'Broncos in his blood': Haas manager predicts next step
The manager of Brisbane prop Payne Haas has moved to alleviate concerns his star client is aiming to leave the Broncos and insists money won't be the determining factor in his next deal.
Ahmad Merhi also scuppered suggestions the NSW front-rower, off-contract at the end of 2026, was set to test the open market on November 1 to ignite a bidding war.
The 25-year-old Haas has been signed at the Broncos since his teenage years and has said on numerous occasions that winning premierships with the club like his hero Glenn Lazarus is his goal.
While negotiations on a new deal for Haas have not commenced, the Broncos and his agent Merhi have had positive dialogue.
"We have had really good discussions with the Broncos and we are all on the same page. I do believe that Payne will stay at the Broncos," Merhi told AAP.
"At this current stage we are not striking (any deal). We are waiting until the season is over and then we will go into heavy negotiations.
"Payne is a Bronco. He has always been a Bronco."
With Brisbane in the midst of a form slump. reports emerged on the weekend that Haas was set to test the open market due to a list of players sent by Merhi's Sportsplayer Management group to all 17 clubs that included his name."That list goes out every month. Every coach in every club will get that," Merhi said.
"Every November 1 we update our list to show who is coming off contract in the upcoming years.
"It is a refresher and reminder to clubs that these players are with us and they need to speak to us in relation to any of those players when the time is right.
"We are not talking to clubs about Payne and we are not having discussions with any of them."
Haas is the leading rugby league prop in the world and every club would be interested in his services. Former Western Reds star and 1991 Penrith premiership winner Mark Geyer told AAP recently that the new Perth Bears franchise, set to enter the competition in 2027, could lead to the first $2 million per season player and that Haas was a contender.
Merhi said Haas had never instructed him to source the biggest dollar deal.
"If we had wanted to do that we would have done it the last deal. He was getting bigger offers the last deal and he stayed at Brisbane," he said.
"I just can't see Payne packing up his bags and going to Perth."
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