Brisbane prop Payne Haas will reunite with coach Wayne Bennett at South Sydney after signing a three-year contract, a development that has the NRL world in shock.
The Rabbitohs confirmed on Sunday the 26-year-old Samoa and NSW front-rower had inked the deal, which is now subject to a 10-day cooling off period during which Haas can change his mind.
That appears highly unlikely given the Broncos have put out a statement themselves which said "Haas and his management have advised the Broncos that he intends to depart the club at the end of the 2026 season".
Haas won the 2025 premiership with Brisbane but elected not to extend his deal beyond the upcoming campaign. He had previously been linked with the mooted R360 rugby union competition and the new PNG franchise slated for 2028 but the Broncos expected him to re-sign for one year at least.
Bennett, who gave Haas his debut in 2018 when a teenager, has swooped instead in a massive boost to Souths' forward stocks.
Haas is close to new Rabbitohs recruit David Fifita, with whom he played in his initial years at the Broncos, and the two will give Bennett the on-field impact the side has been lacking in recent seasons.
Given the move of current Test forward Keaon Koloamatangi to St George Illawarra next year, the Haas arrival will come at just the right time.
This is the third time that Bennett has secured Haas in a signing coup.
The first was when he was a teenager signed to Brisbane and set to join Melbourne. Haas told the story last year how Bennett called him when he was at the airport about to fly south to sign the Storm deal.
The call convinced him to stay.
The second time was after Haas had made a stellar debut in 2018 against the Rabbitohs but unfortunately got injured against Canterbury a fortnight later.
It was clear Haas was a generational talent and on that occasion Bennett moved to re-sign him on a six-year upgraded contract. Bennett was sacked at the end of the season and didn’t get to reap the rewards as a coach, but the Broncos certainly did.
Now, nine years later, Bennett will finally get the opportunity to coach Haas on a regular basis in 2027.
Rabbitohs legend Ron Coote told AAP it was a massive triumph for the club.
"He's a good catch for South Sydney. Payne is a great player," Coote said.
"Wayne needs some more troops in the middle of the field and Payne will be good for him. Wayne knows his players well and will give Payne all the direction he needs."
Haas has played all his 142 NRL games for Brisbane and it was a shock in some quarters that he has decided to leave.
Coote, the most recently inducted rugby league Immortal, won four titles at the Rabbitohs before joining arch-rivals Eastern Suburbs, where he won a further two premierships.
The 81-year-old said no-one should begrudge Haas for making his decision to change clubs.
"I am never surprised in these situations," Coote said.
"Players today look out for their future, exactly the same as what I did."
Haas will finish the season with the defending premiers, but while his loss is a blow the Broncos have rising props Xavier Willison and Ben Te Kura who are both capable of taking their games to another level.
There is, however, only one Payne Haas.
