Phil Gould Hopes Payne Haas’ Rabbitohs Move is a Lifetime Commitment
Rugby league legend Phil Gould is expressing his strong desire for star prop Payne Haas’ impending move to the South Sydney Rabbitohs to be more than just a temporary boost. Gould envisions Haas emulating the legacies of club stalwarts like Sam Burgess and Greg Inglis, becoming a cornerstone of the Rabbitohs for the remainder of his career.
Haas is set to join the iconic cardinal and myrtle in late 2026 on a three-year contract. However, a significant clause within the deal allows him to depart if current coach Wayne Bennett is no longer at the helm. This stipulation suggests that Bennett’s influence was a primary driver behind Haas’ decision, and any future relocation for the talented forward would likely hinge on Bennett’s continued presence.
The signing itself sent shockwaves through the rugby league community, largely due to its clandestine nature. Brisbane Broncos management reportedly believed Haas would recommit to the club for another year, only to be blindsided by the Souths announcement. Gould described the operation to secure Haas as akin to a “military-style operation,” admitting he had no prior inkling of the impending transfer.
Gould, who also heads up the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, speculated that Brisbane would have been caught completely off guard. He pointed to a perceived “restlessness” that has always seemed to exist around Haas during his time at the Broncos. “To be honest, there has always been in the background enquiries about Payne Haas,” Gould remarked.
He elaborated on the circumstances surrounding Haas’ departure from Brisbane. “But the Broncos were going through some troubled times at the time as well, there were a number of players (in a similar boat). But he’s won his premiership there now. For whatever reasons, he’s decided he needs a change. People can speculate on that all they like; I don’t listen to all those sort of rumours.”
Gould acknowledged the significance of the acquisition for South Sydney, particularly given their impending loss of Keaon Koloamatangi to the St George Illawarra Dragons for the 2027 season. “But for South Sydney, who lost Keaon Koloamatangi to the Dragons for 2027, it’s a wonderful pickup. He’s not cheap; I can’t imagine he was cheap.”
He also addressed speculation about the longevity of Haas’ commitment to the Rabbitohs. “There is still, I guess, the suggestion that he’s hedging his bets and could go somewhere else in 2028, that it might only be a 12-month thing, I don’t know.” Gould dismissed prior rumours linking Haas to a proposed “Rugby 360” venture, which he considered to be unsubstantiated. “There was always been a lot of speculation about this Rugby 360 thing, which I always thought was rubbish. I didn’t think Rugby 360 was going to get off the ground if at all, but certainly not within the timeframe they were suggesting. I thought everyone was overreacting to that.”
The former Penrith Panthers mentor suggested that the interest from the Rugby 360 project may have broadened Haas’ perspective and opened him up to new experiences, in conjunction with the allure of playing under Wayne Bennett. Gould drew a parallel to his own near-acquisition of Johnathan Thurston for the Panthers, a move he believed would have dramatically altered the club’s trajectory at the time.
“It was kind of like one of those all-in type moments where this fella can accelerate and can change the whole perspective of our club, and I just feel like that’s one of those moments with South Sydney that this was a deal probably they had to do, that that’s the type of stature with which he’s held, that’s the effect that he can have,” Gould explained.
However, Gould tempered his enthusiasm by highlighting that the sight of Haas in the South Sydney colours is still some way off, and that the signing doesn’t immediately resolve all of the Rabbitohs’ existing roster challenges. “He’s not there for 12 months. It hasn’t solved some of the other roster issues that they’ve got and it’s going to make it more difficult for them to fill those positions,” he cautioned. “And their roster’s not getting any younger.”
A significant ongoing concern for the Rabbitohs, according to Gould, is their lack of a consistent, first-choice halfback since the departure of Adam Reynolds. “Since losing Adam Reynolds, they really haven’t got a first-string halfback. So, you know, that’s another thing. Payne Haas can only do so much on his own. But it is a huge coup, absolutely huge coup.”
The Rabbitohs’ halves conundrum was further exacerbated during pre-season trials when young playmaker Jonah Glover suffered a fractured jaw in a match against his former club, the St George Illawarra Dragons. This unfortunate injury has seemingly solidified the pairing of Jamie Humphreys and Cody Walker in the halves for the upcoming season, with Jayden Sullivan also in contention for a spot.
