Broncos star Payne Haas credits preliminary final opponents for 'first taste' of professionalism
Broncos star Payne Haas has opened up on his time with the Warriors, crediting the short stint for helping him learn what it took to be a professional.
Haas could've easily been lining up for the NRL's surprise packets against the Broncos this weekend after trialling with the New Zealand-based club in 2016 as a teenager.
Despite the trial, the Warriors lost out on Haas, who signed a three-year deal with the Broncos in September 2016 before making his NRL debut in 2018.
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"It was a good learning curve for me," he said on 9news.
"It was my first taste of what NRL players do on a day-to-day (basis) and I was about 15 years old, going in there and did a few weeks of pre-season with them.
A teenage Haas pictured during his trial period with the Warriors in 2016 Supplied
"It was pretty cool and just opened my eyes on how to be a professional and lots of credit to them, they opened my eyes and it was pretty cool to see.
"It was a bit of an opportunity at our school at that time and Andrew McFadden was a coach then and he was a pretty good dude and helped me out a lot being a young kid over there in Auckland."
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Haas is committed to Brisbane despite some contract drama earlier in the year, having signed a two-year extension, and said he's thrilled to see the club's progress.
"I knew we could go this far into the comp, especially this year as well and (with) how we're playing," Haas said.
"It's pretty cool to see now it's coming to life and I have to pinch myself sometimes."
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