Crash Tackle: Payne Haas could be an Arthur Beetson-like leader for Broncos

Broncos coach Kevin Walters has tried just about everything this winter — but there’s one final risk he simply must take.

Kevin Walters should make Payne Haas captain of the Brisbane Broncos.

By his own admission Broncos coach Kevin Walters has tried just about everything in his kit bag this winter — but there is one dice yet to be rolled.

Payne Haas as captain.

While prize recruit Adam Reynolds is the hottest of tips to be Broncos skipper when he arrives next season Walters has a couple of months to experiment, the perfect time to see if Haas has leadership potential and could be an even better choice.

If the side’s soon-to-depart winger Xavier Coates can be left out of the team essentially because the club is seeing what works for next season surely Haas is worth a try as captain.

Watch The 2021 NRL Telstra Premiership Live & On-Demand on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-Days Free Now >

Prop Payne Haas could have an Arthur Beetson-style aura about him as skipper of the Brisbane Broncos. Picture: NRL Images

It’s true Haas has had some off-field disciplinary issues with the integrity unit and police and is only 21 so any debate over captaincy credentials is a volatile one.

But Haas has spoken about his desire to learn from his errors and rugby league is a game of redemption.

The Broncos did an excellent job on Saturday night in pushing Penrith all the way to raise hopes the ship may be turning.

Most unfairly, quiet men often get underrated as leaders because they don’t fit animated stereotypes.

Sports fans like to see their captains pointing, waving and delivering Churchillian speeches yet among the most powerful actions by a leader is simply leading by example.

Mal Meninga was a captain everyone followed but he was never a big ranter and raver. Like Haas, Meninga had presence and a certain inner calmness that radiated good vibes.

Darren Lockyer was similar. Can you ever remember him looking flustered?

The same could be said of Arthur Beetson who led the Sydney Roosters to premierships in 1974-75. Players just used to love following Arthur out of a tunnel at the start of a game.

Mal Meninga led by example.

It was as if Big Brother had their back. They hated letting him down. Many Broncos would feel the same about Haas.

There have been small signs in recent weeks that Haas is growing as a leader off the field.

He faces up to the media even after horrendous losses like the Suncorp capitulation to the Wests Tigers.

This sounds like a small detail but sportsmen are often judged on their worst days rather than when the glory rolls in so by the time the Broncos’ ship turns around Haas will be ready for anything.

Tevita Pangai gave Haas a meaningful compliment last week when he said no matter who is coaching the team or how the team is playing Haas’s (exceptional) form does not change.

As the turbulence whirls around him Haas ploughs up the middle with great consistency and commitment. That does not guarantee he would be a great captain … but it means he would have to do a lot wrong to be a bad one.

It’s been a trying debut season as an NRL coach for Kevin Walters. Picture: NRL Images

THE LONGEST WAIT

If Australia’s Olympic officials know how to pace themselves through an 11 year wait for the Brisbane Games they should touch base with the bidders for the 17th team license in the NRL.

With the Covid curse cutting a swath through NRL finances, the chances of an expansion team being admitted in the next few years are surely fading.

You have to admire the resilience of people like Brisbane Jets officials Nic Livermore and Steve Johnson who have been committed to the expansion concept for the past decade and kept the faith as the dream faded in and out of view.

Tevita Pangai Jr’s Penrith stopover is a bad look for the NRL. Picture: Liam Kidston

A FLAWED SYSTEM

You can’t blame Pangai for stopping in at Penrith for a couple of months on the way to next season but it is not a flash look for the game.

Rugby league in July and August should be all about “dancing with the ones who brought you’’ to the finals, not a glorified game of cards where you toss out and pick up at random.

Originally published as Crash Tackle: Payne Haas could be an Arthur Beetson-like leader for Broncos