Ezra Mam produced a stellar performance in his first game of the season — and one that will put pressure on Broncos coach Michael Maguire to pick him for Round 11.
The timing of Mam’s return couldn’t have been better for the Broncos given their halves stocks taking a major hit with Ben Hunt and Jock Madden set for time on the sidelines.
Meanwhile, Manly’s potential long-term Daly Cherry-Evans successor — former rugby union prodigy Joey Walsh — made his NSW Cup debut.
All that and more in the latest Reserve Grade Wrap.
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ALL EYES WERE ON…
Ezra Mam made a statement in his return to the field on the weekend for Broncos feeder side Souths Logan Magpies.
Mam missed the first nine weeks of the season due to a suspension relating to an off-field incident. Despite being available to play NRL, Broncos coach Michael Maguire opted to make his star five-eighth return via Queensland Cup.
Mam had a quiet start but then exploded in the Magpies’ 66-10 win over Western Clydesdales, finishing with a try, three try assists, two linebreaks, two linebreak assists, eight tackle busts, a 40/20 and 111 running metres.
Even if Maguire wanted to keep Mam in Cup for a little longer, he may have no choice but to pick him after Ben Hunt suffered a hamstring injury and back-up playmaker Jock Madden tore his pectoral over the weekend.
CODE Sports reported that Mam would be named in the No.6 jersey for Brisbane on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Manly youngster Joey Walsh impressed on NSW Cup debut with a try, a try assist, a linebreak, two linebreak assists and 63 running metres. He also made 21 tackles but did miss three.
Walsh — a halfback — joined Manly ahead of this season on a three-year deal and is considered a future NRL player.
The 18-year-old was the Australian U18s rugby fly half and captain in 2023 and was said to be on the radar of several NRL clubs before signing with the Sea Eagles.
Walsh is a northern beaches product and spent some time in the Roosters’ system before focusing on rugby union.
While Manly have signed Jamal Fogarty to replace Cherry-Evans, Walsh could very well be their next long-term No.7.
Elsewhere, Tom Cant may be set for a recall after Knights coach Adam O’Brien said he’ll look to the NSW Cup side after the NRL team blew a 14-point lead to lose to the Titans.
Cant was a standout in Cup, finishing with a try, a linebreak, 17 runs for 134 metres and 32 tackles — three misses.
NSW CUP STANDOUTS
The Warriors are sitting pretty on top of the ladder after their 8-1 start to the season. They made it four wins on the trot on the weekend with a 46-30 victory over the Raiders.
It was raining tries for Freddy Lussick, Kayliss Fatialofa and Setu Tu with the former two bagging hat-trick and the latter scoring a double.
Lussick, who made a late switch to prop, finished with two linebreaks, 169 running metres and 14 tackles — one miss — to go with his three tries.
Second-rower Fatialofa also set up a try, got two linebreaks, nine tackle busts and made 24 tackles with one miss, while Tu ran 148 metres.
It was a busy day for five-eighth Luke Hanson too with the 21-year-old finishing with four try assists, a linebreak and three linebreak assists.
Trent Toelau and Jack Cole had a field day in the Panthers’ 40-16 win over the Western Suburbs Magpies.
Toelau, who played halfback, scored 16 points with a try and six goals from seven attempts, while also setting up two tires, getting three linebreak assists and running 143 metres. Meanwhile, Cole finished with four try assists, a linebreak and three linebreak assists.
Preston Riki was rock-solid on both sides of the ball with the 27-year-old forward racking up a 138 running metres, five tackle busts and 20 tackles with no misses. His efforts were rewarded with a try in the 77th minute.
The North Sydney Bears capped off a big week for the club with a 26-24 win over the Knights. After it was announced the Perth Bears would enter the NRL in 2027, North Sydney headed to Tamworth for the NSW Cup Magic Round and produced a thrilling finish to keep the celebrations going.
The Knights held a 24-6 lead 42 minutes into the game until the Bears staged a comeback with livewire fullback Jake Toby completing the job with a runaway try scored under the posts in the 77th minute.
Halfback Harradyn Wilson, who set up a try earlier with a harbour bridge pass, slotted the matchwinning conversion.
The ever-reliable skipper Ben Talty was also enormous in the win, finishing with a linebreak assist, 129 running metres and 33 tackles with no misses.
The Roosters produced a 36-20 win over Manly Sea Eagles with emerging fullback Ethan King starring. King, 220, scored a try, set up another, got a linebreak, a linebreak assist, five tackle busts and recorded 202 metres from 22 runs.
Meanwhile, Matt Lodge was impressive in a losing side, finishing with a try, a linebreak, seven tackle busts and 147 metres. He also made 15 tackles with one miss.
The Bulldogs are on a roll, winning four of their last five games. They defeated the Eels 41-28 on the weekend with rising winger Jethro Rinakama bagging a double and running 183 metres.
The versatile Cassius Tia played in the halves after spending the last five games in the centres and looked right at home. The 20-year-old scored two tries in three minutes, while also finishing with a try assist, a linebreak, two linebreak assists and 80 running metres. He also kicked a field goal in the 78th minute but did miss seven tackles.
Drew Hutchison started the game at centre but shifted to the halves one minute in after Joseph O’Neill suffered a head knock. He set up Tia for a try after beating two Eels players and getting an offload away and then scored himself seven minutes later.
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QUEENSLAND CUP STANDOUTS
Townsville Blackhawks and Ipswich Jets delivered an absolute cracker of a finish to their game on Sunday.
It was a gritty contest with all but one of the tries scored in the first half — but make no mistake there was still plenty of action in the second half.
Townsville had a six-point lead until Ipswich hooker Oliver Pascoe scored his second try of the game in the 63rd minute. Halfback Dion Teaupa slotted the conversion to make it 18-all.
Former Rabbitoh Teaupa then nailed a field goal in the 71st minute to edge his side ahead, before Townsville’s Jack Campagnolo returned serve two minutes later to lock scores up again.
Teaupa kicked another field goal in the 77th minute to take the lead once again… but then Campagnolo won it for Townsville with a penalty goal in the final five seconds.
Ironically, it was tryscorer Pascoe who was penalised for crowding.
It was a double-athon in Souths Logan’s big in over the Western Clydesdales with Floyd Aubrey, Tyson Smoothy and Callum Eggerling all bagging two tries each. Smoothy also set up a try, while Eggerling scored both of his within three minutes.
Norths Devils have continued their undefeated streak with a 14-10 win over the Dolphins. Bench forward Sam Elliott scored the matchwinner to top off a solid game in which he finished with a linebreak, four tackle busts, 142 running metres and 20 tackles — three misses.
Elsewhere, Brisbane Tigers bagged an 18-10 win over Northern Pride with five-eighth Tahj Wood starring. The 25-year-old scored a try and finished with two linebreaks, four tackle busts and 151 running metres.
Centre Saimone Ahomana also had some joy, finishing with a try assist, a linebreak and 145 running metres.
