Brisbane coach Kevin Walters is confident the club can secure star prop Payne Haas beyond 2024 after inking his own contract extension.
The Broncos this week extended 19-year-old centre Deine Mariner’s deal until the end of 2027 after he was already on contract until the end of 2024.
With cross-town rivals the Dolphins looming as a constant poaching threat, NSW prop Haas is a priority long-term re-signing before he becomes a free agent on November 1.
The 23-year-old wrecking ball recently spoke of his admiration for Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett who in 2018 came through with a six-year extended and upgraded deal for Haas to stay at the Broncos when he was on the verge of joining Melbourne.
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“(Bennett) was the reason I came to the Broncos,” Haas said.
(Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
Walters, who signed a new deal until the end of 2025, backed recruitment chief Simon Scanlan, CEO Dave Donaghy and the retention and recruitment committee, which includes club legend Darren Lockyer, to get the job done with Haas.
“Payne is one of those guys we believe belongs at the Broncos and that is why Dave, Simon and his gang will do everything to make sure that happens,” Walters said.
“Payne is loving his footy and probably playing the best footy of his career so we’d like to think he can maintain that in a Broncos jersey.”
Lockyer said there was “no doubt” keeping Haas was a priority.
“He has already won four Paul Morgan Medals (as Broncos player of the year). He is the best prop in the game and he has done really well in keeping (at bay) his off-field distractions and just focusing on his footy,” Lockyer said.
“There is no denying how good he is for us and what he has done. He has always said he wants to win premierships and us playing well and winning on a weekly basis I think would add a bit of value to what Payne wants to do.”
Donaghy said Haas was a player the club wanted to keep, while acknowledging he would be in-demand.
“Payne Haas is a hell of a player. He has really developed and evolved as a leader,” Donaghy said.
“When you look at the likes of (prop) Pat Carrigan re-signing and cementing his roots here, we want to keep a nucleus of the group that can continue to deliver sustained results.
“When you have a good team, there are 16 other teams and rugby union and NFL and all the other competitive challenges. We have a clear plan (with Haas). I’m not going to share that plan, but we have a clear plan around what we want to do.”
Off-contract Wests Tigers halfback Luke Brooks says there is no timeline on a decision about his future with the struggling NRL club.
Brooks has played all 11 seasons of his career at the Tigers but has been maligned by the club’s fanbase for his inability to inspire a finals berth during that time.
The 28-year-old is earning more than $1 million this season, the last of his contract, and has been able to negotiate with rivals since November.
Amid speculation a fresh start could be just what he needed, Brooks was linked with a move to Newcastle last year but it was his previous halves partner Jackson Hastings who ended up making the move to the Knights.
Coach Tim Sheens has been a staunch defender of Brooks, moving Hastings on in the off-season to ensure Brooks and Adam Doueihi could play together in the halves.
But the Tigers have since played the market for a new half, making a failed play to lure halfback Mitchell Moses back from Parramatta.
Luke Brooks. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
Since then, the Tigers have been linked to Canberra playmaker Jack Wighton, who told the Raiders last month he would test the open market for 2024 and beyond.
Tigers back-rower John Bateman encouraged his former Raiders teammate to seriously consider making the move when quizzed earlier this week.
Wighton’s market value sits above or around seven figures, meaning the Tigers would likely be unable to retain Brooks and successfully lock down the 2020 Dally M Medallist.
As the club weighs its options up, Brooks insists his immediate future is of no concern as long as the Tigers (0-5) continue to languish at the bottom of the ladder. “To be honest, I haven’t really thought about it,” he said.
“There’s a lot going on. That’s the last thing on my mind. I’ll worry about that when it comes. At the moment, I’m just focusing on trying to get a win.”
Any new contract would likely stretch into Benji Marshall’s tenure as head coach, which begins from 2025. Brooks has enjoyed working with the premiership-winning playmaker, an assistant to Sheens.
“His positivity, it’s a credit to the coaches,” he said. “They’re still upbeat and keeping us positive, even though we’ve had a tough start. So that’s definitely helped us.”
The halfback’s comments come as he prepares to welcome Doueihi back to the halves after his brief stint at fullback. Charlie Staines returns to the No.1 jersey in the fourth different starting spine combination the Tigers have deployed through six rounds.
“It’s not ideal,” Brooks said of the instability. “But I guess that happens when you’re not winning. For us, we’ve just got to put in a good performance and that eases the pressure.
“‘Ads’ playing five-eighth, he obviously wants to play there and he’s a great runner of the ball. We’ve also got ‘Stainesy’ at the back and he’ll add a lot.”
After spending two weeks playing next to Brandon Wakeham, Brooks admitted Doueihi was his preferred halves partner. “I think so,” he said. “I guess it’s not up to me but I think for me, it doesn’t matter who’s five-eighth or fullback, my job still stays the same.
“(Adam and I) we work well together, he’s a runner of the ball so I’ve got to get him in positions to thread the line.”
Individual errors, not mentality, caused Canberra’s blowout second half against Penrith, says coach Ricky Stuart as his side look to turn things around against the surging Brisbane Broncos.
Stuart admitted the Raiders’ confidence had taken a serious whack in their 53-12 mauling at home to the Panthers in round five but implored his players to leave that defeat in the rear-view mirror as they head to Suncorp Stadium on Saturday.
Injuries and suspensions have meant only minor personnel changes, with young centre Harley Smith-Shields replaced by returning veteran Jarrod Croker and powerhouse forward Corey Horsburgh joining the starting unit at lock. Stuart said the disappointment had been palpable when the Raiders returned to training after their Penrith pummelling.
“It’s not the football team we are … we’re a better football team,” he said. “I made sure we picked up our bottom lip Monday and got on with the job. There’s no time to look back.
“We’re going to look forward … they’re certainly working hard towards our next game. That’s all I can ask.”
Canberra’s much-maligned second-half record came to the fore against the Panthers with a 40-6 scoreline – a 24-0 Penrith blitz in the last 20 minutes an uncomfortable reminder of the ACT club’s ‘Faders’ tag.
(Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)
The numbers don’t make for pretty reading: Canberra completed at 57 per cent, were out-gained by 541 metres and missed 34 tackles as the Panthers piled on the points.
“It’s simple … we need to stop making errors,” Stuart said. “I can’t crucify a team for individual error.
“It’s not mentality, it’s not what’s being said or what we’re doing at halftime. Take ownership and responsibility for your own performance, it’s as simple as that. Every individual coach, player has to get their game right.”
Horsburgh starts in place of struggling Corey Harawira-Naera, the second-rower running for just 40m in his last two games combined. Still on the sideline are five-eighth Jack Wighton (suspended), fullback Xavier Savage (jaw), winger Nick Cotric (hamstring) and hooker Danny Levi (jaw).
“We need to win a game of football, so I’ve got to keep trying to find a combination of winners,” Stuart said. “Everybody knows there’s been injuries, there’s been suspensions all year, but nobody wants to hear excuses. People want to see you trying to find a combination to win a game of football and that’s what we’re trying to do.”
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