Penrith broke Broncos’ hearts, but a shock Mam ploy can redeem finals fall

Broncos leaders Kotoni Staggs and Ben Hunt believe the shock decision to deploy Ezra Mam off the bench can inflict the same heartbreak upon the Panthers as the southern club dealt Brisbane two years ago.

This is a stage Mam knows well, having come within two minutes of clinching a Clive Churchill Medal on the back of his grand final hat-trick in 2023, before Penrith’s Nathan Cleary orchestrated a 16-point comeback.

This has also been a season fraught with turmoil for the Brisbane five-eighth, who was suspended for the opening nine weeks after being charged with driving without a licence and with drugs in his system.

His NRL comeback started emphatically – he scored five tries while coming up with 10 try assists and 10 linebreak assists from as many games – before he suffered a hamstring injury in round 23 against the Melbourne Storm.

For Sunday’s preliminary final clash with their 2023 adversaries, Broncos coach Michael Maguire is expected to shift Ben Hunt to hooker and allow 22-year-old Mam to settle into his usual role at No.6.

It led to Brisbane’s marquee prop Payne Haas declaring Mam’s inclusion loomed as a “point of difference”, a sentiment his fellow leadership group members Staggs and Hunt supported.

“We have strike everywhere on the field. Having Ez there on the bench is going to help the halves when he does come on, he can just float around and do his thing,” Staggs said.

“We all know what Ez can do when he finds space.”

Hunt added: “If he’s on his game, his running game and his decision-making with the ball is up there with the best.

“He could be a bit of an X-factor for us and bring some energy off the bench.”

Mam’s inclusion could have the Panthers on high alert.

Four times this year he has surpassed 100 running metres against retreating defences, while his exploits in the 2023 decided included two linebreaks and 160 metres from just nine carries.

While the Broncos will be without inspirational lock Pat Carrigan (suspension) and Billy Walters (ACL), Mam will be joined by halfback Adam Reynolds and enforcer Xavier Willison.

Edge forward Brendan Piakura has also been cleared of a facial injury suffered in the golden point qualifying final triumph of the Raiders, as he prepares for a showdown with Penrith counterpart Liam Martin.

“It was a bit touch and go at the start when I would be able to come back,” Piakura said.

“It was definitely good to hear the good news. I was a bit worried, but the specialist told me I was all clear to play.”

Brisbane have the resilience to triumph from any position, having secured five wins – against the Sharks, Bulldogs, Cowboys, Dolphins and Raiders – in their past 12 encounters while trailing in the second half.

None of those victories were more prominent than against Canberra, when they fought back from a 16-point deficit with less than 20 minutes to put themselves within 80 minutes of the decider.

Fullback Reece Walsh masterminded that comeback, but Mam’s fresh legs and instinctive play style shape as a key point of difference if Brisbane can stay in the fight until he joins the fray.

“We have learnt to come back this year out of different scenarios and the belief in this team is massive,” Staggs said.

Hunt said the team had learnt to “dig in and fight”.

“I’ve seen a lot of guys really grow up this year and learn what it is to be a first-grader and how to play those long games and when something goes against you, not just throw it all away and give up.

“One bad half of footy doesn’t mean you have a bad game.”