Fallen star Ezra Mam has been welcomed back into the Broncos stable this week during the return of Brisbane's NRL preseason training for the new year.

Mam has been kept away from the club base at Red Hill soon after the conclusion to the Broncos' season where the 2023 minor premiers and grand final runners-up slid down the ladder and failed to reach the finals altogether within 12 months.

The Torres Strait Islander was banned for the first nine games of the 2025 season and fined $120,000 by the NRL and $90,000 by the club over an offseason incident.

The NRL suspension also includes a ban on the 21-year-old from playing in the Queensland Cup after initial suggestions Mam would be allowed to play in the second-tier state competition as his suspension is not related to an on-field incident and he was not outed by the NRL judiciary.

Mam pleaded guilty to a drug-driving offence that occurred on October 18 and he was later fined a further $850 by the courts two months later and disqualified from driving for nine months.

Video footage showed Mam losing control of his car and crossing the other side of the road into an Uber vehicle that was carrying a mother and her four-year-old daughter.

While the driver and the woman was unhurt, the girl suffered a fractured hip in the collision.

The club soon after apologised to the family over the incident, but the mother said she was bitterly disappointed Mam did not approach them afterwards for their forgiveness.

Mam joined his teammates for the first time on Tuesday since the incident before backing up again on Thursday.

Mam's physical conditioning appeared unaffected from more than two months away from a preseason, working hard with attacking coach Trent Barrett on his kicking and passing drills on Tuesday.

Broncos teammate Kobe Hetherington said there was no division whatsoever among a tight playing group over Mam returning back to the club.

"His spirits have been good so far – everyone has been just getting around him this week," Hetherington told club press conference on Thursday.

"He is like a brother to me and to all of the rest of the boys. We have always got Ezra's back too.

"It's just good to have Ez back (at the club)."

There was much public criticism over the penalty issued Mam by the court, considering the decision of one of the club's leaders to drive without a valid licence, to do so while under the influence, and the fact his driving was lucky not to kill the four-year-old, who like Mam, spent a few days in hospital afterwards.

Court records also detailed Mam's previous driving record that included speeding offences, another charge over failing to stop at a red light, and a ticket for driving while talking a mobile phone that happened less than 12 months ago when his licence was also suspended.

Mam was fined $1161 for that offence alone, a harsher punishment than the recent head-on crash.

He was caught speeding in 2021 and 2023, failing to wear a seatbelt properly in 2022,as well as a suspension from the state penalties enforcement registry in 2023, that mobile phone use fine in 2024, and three separate late-night driving restrictions in 2021, 2022 and 2024.

There were also a further three separate (three month) demerit point suspensions in 2021, 2022, and 2024 that barred the playmaker off the road altogether.

Hetherington denied the club has put all players on notice over Mam's poor behaviour with a vehicle.

"Everyone is old enough to know that was the wrong thing to do," Hetherington said.

"Yeah, I don't know, but everyone knows what's right from what's wrong. It's just on them if they do it."

Mam has kept busy on a building site working after the incident following the orders from new coach Michael Maguire in between attending a rehabilitation facility for his drug use that he will continue to work on the tools amid the club's scheduled days off from training.

The club sanctioned Mam to undertake a safer driving training program and to appear at an ongoing wellbeing support program after the NRL executive issued a breach notice.

Brisbane chief executive Dave Donaghy said – contrary to Hetherington's thoughts – that the punishments handed out to Mam were a warning to other players at the club that they should act as a deterrent to live their lives more akin to a model citizen or as role models.

"While we are extremely disappointed that we have been placed in this position, we believe both the NRL and club-imposed penalties adequately reflect the gravity of what's transpired and should act as a deterrent from this type of risky and anti-social behaviour," he said in a statement before Mam's return.

"Ezra clearly did the wrong thing, but he has taken responsibility for his actions and shown genuine remorse towards those involved.

"He understands the impact this has had on everyone around him, and the game.

"Ezra has taken steps to get his life back on track since this incident and that must continue – we have been very clear about that.

"We believe the additional measures in place are important and will go hand in hand with integrating Ezra back into the work underway at the Broncos."