Broncos skipper Adam Reynolds has passionately defended teammate Ezra Mam after he came under scrutiny for his last-minute blunder in the loss to the Titans on the weekend.
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Fox League expert and premiership-winning halfback Cooper Cronk said it was a moment Mam “would like to have again” when he opted to kick down the shortside instead of passing to the right, where the Broncos had a massive overlap.
Round 15
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It was a split-second decision that proved costly, with Cronk “pretty certain it would be a try”.
Mam was desperate to impress coach Michael Maguire after being dropped to the bench for the Gold Coast clash and while that moment is the one that everyone will remember, Reynolds leapt to the five-eighth’s defence on Monday.
“It’s easy for the critics out there who haven’t played rugby league to pause the screen at a certain moment and say he should have done this or should have done that but those same people in that situation probably wouldn’t be where he is,” Reynolds said when asked about the social media storm surrounding the play.
“We love everything that he brings to this football team. He’s a quality player and from time to time we do make mistakes as a player. It’s easy to sit there and pick the game apart from the couch but when you’re out there it’s a different feeling.
“I thought he was outstanding once he got on the field. He’d done a lot of great things for us, sort of narrowed his mindset throughout the week in the way he wanted to go about his business and I thought he’d done that.
“We can sit there and pick apart that last play but there were a lot of great things that he’d done for the team on the night and without him, you never know, maybe we would have never been in that position in the first place.”
The Broncos have now lost five games in a row and sit four points adrift of the top eight, likely needing to win eight of their last 11 games to make the finals and they have a tough run home.
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Cronk exposes costly Ezra Mam decision | 00:37
Reynolds was asked on Monday whether coach Maguire needs to alter his approach, but the halfback was adamant nothing needs to change there for the Broncos to turn their form around
“Not at all. The approach hasn’t changed,” he said, adding that Maguire’s leadership “has been better than ever”.
“It’s the same last year. We got questioned last year. The same questions were coming up. Did he change his approach last year? No he didn’t.”
In a touching nod to a former Bronco, Brisbane will be wearing special jerseys that pay tribute to Jai Arrow for Thursday’s game against South Sydney.
‘Jai’ and his club number ‘222’ will be written above the Broncos logo, with all jerseys to be auctioned off after the game. All money will go directly to Arrow and his family after the 30-year-old’s motor neurone disease (MND) diagnosis.
The Rabbitohs will announce a special jersey of their own this week.
“Jai is an old boy. He represented this club and I’ve got a great friendship with Jai and some great memories both on and off the field,” Reynolds said.
“It’s a super important week not only for us and South Sydney but the NRL in general and sport and life in general. If we can contribute and make a change in trying to find a cure, it’s more than worth going out and representing Jai.
“I love the bloke. He competed hard on the field, he’s a champion fella and he gets the boys up wherever he is. It’s an honour wear his name and number this weekend.”
Madge reflects on tough Titans loss | 05:45
SHARKS STAR PREPARED FOR CONTRACT CIRCUS
Sharks fullback Will Kennedy is glad he’s sorted his future out for 2027, but he accepts that the same contract circus beyond that will continue next year when he gets hammered with the same questions he’s copped for the past two seasons.
Kennedy inked a one-year extension to remain at Cronulla having also signed a one-year deal last October for the 2026 season.
It’s led to constant questions about his long-term future, but Kennedy is used to it by now and welcomes whatever comes next year.
“It’s good to get it all done and sorted and then just focus on my footy. I can’t thank the club enough for giving me another year,” he told the NewsWire.
“I was used to it (the contract questions) and then had it last year as well, so I think I was getting a bit used to it. It didn’t bother me at all. It’s just good to have it done and then just keep going with footy.”
The short-term extension will lead to speculation that he could end up at the PNG Chiefs when they enter the competition in 2028, with Kennedy conceding that he will have to consider his family if a longer contract is offered elsewhere.
“I think everyone would want more than one year, especially just having that security for my young family as well,” he said.
“I think it was just the best option for my family. I want to do what’s right off the field as well and then repay it in footy as well.
“I love this club. They took me in when I was a young player and I can’t repay them enough. I’ll always love this club.
“At the end of the day, you’ve got to do what’s best for your family. I think that one year here again was best for my family and then for me as well because I wanted to be with the boys that I love and care about.”
Kennedy has been a mainstay in the Shire since he made his debut in 2019, with the fullback producing a season-high 215 running metres to go with a try and two assists in Sunday’s comeback win over the Dragons.
He celebrated his try with a spectacular dive into the in-goal, with Cronulla coach Craig Fitzgibbon praising the 29-year-old’s constant improvement.
There have been questions over whether the club can win a title with Kennedy at the back, but his coach is adamant that he is one of the most valued members at a club that will farewell veterans Cam McInnes, Sione Katoa and Jesse Ramien at the end of the year.
“There’s probably more noise around Will staying or not staying (every year), but that guy just gets better every year,” Fitzgibbon said.
“We’ve thankfully managed to keep Will because he gets better and better. Will is the sort of guy who epitomises our club and team.
“We haven’t been able to keep a lot of the guys that we love and cherish, and it’s been harder than it seems. We love and respect the players that are moving on, but we’re also thankful for a player like Will that we’ve managed to keep.
“It’s not lost on us week to week on how important everyone in our club is, and then Will epitomises what we’re about.”
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