Payne back as Bennett shuffles playmakers

BRONCOS young gun Payne Haas looks set to make a swift recovery from an ankle injury to take his place against Manly in the Suncorp Stadium doubleheader on Saturday night.

Haas was expected to miss up to a month after injuring his ankle against the Bulldogs last week but the 18-year-old ran strongly at yesterday’s training run at Red Hill.

It was originally feared Haas had suffered a high-ankle sprain but scans showed he sustained only slight damage to his lateral ankle ligament, giving Broncos medicos confidence he will be fit to face the Sea Eagles.

In a further boost for the Broncos, key prop Matt Lodge is also likely to play with the rib cartilage damage he has carried for three weeks. Lodge ran briefly yesterday before finishing training early to avoid contact work.

Broncos prop Korbin Sims said Haas had adjusted to firstgrade well and believes the 117kg monster will handle a Manly onslaught in just his third NRL outing.

“Everyone gets targeted as a young kid,” he said. “I don’t know how Payne thrives in big-pressure situations yet but if he does get targeted, he will take care of himself.

“Wayne (Bennett, Broncos coach) is managing him well, he hasn’t played him in the first half where the arm wrestle is on.

“He’s a fit young kid so coming back from his ankle injury, if he gets it right this week, I’ll expect big things from him.” Broncos winger Corey Oates warned Manly’s forwards Haas won’t hold back if they try to intimidate the hulking teen rated the next Petero Civoniceva.

“If they don’t get him, he is going to get them,” Oates said.

“Payne is just massive, he is so strong, he’s a big boy and I just can’t wait to see him get angry, he will be a scary man.”

Bennett has pitchforked Kodi Nikorima back into the No.7 jumper with big-name recruit Jack Bird shifting to the centres.