Payne Haas stamps credentials as best prop in the NRL in North Queensland rampage

Payne Haas terrorised the Cowboys in a performance which could put an extra dent in the Broncos salary cap should the sought-after prop choose to head to free agency.

• Payne Haas’ tragedies, off-field dramas

The Broncos face a multimillion-dollar bidding war to retain Payne Haas after the NSW Origin enforcer was hailed the best prop in the NRL following his derby demolition of the Cowboys.

Brisbane playmaker Ben Hunt declared Haas the No. 1 prop in the code in the wake of the Broncos bookend’s barnstorming display in his side’s 26-16 disposal of the Cowboys on Friday night.

Haas turned Suncorp Stadium into his personal playground as he terrorised the Cowboys, highlighted by his rampaging 30-metre solo try storming through the midfield to seal victory and win the Carl Webb Medal.

The 25-year-old finished with 198 metres, 22 runs, 10 tackle busts, five offloads, two line breaks and 29 tackles in a savage all-round display that prompted NRL halfback great Greg Alexander to label Haas “special”.

Payne Haas of the Broncos celebrates after scoring a try against the North Queensland Cowboys, Picture: Getty Images

James Fisher-Harris, Moses Leota, Joe Tapine and Addin Fonua-Blake are regarded among the NRL’s elite front-rowers, but Hunt believes Haas is the king of props.

“I’d like to see who is better than him to be honest, at the moment anyway,” said Hunt, who was blown away by Haas’ fitness for a big man at 119kg.

“He is just exceptional. He seems to keep going to another level. He is pretty impressive.

“It’s just his engine. If he really wanted to, he could play 80 minutes.

“I know you don’t want to burn him out like that but he can do it.

“He just keeps turning up, he never misses a tackle and he turns up in places.

“There was a grubber in the in-goal that I missed, but Payne just turns up there.

“It’s things like that, he is a special player.”

The looming challenge for the Broncos is keeping Haas at Red Hill for the long haul.

A four-time Dally M prop of the year, Haas is contracted to the Broncos until the end of 2026, meaning the Australian Test ace is a free agent from November 1 this year.

On his current form, Haas is one of the most valuable players in the league and will become the most sought-after prop in the NRL if he chooses to head to free agency.

Payne Haas with the match winner in the Queensland derby

The five-time Paul Morgan Medallist is on around $1.1 million this year and Brisbane bosses will look to kick off extension talks in the coming months, with coach Michael Maguire keen to make Haas a Bronco for life.

Haas could earn in excess of $1.2 million if he went up for sale, but Brisbane will move to take him off the open market to scupper a bidding war, just as they did with Reece Walsh last October.

Haas, who played his 121st NRL game on Friday night, said he was inspired by the memory of Broncos and Cowboys great Webb, who lost his battle with Motor Neurone Disease in December 2023.

Haas’ incredible four-pointer to sink the Cowboys evoked images of Webb famously bulldozing NSW defenders to score a solo try in his Queensland Origin debut in 2001 at Suncorp.

Payne Haas was awarded the Carl Webb medal.

“It means a lot to both clubs and for me to receive that award, it’s an honour and privilege,” Haas said.

“Carl is on our strength leaderboard in the gym, so he’s around our club, he’s a legend and he’ll forever live in everyone’s minds in both clubs.

“I remember him getting the Queensland (logo) in his hair.

“He was a menace to New South Wales, I hated him at State of Origin time, but he was such a great player.”

In a formidable warning to NRL rivals, Haas insists his best is yet to come, with Brisbane’s No. 1 prop just three games back from off-season ankle surgery.

“I had a pretty disruptive pre-season,” he said.

“I think as well I’m building myself again.

“I had surgery at the start of the year and that probably knocked me back a bit with my fitness and stuff.

“But just building myself again, I felt good (against the Cowboys).”

Maguire, who coached Haas at NSW Origin level last season, was in awe of his chief prop’s athletic power.

“Payno had his moment, that was a beauty,” the Broncos coach said of Haas’ heroics.

“It was nice to see him get a reward like that, but that reflected the forward pack working together.

“We know Payne has that in him, we know he has that moment and he found that moment which was nice to see.”