Michael Maguire's revelation about Payne Haas amid calls for Brisbane Broncos captaincy change
Some have suggested the new coach should move away from Adam Reynolds as skipper.
Michael Maguire has spruiked the leadership qualities of Payne Haas amid calls for the Brisbane Broncos to move away from Adam Reynolds as captain. Earlier this year, Broncos legend Gorden Tallis declared that Patrick Carrigan should be the skipper, rather than veteran halfback Reynolds.
But according to new coach Maguire, Haas has also emerged as one of the club's leadership options. The rep front-rower has been back at pre-season training at Broncos headquarters this week, even though he's reduced to light duties due to foot surgery.
Maguire has revealed Haas was told he wasn't required back at the club until later in November, but wanted to get around the team and set a strong example. And the new coach said it shows the leadership qualities he saw when coaching Haas in the NSW State of Origin team earlier this year.
“In my time I had with Payne in Origin and the experiences we had, I really enjoyed his company," Maguire told the Courier Mail this week. “We know what he is capable of as a footballer but it’s nice to see a senior player here early. He is around the players, he isn’t meant to be here for another couple of weeks but he was here walking water bottles around and being around the field. That’s a good sign of the camaraderie that’s around the group.
“We all know what an incredible person he is, but I feel that he can lift the group – I saw him do it with the Origin team. He was a leader. He was in our leadership group within the Origin space. I’m going to call upon those sorts of things with Payne for sure here at the Broncos."
Calls to switch Brisbane Broncos captaincy after awful season
The comments come amid debate around who should be the official skipper at the Broncos. Reynolds led the team to the grand final in 2023, but was helpless to stop their slide to 12th on the ladder this season. There's a clear need to strengthen the culture at the powerhouse club, and many believe it starts with a captaincy change.
Speaking after a woeful loss to the Bulldogs in July, Tallis said: “I think the team is lacking leadership. I watch them closely… on Saturday somebody needed to stand up and put a stake in the ground. (Reynolds) didn’t do it, and in the grand final he didn’t get them home either. If he’s the captain and he’s not doing it, there might be a chance to put Pat Carrigan there.
“In that game on the weekend, under the pump, if I’m playing with Allan Langer, he gets out from dummy-alf, he does three or four tackles in a row, he looks at us and challenges us. There’s none of that happening at the moment. So maybe there should be a change with who gets the C next to their name.”
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Adam Reynolds and Patrick Carrigan respond
Last month, Reynolds declared he "100 per cent" wants to continue as skipper in 2025, in what will be the final year of his career. And Carrigan has also stated that Reynolds is the man for the job. "People that know him as a leader and the influence he has on the club, it's second to none and he should be skipper of our team," the forward said.
Maguire also recently stated: “I don’t have any reason (to replace Reynolds as captain). I’ve had a long relationship with Adam and we won a comp together (at Souths). He is a winner. He’s taken that team to some pretty good places already, so as long as he’s fit and healthy and he is right, he is a great leader.”
