NRL champion Cooper Cronk has completely written off the Broncos’ hopes of winning the premiership again in 2026, saying Payne Haas’ decision to leave will send a negative message to his teammates. The Broncos are already under the pump before the NRL season has even started, after losing the World Club Challenge to Hull KR.
Haas will join Souths in 2027, but has vowed to give his all in his last season for the Broncos. But according to Cronk, Haas decision has already torpedoed Brisbane’s chances of going back-to-back.
Cooper Cronk (L) reckons Payne Haas (R) has already torpedoed the Broncos’ chances of winning again. Image: Getty
“I think the Broncos will finish top four, but I don’t think they go back-to-back,” Cronk said this week, according to The Courier Mail. “The whole story that Wayne (Bennett) did this stealth mission (poaching Haas from the Broncos), I love it.
“But there is something that says arguably your best player has just won a comp and wants out a year later. What does that say to the rest of the group?”
Payne Haas is playing his final year at the Brisbane Broncos.
(Getty Images)
Cronk pointed out that the current Broncos playing group “have a history of not working as hard as you should” – a reference to when they missed the finals under Kevin Walters in 2024. Michael Maguire instilled a harder edge in 2025, but there’s huge question marks about whether he can get the players up again for another gruelling campaign under his demanding methods.
“If arrogance ever comes into it or they (feel they have) achieved Everest, you will be a couple of per cent below the desired mark and every other team is going to chase you down,” Cronk said. “Their talent says they can do it, but there is a big question mark around whether their best players have the desire to do all the one percenters again – because it is hard.”
Reece Walsh says Broncos won’t be resting on laurels
But according to superstar fullback Reece Walsh, the desire is still there despite Brisbane breaking a 19-year drought last season. The Broncos only had four games last year in which they had their first-choice spine of Walsh, Ezra Mam, Adam Reynolds and Ben Hunt.
“To be honest, I don’t think we even scratched the surface with what we can do as a spine,” Walsh told AAP. “If we can all continue to grow and try and gel as much as we can and get on the same page, it’s exciting for us as a team for sure.”
Maguire has named Cory Paix at hooker for the Broncos’ blockbuster against the Panthers on Friday night, with Ben Hunt on the interchange. But many are predicting a late change that could see Hunt start.