Race for Haas begins as rivals express interest

The Manly Sea Eagles have become the first club to officially declare interest in Brisbane Broncos and New South Wales State of Origin star prop Payne Haas.

Haas is contracted with the Broncos through to the end of 2026, but there is no secret regarding the salary cap crunch which is currently on at Red Hill.

While Haas is the marquee retention target, a number of other players have had deals upgraded since Haas signed his last with the Broncos, including Reece Walsh and Patrick Carrigan, while the likes of Kotoni Staggs and Selwyn Cobbo are both currently believed to be in negotiations with the club over their futures.

A reported two-year extension for Blake Mozer has also been reached, and wouldn't have come cheaply for Michael Maguire and his retention staff.

Haas' form to start 2025 will also only drive his contract value higher, with the representative prop among the best players in the game over the opening month of the campaign.

The Sea Eagles own salary cap has been a cause for concern in recent times, but the departure of Daly Cherry-Evans at the end of 2025 - whether to a different club or retirement - opens up a substantial amount of value for the Sea Eagles to potentially reshape the way their roster works across 30 contracts.

CEO Tony Mestrov, talking to News Corp, has admitted the club want to bring a prop in for 2027, and Haas is on the radar.

“We definitely would have some interest in Payne,” Mestrov told the publication.

“We are looking to sign a middle forward in 2027 and you would be crazy not to consider Payne.

“In 2027, we will free up salary-cap money and we're looking for a quality front-rower.”

Prizing Haas away from Red Hill looks an impossible task, albeit one that was almost done a short time ago when he requested a release from the club.

Since then, Haas has become settled, and is in what appears to be as good as career-best form in his first handful of games under Maguire.

Haas, who is believed to be on $1.1 million at the Broncos, would soak every cent of Daly Cherry-Evans' mega contract and then some if he were to arrive at Manly, but Mestrov said it's something the club would weigh up.

“Payne is already on good money at the Broncos and you would have to pay even more to get him out of Brisbane,” Mestrov said.

“Without speaking for ‘Seibs' [coach Anthony Seibold], he is the type of prop we would be looking at.

“We have a very fast backline, but Payne is definitely someone we would consider to help our forwards. He is one of the best props in the game.”

As it stands, the Sea Eagles have Josh Aloiai and Taniela Paseka contracted into 2027 as middle forwards, while Nathan Brown (2026), Ethan Bullemor (2025), Aitasi James (2025), Toafofa Sipley (2025), Siosiua Taukeiaho (2025), Jazz Tevaga (2025) and Jake Trbojevic (2026) are all off-contract prior to then.