Brisbane Broncos “not entertaining” Payne Haas release request
Brisbane Broncos have responded to reports suggesting that star prop Payne Haas has requested an immediate release from his contract.
Several reports Down Under on Thursday claimed that Haas requested a release from the Broncos on Wednesday but was turned down.
The Broncos have issued a response to the media speculation, saying the 22-year-old would not be going anywhere.
Haas is currently contracted with Brisbane until the end of the 2024 campaign. He re-signed a six-year deal with the NRL giants in 2018.
A Broncos statement read: “Payne Haas is contracted to the Brisbane Broncos until the end of the 2024 NRL Season. The club will not be entertaining a release.
“The club remains in ongoing discussions with Payne’s management about what the next phase looks like for him at the Broncos.
“That includes ongoing dialogue about an extension to his current contract.”
Haas is regarded as one of the best front-rowers in the world. He has made 70 appearances for the Broncos since making his NRL debut in 2018.
Despite only being 22, Haas has won representative honours for Australia and New South Wales.
He has won two caps for the Kangaroos and could play in his first World Cup this autumn. He is eligible to represent Samoa due to family heritage. Haas is also of Swiss and Filipino descent. Haas has played seven times for the Blues in the State of Origin arena.
Elsewhere in the NRL: Dolphins land Scotland international
The Dolphins have signed Scotland World Cup hopeful Euan Aitken on a two-year deal from their first-ever season in the NRL from 2023.
The 26-year-old centre will join Wayne Bennett’s Dolphins from fellow NRL club New Zealand Warriors.
Aitken was granted a release by the Warriors for 2023 after he told the club he did not want to relocate to New Zealand when they return permanently next year.
Dolphins chief executive Terry Reader said: “Euan is a strong player who will add over 150 games of NRL experience to our squad when he joins us at the end of the year.
“Importantly, he is skilful enough to play either centre or on the edge at second-row; and that is a valuable commodity in today’s NRL competition.”
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