Payne Haas helped lead the Brisbane Broncos to a drought-breaking premiership in 2025. Now, the game’s premier prop intends to lead the club he grew up supporting to their first title in 14 years.
Ever since he signed on the dotted line with South Sydney in February, pundits have been declaring Wayne Bennett’s side a genuine chance to claim their 22nd premiership in 2027.
Haas is too humble to suggest his presence would help the Rabbitohs take the next step, but made no secret of the fact he has joined a club he believes is ready to challenge for a premiership.
“Yeah, for sure. You look at the players we’ve got. I wouldn’t come here if I didn’t think that,” he told reporters at the club’s headquarters on Monday morning.
“You’ve got all these guys in this roster. We just need to keep healthy, and I’m pretty sure we’ll do special things.”
While they lose Kangaroos enforcer Keaon Koloamatangi to the Dragons, the Rabbitohs can still boast a roster packed with international talent, including David Fifita, Cam Murray and Latrell Mitchell.
“It was one of the main reasons why I came here, to play with Latrell,” Haas said. “I know what he can do and the aura he has with himself. I just can’t wait to be around him and be in his presence.”
Haas said he wasn’t feeling any added weight of responsibility despite his high-profile switch from the Broncos on a reported salary of $1.2 million per year.
“I’m just here to do my work and worry about my own job,” he said, insisting he wanted to be the best team man possible at his new club.
“I’m here to fit in how the South Sydney boys have their culture. I’m not really worried about that kind of stuff. I’m just worried about doing my part, playing my role and training as hard as I can.”
Haas wasted no time in ripping in at training on Monday. While Bennett, who gave Haas his NRL debut in 2018 – against the Rabbitohs, coincidentally – is enjoying some time away from the club, Haas looked comfortable and eager to impress under assistant coach Ben Hornby at the club’s Heffron Park HQ.
“That’s in my nature,” the prop said. “I need to earn their trust as well and make sure they have belief in what I can do. I can’t do that without showing that with my actions at training and trying to train the house down.”
Haas again denied rumours swirled of a fallout with Broncos coach Michael Maguire – the last man to lead the Rabbitohs to a premiership.
Instead, he insisted his decision to walk away from a multi-million dollar contract to remain a Bronco for life came down to not wanting to become stale.
“It definitely wasn’t the training or the coach, but I think the thought of moving scared me and made me uncomfortable, and that’s why I really wanted to do it,” he said.
“I could have just stayed there for the next five years and signed and be comfortable. I didn’t want to have any regrets, so when I had that feeling of moving and had that sense of being uncomfortable, I just wanted to do it.
“I’m here now, ready to earn the respect and feel uncomfortable, but I’m ready to be uncomfortable.”
Asked about the lingering rumours of a breakdown with Maguire, Haas said he was unfazed by the outside noise.
“I don’t really care what people think, to be honest,” he said. “Everyone’s entitled to their own opinions, but people close to me and people up there, they know the real reason. I wanted to be uncomfortable, I needed a change, and I got that now, and I’m really excited to be here.”
On Bennett, Haas said the only thing that had changed with the veteran coach since his early days at the Broncos was his age.
“He’s a lot older. I spoke to Wayne last week before he went back up to his farm, but not really. He’s still the same man, and that’s why I love him,” he said.
“I think he just gets it. You know what I mean? He gets it. Your family means a lot and outside of footy, that life. It means a lot.”
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