‘Always going to be home’: Haas plans to stay in Brisbane

While nothing’s been signed just yet, expectations are Payne Haas will sign an extension with the Brisbane Broncos at the end of the season as he looks to win a premiership with the Queensland club.

The New South Wales star did request a release from the club midway through his last contract, but he’s since patched things up with the club and re-signed through to 2026 following that saga. Since then, Haas has been “fully committed” to Brisbane and its project under Michael Maguire, according to those close to Haas and the Broncos squad.

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That loyalty has led to Haas verbally committing to another extension before the end of the 2025 season, with any formal paperwork to be sorted once the Broncos wrap up their campaign; Magurie’s men are currently fighting to finish fourth for finals.

Haas could easily wait until November 1 to field offers from other NRL clubs — most notably the Perth Bears, who need to build a full roster for their expansion arrival — but his agent Ahmad Merhi has said that’s not the plan.

“Brisbane is always going to be home for Payne,” Merhi told AAP earlier this week.

“We are in dialogue with Brisbane all the time and have a good relationship with them. Payne is not going anywhere.

“We will get [an extension] done, hopefully as soon as the season is over.

“Now he is just focused on the competition.”

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Merhi added there’s a hope from Haas’ side that the Broncos recognise his commitment to the cause and respond accordingly with a decent contract upgrade and more years. “He’s done a lot for Brisbane, including when they weren’t doing well,” Merhi said. “He’s won five Paul Morgan Medals [as player of the year] and his legacy plays a big role in what he does.”

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The Sporting Base can confirm the Broncos are — to no one’s surprise, we’re sure — very eager to keep Haas.

The only issue Red Hill powerbrokers may run into is salary cap squeeze from 2027; the retention team just re-signed several roster stars like Reece Walsh, Ezra Mam, Kotoni Staggs, and Pat Carrigan, all of whom got decent pay hikes at the time.

Those re-signings already cost Brisbane the chance to keep now-Dolphins-bound Selwyn Cobbo.

The best avenue the club has is to wait until Adam Reynolds and Ben Hunt announce their retirements. Each is earning decent coin. and that can then be combined into a Haas re-signing package. It may mean whoever plays halfback for the club will be on a cheaper deal to start, but the plan in Brisbane is to have a junior take up that spot next to Mam anyway.

Maguire’s Broncos play Melbourne on Thursday. As noted, they’re fighting to retain fourth.