The sudden and secretive departure of Payne Haas from the Brisbane Broncos to the South Sydney Rabbitohs has left fans and analysts alike with many questions. But here's where it gets controversial: Could it be that the star prop was 'insulted' by the Broncos' initial offer, leading to his decision to leave?
Since the news broke, rumors have swirled around Haas' desire to escape the intense coaching style of Michael Maguire. Despite both parties denying these claims, sources suggest that the Broncos' initial offer might have been the deciding factor in Haas' decision to leave. According to Nine's Danny Weidler, the Broncos had 'lowballed' Haas, though the club refuted this claim. With reports after Haas' defection claiming that he might ultimately have been offered $7.8 million over six years by the Broncos, if they had ever made a final bid, the figure might have surpassed $8 million with ratchet clauses.
'What’s intriguing is that they didn’t even get a chance to fire their last shot and pay the extra money because he walked out before giving the Broncos the last chance,' said Paul Crawley. 'Some people, when they are insulted once, they don’t get back again … The fact of the matter is that if he was truly happy at the club, he’s not leaving the Broncos when you’ve just won a comp.'
According to Haas, Bunnies coach Wayne Bennett is one of the major reasons behind the move south. The two share a strong relationship dating back to Bennett’s second coaching stint at the Broncos. Bennett was the one who handed Haas his NRL debut back in 2018. Crawley noted that Bennett and Maguire’s coaching styles can be very different, which could lead to a longer playing career for Haas. 'Wayne is a different style of coach to Madge. Madge is deadset full on 24/7 while Wayne is a different coach in that he doesn’t drive them as hard all the time,' Crawley said. 'Perhaps, Payne Haas may have looked at things and thought, “well, I’m 10 years into my career, do I get more longevity under Bennett?”'
While the reasons behind Haas' decision remain unclear, the secrecy surrounding his move has raised questions about the relationship between the club and its players. As fans and analysts continue to speculate, one thing is certain: the impact of coaching styles and contract offers on player decisions cannot be understated. And this is the part most people miss...
