Billy Slater defends Ezra Mam selection call weeks after returning from drug-driving ban

7NEWS

a day ago

Billy Slater has defended picking Ezra Mam for State of Origin just three games after his return from a drug-driving ban, adamant the Brisbane star will add to Queensland's squad.
Mam is expected to be rolled out as 18th man for next Wednesday's must-win clash at Optus Stadium in Perth, after being named in Slater's 20-man squad.
The uncapped Maroon will undergo scans on his knee before entering camp on Monday, after copping a knock in the Broncos' win over Gold Coast on Saturday night.
Queensland are confident he will be fit to line up, with Slater describing the injury as a 'bump' when he unveiled his squad on Monday morning.
It was always going to be contentious, with Slater dropping captain Daly Cherry-Evans and picking Tom Dearden to wear the No.7 jersey.
But Mam's selection has added to the headlines.
The Brisbane five-eighth copped a nine-match ban for crashing a car while driving unlicensed and with drugs in his system last October.
Three occupants of the Uber he collided with were injured, including a woman and her young daughter.
Mam was fined $120,000 by the NRL and subsequently attended a rehabilitation facility and worked on a job site before returning to pre-season training in January.
Slater said he had not had a chance to sense how remorseful Mam was, having only spoken to the 22-year-old on Sunday night to inform him of his selection.
'He's the right person for that position right now,' Slater said.
'I am sure people will have their speculation around all the people selected. That is OK, everyone is entitled to their opinion.
'He has been doing a great job since he returned. We feel the squad will benefit from him being here.'
Mam has played three NRL games since his return to the playing arena and was booed repeatedly by the Brookvale Oval crowd in the recent 34-6 loss to Manly.
But Slater said there was no doubt the Indigenous star had done enough to prove his worth to the Maroons squad, and put one question back on critics.
'Have you watched the couple of games back? He has been pretty good, I don't think he has skipped a beat,' Slater said.
'By all reports he has been doing a lot of training through the first half of the year while he was sitting out.
'He has been in this position before and been part of this squad before. I am sure he will take his opportunity if presented.'
On one level Mam's inclusion should come as no surprise.
After his three-try display in the 2023 grand final he was brought into his first pre-season Maroons camp in February of 2024.
Slater then invited him into camp ahead of game one of the 2024 Origin series as a player identified as a potential long-term in Queensland player.