Mam in the Mirror: Maguire Discusses Five-Eighth Decision

Brisbane coach Michael Maguire has made it clear that representative appearances do not assure a player a spot in the club lineup, despite Queensland coach Billy Slater's continued confidence in Ezra Mam.

Following Mam's role on Queensland's bench for the State of Origin opening match, the Broncos' five-eighth has been dropped for the upcoming game against the Titans, with Tom Duffy stepping in as the starter.

Mam will wear jersey No. 18 after Brisbane's surprising defeat to St George Illawarra last weekend, particularly disheartening given that the Dragons had yet to win against any team this season.

Although Mam has been dealing with a quad injury throughout the year and seemed to injure his ankle during the match against the Dragons, Maguire emphasized that the decision was based solely on form.

"No, there's no injury," Maguire told The Daily Telegraph.

"It purely came down to performance."

"Tom Duffy is doing well, and I feel he can bring something to the team."

"We haven't been performing up to expectations - simple as that."

This decision is particularly timely for Duffy, who is on the verge of securing a two-year contract extension with the Broncos in the near future.