Payne Haas has shown he can do almost anything on a rugby league field, so a backflip shouldn’t surprise anyone.
According to reports from 9news Queensland it could yet happen—with the Brisbane Broncos set to make a final bid to retain the star forward for 2027 and beyond by tabling a monster five-year deal before the 26-year-old’s impending move to the South Sydney Rabbitohs becomes official.
Currently on his way to England with the Brisbane squad for the World Club Challenge clash with Hull KR on February 19, it’s understood the Broncos intend to take full advantage of the 10-day cooling off period to press their case for Haas to stay at Red Hill.
Reports suggest the five-year offer may include special exit clauses that would allow Haas to switch to rugby union in the future.
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While Haas himself has chosen not to speak to media, several of his senior Broncos teammates have with both Patrick Carrigan and Adam Reynolds indicating they’d be working hard to encourage their teammate to stay.
If Haas was to renege on his three-year deal with the Rabbitohs, reported to be worth $1.2 million a season, it wouldn’t be the first time a star has done so during the NRL cooling-off period.
One of the higher profile recent examples was David Fifita who was set to sign with the Sydney Roosters for four seasons from 2025 before ultimately staying at the Gold Coast Titans.
Arguably the most infamous backflip of the NRL era happened way back in 2015 when Daly Cherry-Evans changed his mind on a lucrative long-term contract with the Titans to remain at Manly.
Whatever happens with Payne Haas, the NRL has his South Sydney contract and the clock is tick, tick, ticking…