Retiring captain Adam Reynolds admitted Brisbane players had been completely blindsided by the news Payne Haas had signed with South Sydney – but rejected claims his exit was prompted by a fall-out with coach Michael Maguire.
While players at both clubs digested the news of Souths’ three-year, $3.6 million swoop for Haas, many were asking why the game’s top prop was walking away from the premiers.
Payne Haas at Brisbane’s season launch on Monday.Credit: AAPIMAGE
Several rival club officials speaking on the condition of anonymity said there had been talk Haas had grown tired of Maguire’s intense training methods and wanted to reunite with Bennett, the man who delivered him to Red Hill a decade ago.
The news got better for Souths on Monday, with Bennett close to agreeing to a one-year contract extension which would keep him at Souths until the end of 2028 – essentially ending the possibility of the 76-year-old becoming the inaugural coach of the PNG Chiefs.
Reynolds, who has played under Bennett and Maguire, was adamant there was no beef between Haas and Maguire, and suggested his teammate had simply wanted a change.
“The storyline about ‘Madge’ [Maguire], that’s absolute rubbish – this has got nothing to do with Madge,” Reynolds told this masthead.
“Madge has been unreal for this club, he’s got us to the heights we all wanted to get to, and hard work was the recipe for that success.
“There’s never been a problem with Payne and Madge. They worked well together with NSW and I’ve seen the connection they have at training.
“I don’t know what is behind Payne’s decision. I know he’s got the connection with Wayne and a few players down there. It certainly came as a shock.
“I hadn’t had any conversations with him. We had the weekend off, and I’m pretty certain nobody expected the news to come out when it did.”
Haas’ contract with Souths has been lodged with the NRL and is currently under the 10-day cooling off period. Reynolds said he would try to convince his teammate to backflip and stay at the Broncos, but was not optimistic.
“I’ll try and twist his arm, but it is what it is,” Reynolds said of Haas. “We have to focus on getting over to England now and getting the job done. I’m sure the boys have been into him, trying to get him obviously to stay at the club.”
Souths ramped up their pursuit of Haas late last week, with sources with knowledge of the negotiations confirming the club had wanted to secure the marquee man before he flew out for England with the Broncos ahead of the World Club Challenge on Monday evening.
The same sources said Haas had been under immense pressure about his plans beyond this year – it had been reported elsewhere that he was set to sign a one-year extension with the Broncos – and that key figures at Souths wanted to take some of the heat off him by securing his signature as early as possible.
Haas never toured Souths’ Heffron Park facilities, but was in constant dialogue with Rabbitohs stars Latrell Mitchell and David Fifita, who are close friends, as well as Bennett. Mitchell and Fifita declined to comment about their role in luring Haas when approached at training on Monday.
A possible factor in Haas’ decision is that his partner, Lani, is from Sydney’s Northern Beaches, where a lot of her family still live.
Premiership winner: Payne Haas celebrates after Brisbane’s grand final win last year.Credit: Getty Images
The question of how Souths could afford Haas was being asked by rival fans. Skipper Cameron Murray, Campbell Graham, Jai Arrow, Jack Wighton and Mitchell are all on big money. But only four players are contracted beyond 2027 – Haas, Murray, Junior Tatola and Jye Gray.
Now that they have Haas and Murray – one of the best lock forwards in the game – locked down, the same sources confirmed it would make it easier to land a marquee halfback.
The prospect of playing behind Haas and Murray would appeal to most playmakers, while the chance to be coached by Bennett – who was described on Monday by a Souths insider as “that guy who adds the special sauce” – is another huge selling point.
There will be plenty of debate within the club about which players to extend and for how much, but Bennett will play the long game when it comes to reshaping the Rabbitohs’ roster.
Souths could only make a big-money play for Haas once Keaon Koloamatangi took up a five-year $5m deal with St George Illawarra on Christmas Eve.
Koloamatangi said Haas had made the right move.
“It’s a credit to the Bunnies, it’s a club everyone wants to come to, and they’ve now got the game’s best front-rower who wants to leave the premiers to come here – he’s a great get,” Koloamatangi said.
“He’ll be surrounded by a good group of boys and a club that will look after him. The boys had no idea it was happening. There was a spot there, and it’s good it got sorted now rather than later.”
Souths players were privately excited about Haas’ pending arrival, but were quick to insist his signing had barely rated a mention on Monday morning.
Bennett asked a couple of players their thoughts – and told those close to him Haas’ signing was a “game-changer”.
Meanwhile, Reynolds, a dual premiership winner with Souths and Brisbane, will finish at the end of the year – but not before trying to bow out with a third title alongside Haas.
“I feel good, but the time is right, and I’m keen to move into coaching here afterwards,” the 35-year-old said. “I’ll be giving it my all, and so will Payne. He’s dedicated, he’s always one of our best players, and he’s a big reason why we’ve gone back to the top. You can’t ever question his passion for the club. He wants to go out a winner, and so do I.”
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