NRL grand final LIVE: Victims of Brisbane Broncos star’s drug-driving crash slam him just before the biggest match of the year

Mam crashed his Ford into an Uber in inner-city Brisbane in October 2024, leaving the Uber driver and his two passengers – a mother and daughter – with serious injuries, most notably a broken hip suffered by the five-year-old girl.

Now, as he prepares to play a starring role in the grand final, the mother and Uber driver have hit out at what they see as the star’s grossly lenient treatment from the court and the NRL.

The mother, Taylor Marshall, said Mam should have been hit with a far harsher outcome than being fined $850 and losing his licence for six months, in addition to being rubbed out for nine weeks and fined $120,000 by the NRL after cocaine was found in his system after the accident.

‘I’m in shock he’s playing,’ Marshall said.

‘I seriously thought he would get a year’s suspension. He got nine games. It’s not good enough.

‘I said on the day of his court case that the suit he was wearing would have cost more than the fine that he got.’

Uber driver Marcel Van Den Camp spoke through his lawyer, Kaitlyn Marsh, who said he finds it ‘re-traumatising’ to see Mam ‘continue to live comfortably’.

‘Our client does not agree with the consequences imposed by the NRL or the fact that Ezra is playing in this weekend’s grand final,’ Marsh said in a statement.

Freddy Lussick joins the procession in the 29th minute, sliding through a yawning gap after some good lead-up play by Tanah Boyd, who has an easy conversion from right in front.

Plenty of time for the Wahs to add to what is fast starting to look like an unbeatable lead before halftime. The Bears are getting carved up left, right and centre, with the Warriors scooting 80 metres on their set after receiving the kickoff. This is boys vs men stuff at the moment.

Setu Tu doubled the Kiwis’ lead in the 14th minute, and halfback Tanah Boyd has just notched a four-pointer to go with three conversions from three attempts.

The Burleigh Bears look badly outmatched by the Warriors’ size and power at the moment, and they just made matters worse with a bad fumble as they tried to bring the ball back after the kickoff.

The Wahs waste no time capitalising on that mistake, with Taine Tuaupiki carving through the defence out wide to score a meat pie straight off the scrum.

Boyd misses the conversion this time. It’s starting to get ugbly for the Queenslanders.

New Zealand’s Ali Leiataua has crossed in the ninth minute to give his team the opening try against the Burleigh Bears in the State Championship.

Tahah Boyd put on a great last pass and has also slotted the conversion for a 6-0 lead.

On Wednesday night, just as the Dally M red carpet was getting underway, news broke that the Bulldogs boss and Channel Nine star had been in a Sydney hospital since Monday with serious health issues.

‘Gus’ returned to the commentary booth on grand final day to lend his expertise to the State Championship match between the New Zealand Warriors and Burleigh Bears.

‘Just watch me drip, will you, please? Don’t tread on it,’ he joked to his fellow commentators.

Hello and thanks for joining the Daily Mail for our coverage of the 2025 NRL grand final.

Stick with us as we bring you all the action from Accor Stadium, where the Broncos will be trying to win their first premiership since 2006 as they face the Melbourne Storm in the biggest match of the year.