NRL 2021: Payne Haas supported by Brisbane’s Wellbeing Support Coordinator Petero Civoniceva
New Brisbane coach Kevin Walters has revealed how the club will deal with the first real off-field challenge of his tenure at Red Hill.
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Broncos legend Petero Civoniceva will be tasked with helping strife-prone Payne Haas deal with his recent off-field behaviour as new head coach Kevin Walters comes to terms with the first major issue as an NRL coach.
Haas was embroiled in controversy over the weekend after he was arrested and charged with offensive language and intimidate police at Tweed Heads on Saturday night.
The 21-year-old is yet to be sanctioned by the club or the NRL as he prepares for his court date, which will be early next month.
Walters has admitted he was left “disappointed” after hearing about the incident involving one of his star players, just months out from the season opener in March.
The Broncos head coach said former club great Civoniceva – who has recently been appointed as Brisbane’s Wellbeing Support Coordinator – will be supporting Haas through the latest controversy.
“Certainly, Petero will be spending some time with Payne,” Walters said.
“He’s done that already but he’ll be spending more time with him.
“That’s one of the reasons Petero is in our staff now because he’s good with players and good with people.
“What happens on the field, is equally important with what happens off the field.
“It’s all of our responsibility to get around Payne and support him and making sure he’s taking the right steps so that it never happens again.”
The incident is the first off-field drama of Walters’ NRL coaching career at Red Hill and a blow ahead of the 2021 season.
However, Walters said he wasn’t prepared to let the recent controversy derail his 2021 preparations.
“I, like everyone else at the Broncos, am disappointed with the actions of Payne the other night,” he said.
“We’ve got to make sure Payne learns from this and he’s put up his hand and admitted he’s made a mistake.
“I don’t consider it a setback.
“It’s one of those things that have happened and one we have to own as a club.
“We’re trying to get everything right with the NRL Integrity Unit to make sure it’s done quickly, efficiently and promptly.”
Broncos boss Paul White said the onus was now on Haas to learn from his mistake.
“Petero can play a role, he’s already doing that,” White said.
“We do have good support systems in place but the test now is for Payne.
“The test isn’t for Kevvie Walters, it’s for Payne Haas and how he handles this and what he learns from it.”
‘No excuse’: Broncos boss bristles at Haas arrest
Broncos boss Paul White has conceded Payne Haas will “suffer the consequences” but the club is yet to hand down any sanction following his arrest on the weekend.
Haas was back at Broncos training on Monday morning following his altercation with police at Tweed Heads on Saturday night.
The Brisbane club is yet to hand down a punishment for the 21-year-old, who is due to front court on February 2.
White said any sanction imposed on Haas will come after his court proceedings and the NRL Integrity Unit investigation.
“There’s no excuse or tolerance for that type of behaviour,” White said on Monday morning.
“There’s a big lesson for Payne and he needs to own that but there’s a big lesson for the entire playing group.
“We’re after actions not words.
“He was alone and acted alone in this instance and he made a really poor decision.
“He’ll have to suffer the consequences for that.
“We’re not just jumping straight to what a sanction might look like.
“We’re looking at what are the opportunities for learning right here and right now.
“Too many times, you deal with a sanction and think that’s it.”
White admitted the recent off-field incident was a setback for the upcoming season as the club looks to bounce back from their wooden spoon finish in 2020.
“We had an incident-free pre-season,” he said.
“The players returned from the Christmas break in good shape and things were tracking well with our roster in good shape.
“Anything like this is a setback and we need to own it as a club.
“First and foremost, Payne needs to own it.
“Kevvie (Walters) will be part of that process.”
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