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Payne Haas helped lead the Brisbane Broncos to a drought-breaking premiership in 2025. Now, the game\u2019s premier prop intends to lead the club he grew up supporting to their first title in 14 years.<\/p>\n
Ever since he signed on the dotted line with South Sydney in February, pundits have been declaring Wayne Bennett\u2019s side a genuine chance to claim their 22nd premiership in 2027.<\/p>\n
![\"Payne](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/3a1f61356fc637281b1be22a632dd2a4e0ab3330.jpeg\")
Payne Haas says he wouldn\u2019t have signed with the Rabbitohs if he didn\u2019t think they could win an NRL title.AAPIMAGE<\/p>\n
Haas is too humble to suggest his presence would help the Rabbitohs take the next step, but made no secret of the fact he has joined a club he believes is ready to challenge for a premiership.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, for sure. You look at the players we\u2019ve got. I wouldn\u2019t come here if I didn\u2019t think that,\u201d he told reporters at the club\u2019s headquarters on Monday morning.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve got all these guys in this roster. We just need to keep healthy, and I\u2019m pretty sure we\u2019ll do special things.\u201d<\/p>\n
While they lose Kangaroos enforcer Keaon Koloamatangi to the Dragons, the Rabbitohs can still boast a roster packed with international talent, including David Fifita, Cam Murray and Latrell Mitchell.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was one of the main reasons why I came here, to play with Latrell,\u201d Haas said. \u201cI know what he can do and the aura he has with himself. I just can\u2019t wait to be around him and be in his presence.\u201d<\/p>\n
Haas said he wasn\u2019t feeling any added weight of responsibility despite his high-profile switch from the Broncos on a reported salary of $1.2 million per year.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m just here to do my work and worry about my own job,\u201d he said, insisting he wanted to be the best team man possible at his new club.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m here to fit in how the South Sydney boys have their culture. I\u2019m not really worried about that kind of stuff. I\u2019m just worried about doing my part, playing my role and training as hard as I can.\u201d<\/p>\n Haas wasted no time in ripping in at training on Monday. While Bennett, who gave Haas his NRL debut in 2018 \u2013 against the Rabbitohs, coincidentally \u2013 is enjoying some time away from the club, Haas looked comfortable and eager to impress under assistant coach Ben Hornby at the club\u2019s Heffron Park HQ.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s in my nature,\u201d the prop said. \u201cI need to earn their trust as well and make sure they have belief in what I can do. I can\u2019t do that without showing that with my actions at training and trying to train the house down.\u201d<\/p>\n Haas again denied rumours swirled of a fallout with Broncos coach Michael Maguire \u2013 the last man to lead the Rabbitohs to a premiership.<\/p>\n Instead, he insisted his decision to walk away from a multi-million dollar contract to remain a Bronco for life came down to not wanting to become stale.<\/p>\n \u201cIt definitely wasn\u2019t the training or the coach, but I think the thought of moving scared me and made me uncomfortable, and that\u2019s why I really wanted to do it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cI could have just stayed there for the next five years and signed and be comfortable. I didn\u2019t want to have any regrets, so when I had that feeling of moving and had that sense of being uncomfortable, I just wanted to do it. <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m here now, ready to earn the respect and feel uncomfortable, but I\u2019m ready to be uncomfortable.\u201d<\/p>\n Related Article Asked about the lingering rumours of a breakdown with Maguire, Haas said he was unfazed by the outside noise.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t really care what people think, to be honest,\u201d he said. \u201cEveryone\u2019s entitled to their own opinions, but people close to me and people up there, they know the real reason. I wanted to be uncomfortable, I needed a change, and I got that now, and I\u2019m really excited to be here.\u201d<\/p>\n On Bennett, Haas said the only thing that had changed with the veteran coach since his early days at the Broncos was his age.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s a lot older. I spoke to Wayne last week before he went back up to his farm, but not really. He\u2019s still the same man, and that\u2019s why I love him,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cI think he just gets it. You know what I mean? He gets it. Your family means a lot and outside of footy, that life. It means a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport sent every Friday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n Save<\/p>\n You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n![\"Payne](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/cd00c37433470acb91a3cde5f9c682e929523afe.jpeg\")
Payne Haas trains at Heffron Park on Monday.AAPIMAGE<\/p>\n![\"Michael](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/51002a92c2427c208e9dc1f099fe4e2dce43a325.jpeg\")
Michael Maguire.Getty Images<\/p>\n![\"Reece](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/1794205215_281_85e12b26f79bef150768a66726e9df286e3fed99.jpeg\")
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