Walters Hints at Coaching Influence on Haas’s Shock Broncos Exit
The rugby league world is still reeling from the seismic announcement that Broncos superstar prop Payne Haas will depart Red Hill at the end of the 2026 season, signing a lucrative three-year deal with the South Sydney Rabbitohs from 2027. The move, widely considered one of the most significant player transfers in recent NRL history, has ignited a firestorm of speculation, with former Broncos coach Kevin Walters now weighing in, subtly suggesting he could have retained the star forward had he still been at the helm.
Walters, who coached the Broncos for four seasons, leading them to a near-premiership in 2023 after a dramatic grand final collapse against the Panthers, was controversially sacked following the team’s disappointing 12th-place finish in 2024. He was replaced by Michael Maguire, the mastermind behind Brisbane’s first premiership since 2006. Despite the club’s recent success, Walters’ dismissal drew criticism from a segment of past Broncos players.
The news of Haas’s impending departure, revealed just months after the grand final heartbreaker, has sent shockwaves through the club and its fanbase. The sheer magnitude of the player movement has drawn comparisons to seismic shifts like Cooper Cronk’s move to the Roosters or Greg Inglis’s transfer to the Rabbitohs prior to their 2014 premiership triumph.
Following the bombshell announcement, speculation ran rampant, with many whispers pointing towards a rift between Haas and current coach Michael Maguire as the catalyst for his decision. While Haas himself issued a carefully worded statement via the club on Thursday, officially denying any issues with Maguire and expressing a desire to reunite with his inaugural NRL mentor, Wayne Bennett, at the Rabbitohs, the rumour mill continues to churn.
Speaking on the Inside Ball podcast, Walters was directly asked by co-host and Nine journalist Ben Dobbin whether he believed he could have convinced Haas to remain a Bronco.
“Yeah… but I’m not coaching there,” Walters responded, a statement that has been interpreted by many as a veiled jab at the current coaching setup. “If I was coaching in the NRL, he would be one of the first players I would target, so hats off to Wayne Bennett. He has fallen in his hands, it’s great for the Souths fans.”
Walters then seized the opportunity to fan the flames of the Maguire rumour, without explicitly accusing the premiership-winning coach of any wrongdoing.
“It is a bit strange without knowing the full details and facts,” Walters commented. “Normally when your club wins a premiership and they have been to two grand finals in three years, the value of your players rises, it’s constantly rising with the salary cap and you are constantly under pressure to keep players.
“But Payne Haas is the peg in the ground, a long-term player. If you have Payne Haas in your stable, you do not lose Payne Haas. He is the world’s best prop and anyone who wants to argue that doesn’t know rugby league. It is puzzling why he has left. I don’t think it was about money, so what was it about? We are probably never going to know. He bleeds Brisbane. It’s just one of those mysteries. Some of the Souths players thought it was April Fool’s Day. It will never be revealed the exact reasons, it will just stay underwater.”
Walters also revealed that he has been in limited contact with Haas since the news broke. “I haven’t spoken to him, I’ve only texted him,” Walters confirmed. “He is OK. There is a fair bit of stress on everyone but he is OK.”
Despite the impending departure, Haas is expected to feature prominently for the Broncos throughout the 2025 season as they aim to build on their recent premiership success and contend for further silverware. The team is currently in England, gearing up for their World Club Challenge clash against Hull KR next weekend. The focus for Brisbane now will be on navigating the choppy waters of Haas’s exit and ensuring their on-field performance remains unaffected by the off-field drama. The lingering questions surrounding the reasons behind Haas’s decision, and Walters’ pointed comments, will undoubtedly continue to be a major talking point in the NRL for months to come.
