Payne Haas' negotiations with the Brisbane Broncos have been about as public as any in recent memory, and one interesting storyline that has continued throughout has been the looming presence of the Sydney Roosters.

Haas, who is currently tied to the Broncos until the end of the 2024 season, has been in negotiations with the Red Hill franchise for nearly a year in an attempt to make himself the highest-paid prop in NRL history.

The superstar forward was apparently tabled a deal by the Broncos in August of 2021 that would see his contract extended out until the end of 2027 and total him roughly $5.85 million over a six-year period (2022-2027).

Haas' ongoing legal dispute with his former management - the one who initially brokered the aforementioned deal - as well as the number of years currently left on his contract, has made the 22-year-old apprehensive in finalising an extension.

In the background of this negotiation however, has been the pressure of potential suitors all hoping to get a bid on the young buck. According to reports, the Roosters have been leading this race.

This rumour initially gained legs as more people discovered former Roosters star Sonny Bill Williams holds a close relationship with Haas.

NRL Rd 19 - Roosters v Sharks
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 19: Sonny Bill Williams of the Roosters reacts during the round 19 NRL match between the Sydney Roosters and the Cronulla Sharks at Sydney Cricket Ground on September 19, 2020 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

Roosters chairman Nick Politis has commented publically for the first time on the potential poach, essentially squashing any rumours that the Bondi club are interested in forking out the cash needed to draw him over.

“We won’t be signing Payne Haas,” Politis told NewsCorp.

“We are not interested — it’s as simple as that.

“Look, Payne is a great player, that’s not the issue, but if he wants $1 million, we don’t have $1 million in the salary cap to pay him that much.

“People keep speculating it and writing we want Payne Haas, but just because he is mates with Sonny Bill Williams, it doesn’t mean he is coming to the Roosters.”

Politis acknowledged Haas' excellence but pointed to the continued growth of the Roosters Academy and the impact the relationship the Eastern Suburbs team has with their feeder club - the Central Coast Roosters - as the key driver in their longevity as one of the premier sides in the NRL.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - OCTOBER 06: Roosters Chairman Nick Politis celebrates with James Tedesco of the Roosters after the 2019 NRL Grand Final match between the Canberra Raiders and the Sydney Roosters at ANZ Stadium on October 06, 2019 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

“Payne is one of the best props in the game, but we have never had him on our radar. He is contracted to the Broncos for another three years anyway," Politis said.

“The reality is we can’t fit Haas into our team on $1 million a season. He doesn’t fit in with our salary cap strategy moving forward. We have our own forwards coming through.

“We’ve got Lindsay Collins and we have a couple of other good young props coming through in (Daniel) Suluka-Fifita and Tuku (Hau-Tapuha).

“We also signed two young props from the Broncos last year, the Va’a brothers (Xavier and De La Salle). Xavier is in our Roosters Academy and he is a real talent.

“There’s no point trying to develop those guys in our Academy, then going to the market and buying over the top of them by chasing Payne Haas.”