Haas dad blames Titans’ school ban
BRISBANE sensation Payne Haas quit the Titans to join Queensland rivals the Broncos following revelations the Gold Coast sensationally banned him from training for his school team.
As Haas, 18, prepares to face Bulldogs enforcers David Klemmer and Aaron Woods tonight at Suncorp Stadium in just his second NRL game, the reason behind his move to the Broncos has come to light.
In a recruitment bungle that could come back to haunt the Titans, the club lost the NRL’s hottest front-row property after trying to block Haas from playing for powerhouse Keebra Park High.
The Gold Coast school has produced 31 NRL players including Benji Marshall.
Haas departed the Titans in mysterious circumstances in 2015, spending a year with the Warriors, but father Gregor last night detailed how his hulking 117kg son was snapped up by Broncos super coach Wayne Bennett.
“The Titans tried to stop him training with Keebra Park,” Haas Sr said.
“I won’t name names but when Payne was 15, he started training with the Titans under-20s and that’s when they said, ‘You are with us now, you can’t train with Keebra’.
“Payne was really hurt by that. Keebra Park was his school and he loved playing with his schoolmates.
“He decided to go to New Zealand for a year but he was missing home and when he spoke with Wayne Bennett, that was the X-factor in getting him to the Broncos.”
While Haas is now committed to Brisbane, he still lives on the Gold Coast with his parents.
The Haas family home is just a 10-minute drive from the Titans’ home ground at Robina’s Cbus Super Stadium.
Former Titans recruitment chief Jamie Mathiou was employed at the club when Haas quit.
He defended the club’s handling of the affair.
“We wanted to keep Payne Haas,” he said.
“I know nothing about Payne being banned from training for Keebra Park.
“I certainly never told him he couldn’t train for Keebra.
“Whether someone else told him I don’t know but I always had a high opinion of Payne and hoped he would stay at the club.”
Haas said he had found a home at Red Hill.
“I was at the Titans for a year but some things didn’t go right there,” he said.
“There were some personal reasons behind why I left.
“I don’t want to say too much except that I’m happy at the Broncos now.”
THEY SAID, ‘YOU ARE WITH US NOW, YOU CAN’T TRAIN WITH KEEBRA’
GREGOR HAAS