Payne Haas says the Broncos fear no rival as the prop enforcer declared himself injury-free – and hellbent on exorcising the demons of Brisbane’s grand-final disaster against the Panthers.

Haas’ stance came as confident Brisbane stars put Penrith on notice, boldly claiming “they won’t be able to handle us” in Sunday’s preliminary final blockbuster at Suncorp Stadium.

Haas is under enormous pressure to spearhead Brisbane’s pack without his partner-in-crime Pat Carrigan, who will miss the grand-final qualifier as he serves a one-match suspension for a high shot.

It’s a pressure amplified by the painful ghosts of 2023, when Penrith reeled in a 24-8 deficit in the decider to sensationally prevail 26-24, consigning the Broncos to the biggest collapse in NRL grand-final history.

Rather than live in denial, Broncos stars have confronted, and reconciled, the pain.

Hooker Billy Walters admits he struggled to sleep for months as he relived the vision in his tortured mind of Nathan Cleary slicing through to score four minutes from time to rip the NRL premiership from Brisbane’s grasp.

It’s been 728 days since Penrith broke Brisbane’s hearts.

Haas is one of nine survivors from the most soul-destroying loss of his career and Brisbane’s No.1 prop says recent lower-back and ankle injuries won’t stop him seeking revenge against the Panthers.

“I am all good,” Haas said.

“We’ve got the best physios and performance staff here.

“They’ve been looking after me and it’s helped having that extra week off … I am feeling fresh and ready to go.”

Chillingly, the Panthers have won five straight games against Brisbane and nine of the last 10 contests between the sides dating back to 2020.

But Haas scoffed at suggestions the four-time premiers have a psychological hold over the Broncos.

“We have got no fear,” he said.

“If you look at the players we’ve got, that gives me lots of confidence in myself and I know it gives confidence to everyone here.”

Centre teammate Kotoni Staggs added: “I don’t feel intimidated by them at all.

“I said it from day dot, when we did lose Ezra (Mam) and ‘Reyno’ (Adam Reynolds) to injury, I was still confident in this team that we could go all the way.

“We have shown that and we will show it again on Sunday.”

A vivid image from the 2023 decider is the sight of Broncos players placing their arms around Haas, who was almost inconsolable at full-time as he digested the vision of elated Panthers players on a lap of honour.

One of the fiercest competitors in the league, Haas won’t be satisfied until he has won a premiership. It is his final frontier. He has won Origin series, Test matches and five Paul Morgan Medals as Brisbane’s player of the year, but a premiership ring still eludes him.

And while he has dealt with the pain of the 2023 grand final loss, the disappointment drives him.

“It was pretty hard to take that one,” Haas says.

“I think we learnt a lot as a team and I think last year, it had affected us a bit.

“But I feel like now we’re such a different team with ‘Madge’ (Broncos coach Michael Maguire) here.

“I haven’t won a comp yet and obviously that’s something I really want to achieve.

“That’s the end goal.

“But I’m just focused on this week and getting my prep right and getting ready for Penrith.

“That’s all that matters this week.”