Brisbane Broncos star Payne Haas has agreed to a deal with the South Sydney Rabbitohs, but will have a big decision still to make over his future in the coming days.
While Haas has signed a contract for the 2027, 2028 and 2029 seasons with South Sydney, the club have only been able to lodge it with the NRL at this stage, rather than confirm it.
The ten-day cooling off period will now follow, with the Broncos given a chance to talk their star prop into changing his mind.
While it’s believed that is unlikely, Channel Nine’s Ben Dobbin has revealed the Broncos are set to put a mega five-year extension on the table for the star prop, who they were desperate to retain.
“It’s my understanding the Broncos, with this 10-day cooling off period, are about to table a five-year offer to Payne Haas to try and retain him,” Dobbin said on Channel Nine.
“Haas has a big decision to make. South Sydney are confident that they’ve got him but the Broncos still hold some hope. They’re going to offer him a five-year deal, but also with some clauses in there that if he would like to go to rugby union that is still an option.”
It had been the widely held opinion in rugby league circles that Haas would not exit Brisbane unless it was to play in a rival code.
Just a day before the Rabbitohs signing news broke, it had been suggested Haas would sign a one-year extension with Brisbane upon his return from the World Club Challenge.
He now had just ten days to determine if he will backflip, and an increase in money and years could yet make a difference, with journalist Danny Weidler suggesting Haas had been lowballed by Brisbane.
He suggested the Broncos offered him a deal that was ‘considerably less’ than what he is on now, causing Haas, who has always made it clear money is important as he attempts to provide for his extended family, to seek opportunities elsewhere.
Brisbane’s lowball wouldn’t come as a shock given their confidence in retaining Haas, and also their own salary cap issues which has been stretched to breaking point in recent times with the key re-signings of Reece Walsh and Kotoni Staggs leading the list of reasons why.
