Brisbane Broncos five-eighth Ezra Mam has returned to training with the club ahead of the 2025 season, but it has been confirmed he won't be making his on-field return until at least Round 10.

Mam is facing the suspension after an off-field incident at the back-end of 2024 which saw him involved in a road accident before testing positive to a drug test.

Mam was hit with an $850 fine and six-month licence suspension in December on the back of the incident.

The five-eighth then entered a rehabilitation facility for four weeks, and worked on a job site afterwards until his court case.

The NRL suspended him for nine games and fined him $30,000, while the Broncos added a $90,000 penalty of their own.

The 21-year-old will have a long wait to get back onto the field though, with News Corp reporting that there was some speculation Mam would be able to play reserve grade in the QLD Cup during the nine-week period given it's not a judiciary suspension, only for the NRL to slam the door shut on that idea.

It has also been confirmed Mam will not be able to count the All Stars game - where he would have been selected for the Indigenous team - to his suspension.

Had that game counted, Mam would have been able to return against the Penrith Panthers at Magic Round, but now will instead miss that game, as well as Brisbane's first eight clashes against the Sydney Roosters, Canberra Raiders, North Queensland Cowboys, The Dolphins, Wests Tigers, Sydney Roosters, New Zealand Warriors and Canterbury Bulldogs, with Michael Maguire's side to face the South Sydney Rabbitohs away from home in Mam's return.

It's believed Mam may be kept in reserve grade after his return if new combinations work for a club who struggled during 2024 under Kevin Walters' coaching.

Ben Hunt's arrival means the former St George Illawarra Dragons' captain will form a new halves partnership with Adam Reynolds, while it's believed Blake Mozer will play an increased role at dummy half in combination with Billy Walters or Tyson Smoothy.

Cory Paix, who can play both hooker and in the halves, and young gun halfback Coby Black, are also at the club, alongside Jock Madden and Josh Rodgers as potential options in the six and seven.