YOUNGER HAAS WILL PROVE HIS OWN MAN
He’s“got his own skillset, I’ve got mine, so I just worry about myself
“Everyone wanted me to play like him.”
The domineering shadow of his superstar brother has followed Klese Haas throughout his rugby league career. However, the Titans’ rookie at last feels ready to release that pressure and cast a tumultuous pre-season behind him.
Haas has been named in the 17-man team to play Redcliffe at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday in Round 8 of the NRL.
Only AJ Brimson’s potential return from injury a likely hurdle for Haas who would be moved out of Justin Holbrook’s side as part of a reshuffle.
The 21-year-old endured a disrupted start to 2023 as he left Parkwood for a period to help take care of his siblings in light of his mother’s involvement in a fatal car crash.
Uiatu “Joan” Taufua was charged with multiple counts of manslaughter following the deaths of three people in Bonogin in December, with her case set to return to court in late April.
Haas, along with his brother in Broncos sensation Payne — neither of who had any involvement in the crash — stepped away from training for several weeks in the aftermath of the tragedy, with Haas also spending extra time with his baby boy, Chace.
A season-ending injury to Beau Fermor before a ball had been kicked opened the door for Haas to replace him on the edge. However, he is yet to add to his two NRL caps this year. Until now.
Haas is set to now take the
Klese Haas Gold Coast rookie
field from the bench against the Dolphins on Sunday, having previously been named to confront the Dragons before dropping out for Super League recruit Kruise Leeming.
Haas admitted at times throughout the pre-season he felt lost in his position, frequently seeking advice from marquee man David Fifita on how to approach his role.
But he spoke of no regrets about his decision to step away from the selection battle in coach Justin Holbrook’s side, adamant ensuring he supported his family was his primary focus.
“I tried to do as much training as I could, but the reason I took it off was so me and Payne could help out with the kids a lot because dad was going through a lot of stuff at the time,” Haas said.
“We were just trying to help the family out as much as we could. The kids have been massive, you haven’t really had to parent them much.
“I think a big thing was when I had a conversation with my dad and all of us kids, it was my dad Payne and me and he said ‘I’ll worry about all
the media stuff when it comes to your mum but you have to worry about footy’. But me and Payne have been trying to help out where we can, just going back home to help the kids out whenever we can.”
While Payne was inspiring Brisbane’s sixth win of the NRL season against the Gold Coast, charging for 185m on Saturday night, Haas was readying for what transpired as a barnstorming display in the Queensland Cup.
The youngster did not see out the full 80 minutes for the first time for the Seagulls this year, but still finished with a try, 136m and 18 tackles in the 44-26 win over Wynnum Manly.
In a season in which he has averaged 111m and 29 tackles a game, the rising edge forward has set about establishing himself as his own man, rather than the little brother.
Haas confessed there had been times in his fledging career where he allowed external noise to infiltrate his approach to each contest — cries of ‘Payne would have done it this way’ following him in his junior days.
More and more teenagers have entered the NRL ranks with each season, often compared to greats of the game.
The likes of which have included Haas’ Titans teammate Keano Kini — labelled as a Roger Tuivasa-sheck clone — and Broncos hooker Blake Mozer, who has been donned in some sections of the game and media as the next Cameron Smith.
Haas said it took a frank conversation with his brother to finally begin to ease the burden he felt on his shoulders, serving as a crucial reminder he was his own player. And he emphatically called on rugby league’s new generation to ignore the pressures that came with the same expectations he faced, or risk it plaguing their long-term development.
“Coming into here I think the big message was just don’t listen to outside talk. I think that’s been a big help to me personally,” Haas said.
“Early on I think I listened to what other people said a lot, but then as I have gotten older I think I’ve done good to block out the noise and listen basically to just my mum and dad.
“I would hear ‘ Payne would have done this or that’ … but now I’ve started to not listen and worry about myself.
“Early on I found it annoying because everyone wanted me to play like him, but he’s always told me ‘you’re your own player, you’re your own person, you’re not going to be exactly like me’.
“He’s got his own skillset, I’ve got mine, so I just worry about myself and block out the noise.”