Brisbane boss Paul White admits attempts to transform the NRL club’s culture under new coach Kevin Walters have suffered a setback with Payne Haas’s weekend arrest.
The 21-year-old representative forward was arrested and subsequently charged by police after an alleged altercation at Tweed Heads in NSW last Saturday night.
Haas will face Tweed Heads local court on February 2 after being charged with offensive language and intimidate police officer.
He’ll also be the subject of an NRL integrity unit investigation which could come with playing and financial sanctions.
It’s the first off-field challenge for Walters as he aims to erase the horrors of Brisbane’s 2020 campaign, which included the first wooden spoon in the club’s history.
“Any incident like that would,” White said when asked if the matter was a setback to Walters’ transformation.
“We’d had an incident free pre-season. The players had returned from the Christmas break in good shape and things were tracking well.
“Our roster was in good shape. Kevvie’s got all his new staff in place.
“Anything like this is a setback but we need to own it as a club.
“Payne, first and foremost, needs to own it and Kevvie will obviously be a part of that process. There’s a lesson to be learnt. We have to take those lessons.”
As well as Brisbane’s on-field struggles in 2020, Haas had a difficult year personally with the death of his brother Chace.
Having been suspended for the first four matches of the 2019 season and fined $20,000 for failing to comply with an NRL integrity unit investigation into a matter involving members of his family, White said it was on the youngster to make better choices in his future.
“On any given Saturday night, there’ll be plenty of people that are approached, who’ve had a bit too much to drink, who police would have an interaction with who make their way home safely and without incident,” White said.
“The poor decision was the way Payne responded to an approach by place and he’s found himself in a situation which is totally unacceptable.”
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
Tom Starling has had all but one of his charges dropped. He was alleged to have tried to grab the cops gun among other things. Curtis Scott had a similar experience where the witnesses were mainly cops and his charges were dropped. I remember being ''educated'' on the Roar a while back that the police don't lay charges without very good evidence that a crime has been committed. I'm sure that's how it's meant to work anyway................
Flexis
Roar Rookie
I’m more curious how frequent they will be
mushi
Roar Guru
When was the cultural reset?
mushi
Roar Guru
On the German tour...
Mick Gold Coast QLD
Roar Guru
You've been watching too much Wayne Bennett over the years Jamaal, he's done that deflection cliché to death. Kevin Walters is a good man but I say his day has passed as has his generation's notions of admirable culture and exceptionalism. Bringing Brisbane back to anything near what it was - a universally prized favourite in a one club city - is beyond him and his inevitable successor and the one after that. This donkey now showing the way is the last thing serious minded supporters value as a role model, and his lot do not give a rats about culture and endeavour and longevity and all those quaint concepts. They treat the big money as applause (the iconic Wayne Bennett showed the way on that front!) and they have long since become skilled in excusing themselves from responsibility for a lousy game, let alone for behaving like uncivilised drongos after hours. To be a Bronco and to be a Bronco supporter used be special, not any more.
Adam
Roar Guru
I thought it might have been wee out of wedlock and got me thinking all kinds of strange things
Adam
Roar Guru
Saved a motza on lawyer fees
Adam
Roar Guru
These puns are Payne-ful
Jamaal Hoppa
Guest
C'mon guys this is a society problem and no definitely not a Rugby League issue..
Tony
Roar Guru
I'll check and get back to you
Aiden
Guest
Goodness me autocorrect. That’s sex out of wedlock.
Aiden
Guest
While we are at it, the NRL needs to have a good hard look at all the Catholics in their roster who have had we’d out of wedlock. Hang on ... that would be irrelevant. Leave it to their priests to police maybe?
Jim
Guest
This is the result of a club that sweeps everything under the carpet as they have done so many times before and will do again this time. " There's a lesson to be learnt here and we believe he has learnt that lesson, Please don't trip on the massive bulge in the carpet " All good to play Pain, I mean Payne.
Tony
Roar Guru
:stoked: Please stop
Chris.P.Bacon
Guest
:laughing: :thumbup:
Paul
Roar Guru
"a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away........" :happy: :happy:
matth
Roar Guru
He'd better start behaving otherwise he could end up a Haas-bean.
Succhi
Roar Rookie
Is there a Broncos forward that hasn’t been arrested yet?
Chris.P.Bacon
Guest
"In my experience, police won’t front you unless you’re clearly showing the effects of alcohol." ....do tell Paul! ;)
Paul
Roar Guru
Not from this Paul you haven't. :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: