Brisbane prop Payne Haas has spoken of his heartbreak at being unable to see or speak to his mother since she was jailed in late December.
Uiatu “Joan” Taufua was the sole survivor in a car crash where three people were killed, and the 46-year-old was later charged with three counts of manslaughter and one count each of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, evading police and driving without a licence.
Haas will never forget the phone call when his father, Gregor, broke the news to him. It had already been a tough year for the young prop, whose mother spent September behind bars over a Gold Coast assault.
Speaking for the first time about the family heartbreak, Haas told this masthead: “I won’t lie and say it’s been easy. It’s been really tough.
“I’m lucky I’ve got a good support network around me, I’ve got my partner [Leilani] and daughter [Lalita]. I missed the World Cup last year to be with my family. We saw what happened with mum [during the year], and my shoulders were busted at the time.
Broncos forward Payne Haas has opened up about his mum behind bars.Credit:Getty
“Just for my head, I thought it was best I stay back in Brisbane and be with family and look after myself and them. I wanted to be with my little brothers and sisters and my partner and daughter because they go through everything with me – they carry the same burden.”
The Broncos gave Haas extra time off over the Christmas break to deal with his mother’s imprisonment. Taufua is only allowed to make one call to Gregor per day. The paperwork Haas must complete for permission to visit Taufua in jail takes up to six weeks to process.
The scene of a fiery crash at Bonogin; (inset left) “Joan” Taufua; (right) Payne Haas.Credit:Nine News/AAP/NRL Photos
Haas said he did not know the other three people who lost their lives in the car crash, but offered his condolences to their family and friends. When his dad broke the news, the immediate emotions were “shock”, Haas said.
“I’m close with mum – I’m a mummy’s boy,” Haas said. “I felt like all of last year was such a drag for myself, not just physically but mentally.
“I needed a big break in the end. I needed to get away from footy and get away from Brisbane. I spent ten days in Hawaii with my partner and daughter.
“I really needed those extra few weeks after Christmas. I went back to running on the road. I tried to run up to 4km each day, which I didn’t do last off-season. I just find road running clears the head mentally.”
Taufua’s next court appearance is March 9, one day before the Broncos’ first home of the season against North Queensland.
Just as he has done in the past, 23-year-old Haas – who has already endured a lifetime of pain – knows he will need to keep a steely focus on football.
“My off-field stuff has always been kept totally separate from my on-field responsibilities,” Haas said. “I’ve been raised to keep that stuff away from the boys, come into work with a smile, and focus on what you need to do that day.
“If there’s a positive, physically I feel the fittest and strongest I’ve felt since I started playing footy. I’m 118kg, but I have more muscle.
“This year is the year. I don’t know what I’ll do with myself if we don’t make finals. There are no more excuses. We’ve had a year together playing footy, we know how we want to play, and we’ve added ‘Walshy’ [Reece Walsh] to our side. I just want to win games. This year has to be the year.”
Haas, widely regarded as the best prop in the game, had a clean-out of his left shoulder in the off-season. His front-row rotation with Pat Carrigan, Thomas Flegler and new addition Marty Taupau, whose move to Red Hill was partly motivated by the chance to play with Haas, completes one of the best packs in the game.
Skipper Adam Reynolds has spoken in the past about Haas’s amazing ability to compartmentalise, and said: “He comes to training, goes about his business and never whinges or complains. I check up on him to make sure he’s alright. He also has a fantastic partner and child giving him the support he needs.”
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