Payne Haas in huge revelation at Broncos training as Reece Walsh urged to follow Michael Maguire era
The Broncos are undergoing a huge change under new coach Michael Maguire.
Potential future Broncos captain Payne Haas has claimed he is staying away from alcohol as he looks to get back into shape under new coach Michael Maguire as calls grow for a captaincy change. Haas missed the final few games of the Broncos season last year, before watching coach Kevin Walters get axed from his role after a poor campaign.
Haas didn't play for the Kangaroos in the Pacific Championship as he underwent surgery on his foot fracture in a bid to be ready the 2025 season. Since Maguire's takeover calls have grown for Haas to be anointed as the new captain with Adam Reynolds' time at the club coming to an end.
And Haas is one of the players embracing Maguire's pre-season camp - despite only returning on a light schedule after foot surgery - having announced he is off alcohol as he looks to recover and return to peak fitness to tackle a new season. “I’m off it (alcohol),” Haas said The Daily Telegraph.
“That’s helped me a lot with my recovery. I’ll put myself on a drinking ban, which I don’t want to talk too much about in public."
Speaking about his injury, Haas admitted he 'shouldn't have played' in round 26 when he was feeling pain in his foot. Regardless, Haas is ready to get on with the 2025 pre-season training and has urged his fellow teammates - to the likes of Reece Walsh and Adam Reynolds - to buy into Maguire's new ethic of hard work as the Broncos look to end a 19-year premiership drought.
“I can’t wait to get back to full training. For me there’s nothing better than connecting with your teammates in pre-season and going through the blood, sweat and tears," he added. “I love being in the grind with my teammates and trying to achieve a goal together.”
Another star back at training is Walsh. The 22-year-old fullback just signed the biggest contract in the club's history, but showed his commitment in returning early to training under Maguire. Walsh has faced plenty of calls to buy into Maguire's view ahead of 2025. Walsh was deemed to be one of the 'rockstars' in the dressing room at the Broncos.
There have been calls for Maguire to change the perception of the club and the dressing room with claims standards had dropped in the last few years. But it appears the young fullback is ready to put in the hard yards.
Maguire and his disciplinarian ways have been backed to snap a 19-year premiership drought in Brisbane. The former NSW coach is bringing in a new standard in pre-season with several players vomiting after a gruelling session in 30-degree heat this week.
Calls grow for Broncos captaincy change
This week Maguire revealed Haas was told he wasn't required back at the club until later in November, but the NSW prop wanted to show his presence around the training ground as he looks to rally the troops. 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.
"We know what Payne is capable of as a footballer, but it is nice to see a senior player here early and around the players," Maguire said. "He is not (officially) here for another couple of weeks, but he was walking water bottles around and (training) with the players. I think that is a good sign for the camaraderie that is in the group."
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Calls have been growing for Reynolds to relinquish the captaincy to give a younger player a chance of leading the team. Patrick Carrigan and Haas have both been mentioned as potential candidates. Although Reynolds declared he "100 per cent" wants to continue as skipper in 2025, in what will be the final year of his career.
And while talks suggest fans might want change, Carrigan 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.”
