The NRL has been jolted by one of the biggest transfer shocks in recent memory, with Payne Haas set to leave the Brisbane Broncos at the end of the 2026 season and join the South Sydney Rabbitohs on a three-year deal.
Widely regarded as the game’s premier prop, Haas will not re-sign with Brisbane and is instead preparing to relocate to Sydney from 2027, linking up with Wayne Bennett’s Rabbitohs in a move that reshapes the competition’s power balance.
The Broncos confirmed the development on Sunday afternoon, issuing a brief statement acknowledging Haas’ intention to depart once his current contract expires.
“The Brisbane Broncos can confirm that Payne Haas and his management have advised the Club that he intends to depart at the end of the 2026 season,” the statement read. “A signed contract reflecting that position has been lodged with the NRL, and the Broncos will make no further comment until the expiration of the ten-day cooling-off period.”
The timing of the announcement adds to the intrigue, arriving just as Brisbane prepares to travel to England for the World Club Challenge against Hull KR later this month. Haas has also reportedly informed teammates of his decision.
Haas’ future has been one of the most talked-about topics of the off-season, particularly amid speculation about a possible switch to the proposed R360 competition. When the launch of that league was pushed back by two years, Brisbane were widely viewed as favourites to secure his long-term commitment.
Earlier reports suggested Haas had verbally agreed to a one-year extension for 2027, with plans to formalise the deal after the World Club Challenge. Broncos coach Michael Maguire had publicly played down any suggestion that his star forward was heading elsewhere.
“I don’t believe he will leave,” Maguire said recently. “Payne has said he wants to stay and that’s a fair reflection of where we’re at.”
That confidence has since been shattered, with South Sydney moving swiftly to secure the signature. Reports indicate Rabbitohs stars David Fifita and Latrell Mitchell were instrumental in persuading Haas to make the switch to Redfern.
The Rabbitohs confirmed they have lodged a contract with the NRL covering the 2027, 2028 and 2029 seasons, subject to the mandatory cooling-off period under league rules.
“The South Sydney Rabbitohs have lodged a signed contract with the NRL for Payne Haas to join the Club for the 2027, 2028 and 2029 seasons,” the club said. “The contract is now subject to the ten-day cooling-off period, which the Rabbitohs will respect.”
Haas departs Brisbane as a modern club great, having been the cornerstone of the forward pack since his debut in 2018 and a central figure in the Broncos’ 2025 premiership triumph. His exit leaves a significant hole in Brisbane’s engine room.
For South Sydney, the signing represents a statement of intent, reinforcing their premiership ambitions under Bennett and signalling a bold new chapter as the cooling-off period ticks down under NRL regulations.
