‘HE WAS MY LIGHT’
Why Haas nearly quit Origin after hellish year
BRONCOS star Payne Haas has spoken of the heartbreak he endured watching his older brother take his final breath and revealed he considered quitting Origin.
Haas and Pat Carrigan became the first joint winners of the Paul Morgan Medal after being awarded Brisbane’s top individual honour on Wednesday morning.
The award was bittersweet following a tragic year for Haas, who claimed back-toback gongs in Brisbane’s wooden spoon season in which he also lost the brother he regarded as “my light”.
Chace Haas died in August following a brief battle with illness, leaving the tightknit Haas family shattered.
Chace became a quadriplegic in 1999, when he was five months old, following a serious car accident in which his mother, Joan Taufua, was pregnant with Payne.
Haas, 20, was suspended at the time of Chace’s death and missed one game late in the season to exit the Broncos’ COVID bubble and grieve with his family.
“That was tough for me, my brother was my light,” Haas told The Courier-Mail.
“I would throw all these awards away right now just to have him back in my life.
“It was a bit of a shock. He got sick and I thought it would be normal and he would be back out of hospital the next week.
“But it got worse and
worse. I went to the hospital and they said he wouldn’t make it. We spent our last night and day with him and that was it.
“He couldn’t talk or anything, but I knew he was there and I know he is around in spirit now looking over me.
“I’ve been playing for him ever since we were kids. I did it for him before and I’m still going to do it for him.”
In only his second full NRL season, Haas was also crowned Brisbane’s best forward and shared the revered players’ player award with Carrigan.
Haas has been named in New South Wales’ 27-man squad for next month’s State of Origin series and said he contemplated not playing for the Blues this year.
“I’m excited, there were a few doubts with me playing Origin because of what’s been happening and I haven’t got to see my family,” Haas said.
“It was more about myself, I can speak to as many people as I want but they don’t know how I actually feel inside.
“I was unsure if I should play or if I was in the right mental space to play Origin.
“But I told myself oppor
tunity doesn’t always come knocking. You’ve got to take it with both hands so I will do that and do my work for New South Wales.”
Haas played 17 of Brisbane’s 20 games as the Broncos only tasted victory three times in a disastrous season which led to sacking of coach Anthony Seibold.
Carrigan, 22, co-captained the Broncos for much of the season and made 19 appearances to tie with Haas on 101 points in the voting.
“You don’t play team sports for individual recognition, but it’s always nice to
be recognised by your teammates,” Carrigan said.
“I’m honoured and grateful to be named next to ‘Payno’.
“I wanted to be consistent this year and give my best every week. It was a tough year, but a great opportunity to spend a lot of time with the boys and get better.”
Star centre Kotoni Staggs was crowned best back and won play-of-the-year for his sensational solo effort against the Dragons in Round 13 while Herbie Farnworth took home rookie-of-the-year honours.