Rookie Bronco Payne Haas’ pre-season from hell finally over
After months of damaging off-field headlines, Payne Haas can take his first steps towards on-field atonement by helping the Broncos rectify a shaky 1-3 start to the season against a hard-working Tigers outfit.
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Broncos veteran Matt Gillett has backed Payne Haas to withstand front-row fireworks if the rookie prop is pitchforked into a desperate showdown against the Wests Tigers on Thursday night.
Haas’ pre-season from hell is finally over with the 118kg giant officially available for NRL selection after serving a club-imposed four-match suspension.
Brisbane’s biggest player was on Tuesday named 18th man by Anthony Seibold for the Tigers clash at Suncorp Stadium.
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The Broncos coach will finalise his top 17 on Wednesday at the captain’s run with Haas in line to be promoted at the expense of utility Gehamat Shibasaki if Seibold decides to deploy a four-forward bench.
The hulking 20-year-old was banned by the Broncos and fined $20,000 for not fully complying with an NRL integrity unit investigation. To compound his plight, Haas appeared in court a fortnight ago on separate charges related to unlicensed driving and operating a motor vehicle while using a mobile phone.
But after months of damaging off-field headlines, Haas can take his first steps towards on-field atonement in the coming weeks.
Rated the code’s next front-row superstar, Haas felt the effects of a daunting initiation in the NRL last season. He was mauled by Bulldogs rival David Klemmer in just his second top-grade game before suffering a shoulder injury in his third game against Manly which required season-ending surgery.
Haas hasn’t played a fully-fledged NRL game since last May but Gillett is confident he would handle a Tigers engine-room onslaught if given the green light by Seibold.
“They will probably try and target him,” Gillett said.
“Payne missed a lot of footy last year with his shoulder.
“The Tigers will see him as a big boy and try and target him like we do with other teams.
“You try and spot their dangerous blokes to tire them out in the defensive line.”
Gillett is confident Haas has the size and toughness to withstand any physical barrage thrown at him this season.
“Payne can hold his own in the middle,” he said.
“He just shows it at training, we struggle to slow him down. In pre-season, he was very hard to handle. That’s what gives me confidence.
“It will be good to get Payne back into the game, wherever he plays he just has to get his job done.
“It will take time for him to get his timing back with defence and running lines, but someone of his size and ability will add a bit of impact to our side.”
While Seibold will make a final call on Wednesday on Haas, the one certainty is that the Broncos coach will blood another young forward with Pat Carrigan, 21, to make his NRL debut against the Tigers.
Gillett’s back-row cohort Alex Glenn must pass a medical test after a headknock in last week’s 36-4 loss to the Roosters, but is expected to play.
Boom back-rower David Fifita has been named in the No.13 jumper and could see more minutes in the midfield following Tevita Pangai Jr’s two-game suspension.
BRONCOS v WESTS TIGERS
7.50pm Thursday at Suncorp Stadium
Broncos: 1. Darius Boyd 2. Corey Oates 3. Kotoni Staggs 4. Jack Bird 5. Jamayne Isaako 6. Anthony Milford 7. Kodi Nikorima 8. Matthew Lodge 9. Andrew McCullough 10. Joe Ofahengaue 11. Alex Glenn 12. Matt Gillett 13. David Fifita
Interchange: 14. Gehamat Shibasaki 15. Jaydn Su’A 16. Thomas Flegler 17. Patrick Carrigan
Reserves: 18. Payne Haas 19. Shaun Fensom 20. James Roberts 21. Richard Kennar
Tigers: 1. Moses Mbye 2. Mahe Fonua 3. Robert Jennings 4. Esan Marsters 5. Corey Thompson 6. Josh Reynolds 7. Luke Brooks 8. Russell Packer 9. Robbie Farah 10. Alex Twal 11. Ryan Matterson 12. Luke Garner 13. Josh Aloiai
Interchange: 14. Ben Matulino 15. Thomas Mikaele 16. Matthew Eisenhuth 17. Michael Chee-Kam
Reserves: 18. Paul Momirovski 19. Elijah Taylor 20. David Nofoaluma 21. Chris McQueen
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