Broncos CEO advises players to ‘grow up’ amid ‘Ma’am’ drama

Brisbane coach Dave Donaghy has told his players to grow up while refusing to guarantee star five-eighth Ezra Mama a future with the Broncos following his road accident.

Donaghy gave a scathing assessment of his players on Monday, saying he believed there were problems with leadership and culture at the NRL club after a year of hell.

In the latest drama to unfold at the club, Ma’am is currently awaiting secondary test results after he allegedly failed a roadside drug test following a head-on car crash.

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

Donaghy said the mum was glad the occupants of the other car were not seriously injured and also apologized to the Broncos as his future was 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 early to tell.

“We haven’t had an in-depth internal discussion,” Donaghy told 4BC radio.

“We don’t have all the facts. We want to make sure we have all the information so we can make the right decision.

“But of course, from the club’s point of view, we are very disappointed to find ourselves in this position.

“Ezra is a young man, he is 21 years old. Unfortunately, you have to grow up quickly in this industry. This is the price of entry. It’s a very privileged role.”

“I really value personal responsibility and accountability. I am confident that such an opportunity will arise as soon as all the facts become known.”

However, Donaghy pointedly admitted that the problems in Brisbane went beyond Mam.

The Broncos have endured several off-field incidents during COVID, with Donaghy claiming players were shown a “line in the sand” last January.

Brisbane then reached last year’s grand final, having had a relatively quiet year before problems arose again this season, with the team slipping to 12th in the standings and coach Kevin Walters being replaced.

A pre-season brawl between captains Pat Carrigan and Adam Reynolds outside a bar foreshadowed trouble this year.

Mum and Reece Walsh were investigated by the NRL’s integrity department after interacting with a fan in Bali after the end of the season, ahead of the latest five-eighths drama.

Prominent disciplinarian Michael Maguire will arrive as the club’s new manager on Wednesday, but Donaghy said the responsibility for driving change would extend beyond him.

“I’ve seen comments before that this is a ‘line in the sand’ moment. I think this is a coming of age moment for this group,” Donaghy said.

“We have been very intentional about investing in our leadership and our culture within the football program.

“We’ve been disappointed all year with where we are.

“I’m not going to shy away from the fact that I believe we have some cultural problems.

“Part of it is a return to leadership. This is an area where I have emphasized that we need to invest.

“We know it will take a lot of hard work. We may not be able to fix this overnight, but we will certainly be very careful in how we design it.”