Adam Reynolds in massive revelation about Ezra Mam amid Broncos contract saga
The Brisbane No.6 is set for a massive contract upgrade after his breakout season in 2023.
Brisbane Broncos halfback Adam Reynolds has delivered a "scary" warning to his NRL rivals about the rise of his gun halves partner, Ezra Mam. Reynolds and Mam formed a brilliant partnership in the halves for Brisbane in 2023 as the Broncos fell agonisingly short of a first premiership title since 2006 - going down 26-24 to Penrith in last year's grand final.
Both players are in the middle of negotiating new deals with the club, with Mam reportedly set to turn down the advances of rival clubs by signing a four-year extension worth around $3 million. Reynolds is contracted until the end of 2024 but is also close to agreeing a new one-year extension to keep him at Red Hill until the end of 2025.
'LITTLE RAT': Cameron Munster's shot at Storm boss over NSW Origin move
'POOR GUY': NRL fans react to brutal development for Josh Schuster
ON THE PROWL: Nathan Cleary's younger brother turns heads at Panthers
Mam has shot to superstardom over the last two seasons and scored a stunning hat-trick in the Broncos' grand final heartbreak against the Panthers in 2023. The classy five-eighth was on just $250,000 last season but has earned himself a substantial contract upgrade and Reynolds says it's just rewards for a player whose improvement over the last two years has blown the veteran halfback away.
Reynolds told foxsports.com.au there is almost no ceiling on Mam's potential, in what is undoubtedly an ominous thought for Brisbane's rivals. The veteran No.7 also confirmed that Mam's long-term plan is to succeed Reynolds at halfback, and says the 21-year-old has the necessary attributes to succeed in the chief playmaking role.
Adam Reynolds blown away by Ezra Mam's improvement
"The development of Ezra over the last 12-24 months, since I came to the club is amazing,” Reynolds said. “He’s still pretty raw, he’s still learning the game and that’s the scary thing about Ezra — you don’t know where the ceiling is at for his potential. He wants to be a halfback one day so it’s about trying to up-skill him and getting him up to speed on how things work. But you don’t want to take away the pure talent that he’s got because it makes him such a great player.”
Mam's contract negotiations have come amid a tricky period for the Broncos, who offered prop Payne Haas the richest deal in the club's history in 2023 and also re-signed representative forward, Patrick Carrigan. The Broncos are also desperate to lock up the future of Maroons fullback Reece Walsh.
Walsh only made $450,000 last season but is also looking at a monster upgrade that will likely see him earn over $1 million per year on his next deal. The 21-year-old starred for Queensland in last year's State of Origin series win and was pivotal in the Broncos' run to the NRL grand final.
Reynolds is yet another piece of the salary cap puzzle at Brisbane, with the 33-year-old revealing management is close to finalising a new deal and "pretty certain it’ll be done before Round 1". The Broncos travel to Las Vegas to take on the Roosters in the second match of the NRL's season-opening double-header in the United States on March 3 (March 4 AEDT).
Adam Reynolds flags future in coaching
While the veteran halfback admits it's "probably unrealistic" to think he'll still be playing at the Broncos in 2026, Reynolds is keen to move into a coaching role at the club when he does eventually hang up the boots. It means Reynolds looks to have at least two more seasons working alongside Mam and grooming him to take over the chief playmaking role, before potentially joining coach Kevin Walters' backroom staff.
“I’d love to go into coaching, I love giving back to the game,” Reynolds added. “We’ve got some great young halves coming through here that I’d love to stick around and help out. “You don’t know what life is going to be like until you’re there. I’m getting towards the back end of my career where I’m trying to figure out what I want to do. Coaching is a part of that and a few little other ventures that we’re tinkling with but coaching is at the top of the list.”
Sign up to our newsletter and score the biggest sport stories of the week.