'Suffer the consequences' - Broncos stern with arrested star Payne Haas

January 18, 2021
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 07:  Payne Haas of the Broncos looks on after a Rabbitohs try during the round 13 NRL match between the South Sydney Rabbitohs and the Brisbane Broncos at ANZ Stadium on August 07, 2020 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

Brisbane forward Payne Haas has to accept whatever consequences, legal or otherwise, arise from the "poor decision" which led to arrest in northern NSW on the weekend.

Broncos chief executive Paul White said Haas's arrest for allegedly abusing police officers in Tweed Heads on Saturday night was avoidable and disappointing.

The 21-year-old has been charged with offensive language and intimidate police officer and is set to appear at Tweed Heads local court on February 2.

The Broncos haven't stood Haas down at this stage but with legal and NRL integrity unit investigations under way sanctions are looming for the NSW State of Origin and Australia representative.

"Payne's endured a tough last six months and that's pretty well documented," White said.

"He lost his brother, who he was extremely close, to but again the circumstances surrounding his arrest over the weekend, he had control.

"He had some control over what actions he took on that night, albeit being affected by alcohol.

"He made some poor decisions and he'll need to face the consequences of those through the court proceedings, but also an NRL investigation as well."

It's not the first time Haas has found himself in trouble off the field after he was fined $20,000 and suspended for the opening four rounds of the 2019 NRL season after failing to comply with an NRL integrity unit investigation over a matter involving members of his family.

White, a former police officer, said Haas had spoken about his desire to provide for his family in a meeting with the club CEO and head coach Kevin Walters just weeks before his arrest on Saturday.

"He's going to become a father and he's enormously, I suppose, keen to ensure that his family's provided for," White said.

"Decisions like the one he made on Saturday night put all that at risk.

"There's a real personal lesson that he's learning right at the moment and our job is to not only capture that but not look just straight at the endpoint and think there's a sanction being handed out and that's the end of it.

"Our job as administrators or coaches, everyone in the club, is to ensure that that journey is looked at over the course of his career."

The incident late on Saturday involving Haas came after the Brisbane squad started their day with a training session on the Gold Coast, and White said he and Walters would be addressing the entire playing group on Monday to remind them of their off-field responsibilities.

"We're after actions, not words," White said.

"The player, he was alone, and he acted alone in this instance. He just made a really poor decision.

"He'll have to suffer the consequences for that.

"We'll support those processes but we'll also continue to support the player to make sure he's a better person from these events."

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