[ad_1]
Star prop Payne Haas will reunite with Wayne Bennett at the South Sydney Rabbitohs next year after signing a three-year deal with the Sydney club.
The Brisbane superstar informed the Broncos yesterday of his intention to depart the club at the end of 2026 and move south, having agreed to a deal that will see him play for Bennett and the Rabbitohs through to the end of 2029.
Brisbane Broncos star Payne Haas.
Haas debuted in the NRL as an 18-year-old under Bennett in 2018 at the Broncos and has become one of the most damaging props to play the game, playing a key role in Brisbane’s premiership last season.
Haas’ three-year contract with Souths has been lodged with the NRL and is currently under the 10-day cooling off period.
Both South Sydney and Brisbane released short statements yesterday confirming the shock deal, which caught many in the rugby league world by surprise.
Haas, 26, had previously toyed with the prospect of switching codes, and was targeted by rebel rugby competition R360. But the three-year deal with Souths will keep him in rugby league until he is almost 30, likely scuttling a cross-code defection.
Brisbane’s Payne Haas in action during the 2025 grand final.Credit: Getty Images
He was also a prime recruitment target for expansion clubs Perth Bears and the Papua New Guinea Chiefs, who will join the NRL next year and in 2028 respectively.
“The South Sydney Rabbitohs have lodged a signed contract with the NRL for Payne Haas to join the club for the 2027, 2028 and 2029 seasons,” the Rabbitohs said in a statement to their members.
[ad_2]
