After a flat Broncos finale, a new beginning awaits Payne Haas

A dead rubber in an almost empty stadium gave Payne Haas a winner’s send-off, but not the farewell his nine seasons with Brisbane deserved. The Broncos beat Canterbury 34-20 on Thursday night, yet the game unfolded with the flatness of a season already winding down.

Haas had made 159 appearances for Brisbane and produced some of his finest performances in the biggest contests. His final match began in more familiar fashion. He powered through four defenders to score the opening try, then later spent time in the sin bin after repeated infringements. He finished with 152 running metres in 71 minutes.

Brisbane also found flashes of the football that marked last year’s championship season. Josiah Karapani delivered a standout performance, and the Broncos sent Haas to South Sydney with a victory. Still, the subdued setting and low stakes made the occasion feel more like a conclusion to an uneven season than a fitting end to a legendary club career.

Haas has not played poorly. He averaged 156 running metres and just under 35 tackles per game, figures many players would celebrate. He also produced major moments, including his try against Canterbury and a similar effort against Canberra that helped launch a Brisbane comeback two weeks earlier.

But he has not reached the extraordinary level Brisbane fans have come to expect. His 156-metre average is the second-lowest of his career as a starting prop. His offloads fell from 70 last year to 21 this season, while his tackle breaks dropped from 130 to 64. Australia and Samoa would still strongly want him for their World Cup teams, because he remains regarded as the best prop in the world. The challenge now is to find that superhuman form again in a new beginning at South Sydney.