The Broncos had their season launch 24 hours after the Payne Haas bombshell. Here's how it went down

The duo booked to MC the Broncos' season launch in Brisbane on Monday afternoon was quick to address the Payne Haas bombshell that had the foundations of Suncorp Stadium shaking.

"It has been a pretty big 24 hours, even by the Broncos' standards," said Michael Atkinson, standing on stage alongside fellow Nine media personality Emma Lawrence.

Dozens of wry smiles appeared throughout a dimmed Fortitude Valley Music Hall.

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Those in attendance — Broncos staff, former Brisbane players, club members, family and media — were, and still are, trying to come to grips with the news that Haas would be exiting at season's end to join South Sydney on a three-year deal.

The ink was still drying on Haas' intention-to-leave papers when news dropped that Adam Reynolds would be hanging up his boots at season's end.

Hinting at the Haas drama, Atkinson uttered the words "elephant in the room", but said he and Lawrence would refrain, out of "respect", from asking about it in the on-stage interviews that would follow.

The first lot of interviews was with Reynolds and Pat Carrigan. Ben Hunt, Kotoni Staggs and Corey Jensen followed as a trio, then chief executive Dave Donaghy and, lastly, coach Michael Maguire.

Of the seven talking heads interviewed on stage, only Donaghy addressed "the elephant in the room".

"It has been a big 24 hours for our members and fans, and for the club in general," Donaghy said, unprompted.

"And I think what they should know — I was talking with Payne and Adam yesterday — is those guys will put their heart and soul into the club, [and] they'll leave everything out on the field.

"And I think that's something that everyone wants to get around, so we certainly can't wait to kick off the season."

Haas made one appearance on the stage — when the curtains parted to Fall Out Boy's Centuries to reveal the Brisbane squad, and Maguire, looking slick under lights in the Broncos kit.

Haas, perhaps strategically, was seated at stage left, as close to back-stage as he could get without being a glaring absentee.

The game's premier front-rower, likely a touch uncomfortable, had a chuckle and a bit of chit-chat with a couple of his teammates.

Fortunately for Haas, he'd be retreating with his teammates behind a closing curtain only a minute or so later.

Speaking to a scrum of journos after the launch, Reynolds said Haas had informed his teammates of his looming departure on WhatsApp shortly before the news was made public.

"I didn't see it coming," Reynolds admitted.

"He just let the boys know, obviously, that he'd be moving to South Sydney at the end of the season. [There was] not much more to it.

"The news breaks pretty quick in our game, and it's pretty hard to sit down in front of a group over a weekend when we're not training.

"You respect everyone's decisions. I don't know the exact reasoning, but I know he is fully committed towards this year ... [I'm] looking forward to running out there and rubbing shoulders [with him]."

Carrigan, fielding questions from the scrum of journos right after Reynolds, offered a very rugby league answer.

"Yeah, mate, it's rugby league; anything can happen in this sort of game," he said, half-smiling.

Carrigan threw his support behind his mate, who will reunite with Wayne Bennett at the Rabbitohs.

"As a mate who's come into the game and played with him since we were 18 years old, it's not lost on us the opportunity we get to play together, and he's obviously got 12 months at the club [to go]," Carrigan said.

"I know the decision's the best thing for him and his family ... Our relationship will always stretch long and far beyond these bright, bright lights.

"I'm grateful, and I know the Broncos fans will be grateful, that [because of] the player he is and the integrity he has, every game this year he'll be putting his all on the line."

One journo asked Carrigan what had brought about Haas' staggering career move, to which Carrigan replied: "I think that's a question for Payneo, to be honest, mate."

Under the NRL's recently introduced cooling-off period rule, the Broncos have 10 days to try to convince Haas to backflip.

Frankly, however, the chances of Haas backflipping appears as likely as Bennett and his Broncos sparring partners breaking bread.

Carrigan was asked if he'd try to talk Haas into a rethink, or back his call.

"I'll support him no matter what he does," Carrigan laughed.

"But trust me: I love him running out in a Bronx jersey."