State of Origin: Payne Haas primed for clash with teammates Pat Carrigan and Tom Flegler

Dally M leader Payne Haas is expected to dominate the middle of the Adelaide Oval for NSW on Wednesday – but two of his closest friends will be hunting him all night.

Broncos teammates Payne Haas and Pat Carrigan will be on opposite sides on Wednesday night.

It is the Battle of the Broncos and front-row fireworks are set to explode when Queensland confronts Dally M Medal leader Payne Haas and Blues debutant Tevita Pangai Jr.

Haas will head into Wednesday night’s State of Origin series-opener in Adelaide as the NRL’s No.1 player following his blistering start to the 2023 premiership.

When Dally M Medal voting went behind closed doors after 12 rounds last week, Haas was leading the race with 30 points from NSW halfback Nathan Cleary (27).

The Broncos bookend is on a quest to become the first prop to win the NRL’s top individual honour.

And Haas is also in prime form to dominate the Origin arena – where his Brisbane teammates Pat Carrigan and Tom Flegler will be out to stop him and former Broncos wild child Pangai Jr.

“We are close,” Carrigan said.

“Throw Tevita in the mix and it’s going to be pretty funny looking across at those two big ugly heads.

“You’re happy for them as friends. They get rewarded for the hard work they put in.

“But Origin is Origin and I know they’ll feel the same way.”

Payne Haas will lead NSW in the middle. Picture: NRL Photos/Gregg Porteous

Haas, Pangai Jr, Flegler and Carrigan have all played key roles in each other’s development.

They train hard alongside each other at Red Hill, pushing each other on the training paddock to get the best out of them on the playing field.

The Broncos trio are now three of the game’s elite forwards while Pangai Jr has resurrected his career at the Bulldogs to earn a NSW debut following 96 games for Brisbane.

“When we used to train every day it was always competitive,” Carrigan said.

“Nothing’s going to change. We’ve had opposed sessions at the Broncos back in the day that were the same (fiery). We all know what to expect and I’m stoked ‘Fleggy’ has got an opportunity.

“Those two are playing for the Blues but we had a really good relationship. Tevita taught me heaps of stuff about first grade when he was at the Broncos and we’ve remained pretty good friends.

Broncos teammates Payne Haas and Pat Carrigan will be on opposite sides on Wednesday night.

“I know he’s been picked to do a job. He brings a fiery brand of footy and nothing’s going to change. I think he’ll get under the skin of a few other boys, knowing the big fella.

“As a mate, I’m stoked for him. As Queenslander, he’s just another guy in a Blues jersey.

“I met some other guys through the World Cup who have become good mates, but you want to win and I’m pretty competitive.

“There would be nothing better than getting it over them.”

Flegler made his Origin debut for Queensland in the 2021 dead-rubber and was 18th man throughout last year’s series.

He has earned a recall following the Origin retirement of front row enforcer Josh Papalii and can’t wait to go head-to-head with Haas and Pangai Jr.

“It is a bit of a Broncos battle there,” Flegler said.

“When you get out there you’re not really thinking like that. We’re going to be going for it.

“Tevita is an aggressive player and I don’t expect anything different of him. He’s going to come out and be aggressive.

“He is a big boy, strong and physical and we’ll be looking to match that.

“I’m looking forward to playing against all of them, especially Payne and Tevita.”

Haas has been a major factor in Brisbane’s blistering start to the season.

He is averaging 17 runs for 165m from 59 minutes a game to go with 23 tackles and will enter his 11th Origin in the best form of his career.

Carrigan was at a loss when asked how to stop Haas, but that won’t stop him trying.

“Has anyone worked that out?” he said.

“I just ride on his coat-tails. Hopefully big ‘Fleggy’ can take care of him.

“You can’t focus too much on one person but there’s never going to be another Payne Haas. What he’s doing this year for the Broncos is remarkable.

“He is leading the Dally M for a reason. I’m stoked to see his hard work paying off.

“He pulled out of the World Cup last year to look after his family and get his body right. It was a selfless decision for our club and he’s now reaping the rewards.

“We see what he can do every week and he is a massive part of their team.”

Originally published as State of Origin: Payne Haas primed for clash with teammates Pat Carrigan and Tom Flegler