Westpac NSW Blues prop Payne Haas would like to turn the tables on his Brisbane teammates and be the one puffing out his chest at training by winning the 2024 Ampol State of Origin series.
Haas has been part of two successful Origin campaigns from the five he’s played with the Blues – 2019 and 2021.
But he wears the backlash from his teammates when NSW suffers a loss.
“It hasn’t been good the last two years because obviously they’ve won it and they’ve been giving it to me, especially at the Broncos with (coach) ‘Kevvie’ (Walters) also being a proud Queenslander,” Haas told media at the NSWRL Centre of Excellence today.
“I obviously want to win this series this year and put it back on them – get some bragging rights back.”
This year Haas will face three of his Broncos teammates – Reece Walsh, Patrick Carrigan and Selwyn Cobbo – at Game One next Wednesday (5 June) at Accor Stadium. He agrees his inside knowledge may help a little in the Blues preparations.
“I hope so, but Origin is a different level of footy,” Haas said.
“It doesn’t matter what I know about them, I know they’ll come out strong and we’ve got to match that and then be better.”
One difference for the 24-year-old front-rower this year is having new coach Michael Maguire.
“We’ve only been in camp one day but I guess we’ll know a lot more about ‘Madge’ as the week goes on.
“But he’s been good to me already. He’s been in communication with me for the past month.
“It’s not really about footy, just checking in how I am, and I really appreciate that from Madge. He’s a good dude.”
A Brisbane resident but a proud Novocastrian by birth, Haas knows who he is playing for.
“The people of NSW, our families, and all the people we love. I run with my last name on my back and that’s who I represent.”
