Haas has been talking to R360 over a $3 million code-switch deal

Payne Haas’ management has been speaking to Rugby 360 bosses about a potential swap to the breakaway rugby competition, with reports suggesting a $3 million offer is already on the table for the premiership winner.

While Haas has yet to formally speak to R360’s managers, that’s mostly because he and his agent, Ahmad Merhi, want to be certain they’re not breaching any NRL rules by sitting down for negotiations with the rebel comp.

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Once they do start speaking, there’s every chance it falls to Haas to decide whether he wants to chase money with the much-maligned rugby competition or to stay with the Broncos long-term; reports from Michael Chammas at the Sydney Morning Herald have suggested the R360 bosses “did not blink” when Haas’ party said it would take $3 million (AUD) to lure him away.

That offer pales compared to the $1.2 million deal the Broncos would put together if they wanted to challenge the rebel comp’s bidding. The R360 contract would also, it’s understood, come tax-free due to the Saudi-backed competition’s rules.

The best bargaining chip Brisbane has is the NRL is guaranteed to play. R360’s existence is still up in the air.

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From the club side of things, it also sounds like the Broncos are expecting Haas to stay — just like The Sporting Base reported some weeks ago before the NRL finals series had even begun. At the time, Haas had said Brisbane was “always going to be home,” and it’s a sentiment that his coach has since come out and echoed when speaking about the whole breakaway rumours.

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“I don’t understand it at the moment. There is so much information around it. People saying it won’t happen, it will happen,” Maguire said on the radio last Friday, confirming Haas does have the offer in front of him but suggesting it’s unlikely he’d take up the offer.

“One thing I do know is that Payne loves the club,” he added. “Loves living in Brisbane; he has got his family here.”