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Payne Haas wins praise around NRL world after courageous display amid fresh family turmoil

The Brisbane Broncos forward has been rocked by more bad news away from the NRL.

sam goodwin
Sports Editor
·4-min read

Payne Haas has received the full support of the Brisbane Broncos and NRL fans after his father was arrested in the Philippines on drug trafficking charges this week. Gregor Johann Haas, 46, was arrested in Cebu City on Wednesday and is facing extradition to Indonesia.

According to reports, Haas' father could be facing the death penalty if he's found guilty. General Sulistyo Pudjo Hartono, the Head of the Public Relations and Protocol Bureau of Indonesia's National Narcotics Board, said authorities had been tracking Mr Haas since December last year after the discovery of five kilograms of crystal methamphetamine.

A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesman told AAP it was providing consular assistance to an Australian man arrested in the Philippines, but was unable to make further comment due to privacy obligations. It comes as another devastating family development for Broncos and NSW forward Payne Haas, whose mother Joan Taufua is in jail facing manslaughter charges after a car she was driving killed three people in 2022.

Payne Haas, pictured here with father Gregor.
Payne Haas with father Gregor. Image: AAP/Getty

Payne has been a rock for his siblings, including two of his younger brothers who he cares for, and was once again a pillar of strength on Friday night. He put the Broncos forward pack on his back and overcame an injury scare in the second half to help lead Brisbane to a 13-12 win over Manly on the opening night of Magic Round.

Payne Haas in action for the Brisbane Broncos.
Payne Haas in action for the Broncos in their win over Manly.

Brisbane coach Kevin Walters said the Broncos were "supporting Payne in every way we can". He added: "Payne's a very strong individual and his family is as well. A lot of people probably don't understand or realise the person Payne is.

"He's a tremendous guy, tremendous family person and in this moment in time that he's going through we will get around him in every way we can to support him and his family. That's all we can do. Payne's just such a great person of integrity ... and what he's doing with his family even before this incident is something we need to be very respectful of."

Broncos captain Patrick Carrigan, who is very close with Haas, summed up the way the Australian prop and five-time Broncos player of the year was regarded. "Everyone knows what Payne Haas can do as a football player. Me and him are really close, we're probably like family now the two of us," Carrigan said.

"His resilience and his caring, he's the first one to check on all the boys and then there's the load he carries willingly for us as a club, but also his family is pretty special. If there were more like Payne Haas in the world I think it would be a better place."

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Haas sent a huge scare through the Broncos and NSW camps when he was assisted from the field in the 60th minute against Manly with what appeared to be a serious lower left leg injury. However he returned 14 minutes later to finish the match and help the Broncos to victory.

"He's fine," Walters said. "He got a knee to the calf which triggered a nerve problem in his big toe. He's right now. He's still limping and not right but he should be right for next week which is gold for us."

with AAP