recent weeks to the ugly booing storm that forced Swans champion Adam Goodes to walk away from his football career. The Broncos playmaker on Friday night experienced his most brutal reception from a crowd yet when he was booed every time he touched the Steeden during Brisbane's 22-18 win over Canterbury at Accor Stadium. FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every game of every round in the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership, LIVE with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer > The 22-year-old has been targeted by crowds since his return to the game in May after serving a nine-match suspension. His return to the field with the Broncos sparked outrage across all corners of rugby league after he pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of illicit drugs without a licence following a car crash that injured three people in October, 2024. The 2023 Dally M Five-Eighth of the Year was fined $850 and disqualified from driving for a period of nine months by the Brisbane Magistrates Court after his high-profile incident. No conviction was recorded. The NRL and Broncos served Mam with breach of contract notices and he was fined a total of $120,000 by the club and league. Mam was booed by NRL fans before he even stepped back on the football field with spectators booing loudly when Mam was shown on the big screen inside Suncorp Stadium during Magic Round. Tallis has noted the booing has gotten louder each match Mam has played since coming back for the Broncos. 'Ezra Mam is getting an Adam Goodes style treatment,' Tallis said on Triple M's Sunday Sin Bin. 'No matter what ground he went at, Adam Goodes was targeted for a while and Ezra Mam is getting that now. 'It was coming loud and clear through the television the other night when he played the Dogs. It was every time he touched the ball.' The booing did not appear to impact Mam's playing ability as he orchestrated a thrilling comeback win. Mam produced three moments of magic as Brisbane scored four tries in the final 20 minutes to shock the Dogs. Mam roared towards sections of the crowd as he celebrated his teammates' tries. Leading NRL reporter Brent Read said the booing of Mam is not something he can remember seeing before. 'He loved it. I was sideline (reporting) and watched him and you could see his reaction when he set up those two tries, he just gave it to them. Gave it to the crowd,' Read said on Triple M's Saturday Scrum. 'We've seen players booed over the years, but I don't think we've seen a player booed as relentlessly as he was. 'It actually got louder as the game went on.' Eels legend Nathan Hindmarsh said booing is just something Mam will have to get used to. 'That's just part of playing rugby league,' he told Triple M. 'Some people are disliked... people are just going to keep booing him. As a professional sportsperson you've just got to get it out of your head.' Last month Mam was called into Queensland's extended State of Origin squad before Game 2 in Perth. That selection was met with a barrage of criticism. Mam was not selected by coach Billy Slater for the series decider on Wednesday night in Sydney. Mam has been further criticised for appearing to be unaware of why he was being taunted and jeered by crowds. He told The Sydney Morning Herald he first thought he was being booed for calling out the racist slur used against him by NSW forward Spencer Leniu during the Las Vegas season opener in 2024. The reality appears to be very different. Veteran rugby league reporter Phil Rothfield last month suggested Slater's decision to select Mam in his extended squad was an 'up yours' to fans. 'Ben Ikin, the CEO of the Queensland Rugby League and Billy Slater have not read the room under these circumstances,'' Rothfield said on NRL 360. 'You saw Mam run onto Brookvale Oval and the entire crowd booed him. He is very, very lucky to be playing NRL football this year. I'm not going to go through the crime again. 'I think we've had to wear him coming back to play NRL this year. The NRL made the mistake there and so did the Broncos. 'But to put him on the highest stage of our game — extended bench or not — is going to the fans 'up yours'.' Mam appears to have a long career ahead of him, unlike Goodes when he left the AFL in 2015. The two-time Brownlow medallist played 372 games for the Swans, a club record, but the closing years of his career were mired in controversy stemming from his move to call out a young Collingwood fan who had called him an 'ape' during a game in 2013. The AFL failed to take action to protect Goodes as the hostility followed him to every ground he played at. The AFL four years' later made a formal apology to the 2014 Australian of the Year.
ABC News
05-07-2025
- Sport
- ABC News
Michael Maguire: "Welcome to Coaching!"
Brisbane made it 4 straight wins in the NRL in dramatic fashion to kick off round 18 fighting back from 18-0 down to win 22-18. This is right after 4 straight losses piled the pressure on coach Michael Maguire (25:16) But in response to being asked what he's done differently all Madge told Andrew Moore and the team was "Welcome to Coaching!". However he did say he's welcomed the return of Ezra Mam and still has more quality players to inject into his side. Also on Saturday NRL Luke Lewis and Billy Moore go head to head to discuss Origin 3 (2.46:04). You can also check in on the NSW Origin camp with Hudson Young (1.20:34) who explained that the Blues are getting even closer as a group on and off the field. From the Queensland camp Tom Dearden (1.36:58) explained what it like to prepare for a match when the series is on the line. And as part of the series looking back over the decades in Origin - Noel Cleal (2:15:59) joins Andrew to discuss the 1985 Blues win. You can also get all the latest Rugby League News - and speculation - in MC's Hammertime (46:48)
