Sonny Bill Williams has suggested the Brisbane Broncos would be mad to let Payne Haas leave the club.
The Brisbane prop, who is on-contract at Red Hill until the end of the 2024 season, has reportedly been tabled a monster contract extension which would tie him to the Kevin Walters-coached club until the end of 2027.
It is yet to be signed though, with Haas recently stating that he is in no rush to sort out his future.
The Sydney Roosters were just one club rumoured to be interested, and it was feared in Brisbane circles at the influence of Sonny Bill Williams - who is friends with Haas - could have been enough to steer the monster prop sout.
However, with Nick Politis recently shutting down rumours over the club's interest in Haas, Williams has told The Sydney Morning Herald that the Broncos should be doing everything in their power to retain the New South Wales State of Origin representative.
“He’s definitely one of my favourite players,” Williams told the publication.
“All of his little misdemeanours have been blown out of proportion. He’s a young man; you can’t sit and tell me you haven’t made mistakes when you are 20 or 21, similar things to what he’s making.
“There’s people within the club and around him that will tell him not to be as naive and think this or that won’t happen, but they are young men. You know what it’s like with the political side of rugby league – if someone doesn’t want him there or some people don’t like what he’s about or doing – they are going to blow it more out of proportion.
“For myself, he’s one of the best players in the NRL, one of the best front-rowers if not the best front-rower, you know what you get each week.
“If I was the Broncos, I would be trying to keep him there and not say goodbye to him.
“He is a great footy player, but what people need to understand is that he’s a young man."
Haas will return from suspension against the Canterbury Bulldogs - his third suspension for off-field incidents in the last four years - with the NRL handing him a one-game ban for an incident with teammate Albert Kelly.
It has led to calls for the club to cut him loose, however, undeniably one of the best props in the game and the forward leader in Brisbane, Brisbane director of football Ben Ikin has previously stated the club will do everything in their power to keep Haas - with a ten-year deal at one point reportedly tabled.
“All of his little misdemeanours have been blown out of proportion. He’s a young man; you can’t sit and tell me you haven’t made mistakes when you are 20 or 21, similar things to what he’s making.”
So true. I cringe remembering what I did at his age.