Broncos legend Corey Parker has called for Brisbane to dump star prop Payne Haas over a $3 million contract stand-off with the club, which he believes affected their dismal season fade-out.
Haas asked for a release earlier this season commanding a salary increase to $1 million a year, before putting his contract talks on hold until after the season following the public backlash.
Broncos chief executive Dave Donaghy is set to meet with Haas next week in a bid to resolve the messy contract saga, but Parker believes the club should hold firm and cut ties with the Origin enforcer.
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“I copped criticism for saying so at the time, but I stand by it: I would have gotten rid of him,” Parker wrote in his Code Sports column.
“Payne Haas’ transfer demand, both at the time and in hindsight, was an enormous factor in Brisbane’s season.
“It was the first major drama, coming after just 11 rounds. The Broncos were placed fifth, amid a seven-game winning streak.
“It reflected poorly on Payne, whether it was directly his doing or not.”
Parker believes the other members of the Broncos squad would have been privately seething at his contract demands and threat of a walk-out and it may have contributed to their late season fade-out.
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“He’s on $800,000 per season yet claiming he wants to leave the club to get $1 million … what does that say to your teammates?” Parker wrote.
“That’s the first thing he should have thought of, yet clearly it was far from his main concern.
“If you’re a Kobe Hetherington, Zac Hosking, Jordan Riki or Keenan Palasia, a fellow forward busting your arse on far less money … how are you meant to feel when a guy earning $800,000 says it’s not enough and he wants to leave the club?
“Me personally? I’d have been thinking, ‘Stuff you’.
“It would never be said publicly but that feeling would have filtered through much of the club.”
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Parker has no doubt Haas’ contract saga was a factor in Brisbane’s failed bid to make the finals after they found themselves in the top four after 19 rounds.
“An incident like that doesn’t directly affect performances, necessarily,” Parker said.
“But all of a sudden, when the team is struggling and Payne isn’t at his best, what are those other players thinking? ‘Still want to leave the club for $1 million?’
“It does have a negative impact.
“That bombshell hit before Origin, then resurfaced again after, and we all saw how the back half of the season panned out.
“The Broncos missed the finals, making the latest drop in history from the top four to outside the eight. Payne claimed that he wanted to go to a club where he could play finals footy. What does it all mean now?
“Players and clubs can’t always get it right, but that whole episode was just poor from Payne. Never in the 34-year history of the Broncos have I seen an individual player get booed by the fans.
“It was pretty clear what they thought.”
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