Payne set to lift

BRONCOS veteran Matt Gillett has backed Payne Haas to withstand front-row fireworks if the rookie prop is pitchforked into a desperate showdown against the Wests Tigers tomorrow night.

Haas’ pre-season from hell is finally over with the 118kg giant officially available for NRL selection after serving a club-imposed four-match suspension.

Brisbane’s biggest player was today named 18th man by Anthony Seibold for the Tigers clash at Suncorp Stadium.

The Broncos coach will finalise his top 17 tomorrow at the captain’s run with Haas in line to be promoted at the expense of utility Gehamat Shibasaki if Seibold decides to deploy a four-forward bench.

The hulking 20-year-old was banned by the Broncos and fined $20,000 for not fully complying with an NRL integrity unit investigation.

To compound his plight, Haas appeared in court a fortnight ago on separate charges related to unlicensed driving and operating a motor vehicle while using a mobile phone.

But after months of damaging off-field headlines, Haas can take his first steps towards on-field atonement in the coming weeks.

Haas hasn’t played a fullyfledged NRL game since last May but Gillett is confident he would handle a Tigers engineroom onslaught if given the green light by Seibold.

“They will probably try to target him,” Gillett said.

“Payne missed a lot of footy last year with his shoulder.

“The Tigers will see him as a big boy and try to target him like we do with other teams.

“You try to spot their dangerous blokes to tire them out in the defensive line.”

Gillett is confident Haas has the size and toughness to withstand any physical barrage thrown at him this season.

“Payne can hold his own in the middle,” he said.