The “M1 derby” between Brisbane and Gold Coast is a literal family affair for the Haas brothers. Titans forward Klese Haas, 24, has spent his life looking up to his 26-year-old brother, Broncos star Payne. Now an established NRL player in his own right with 70 games under his belt, Klese will clash with Payne for the fifth time this Saturday at Suncorp Stadium, with their head-to-head record currently tied at 2-2.
Despite the looming on-field battle, the brothers share a tight bond.
“We talk almost every day and he’s probably the first person to message me after games and see how I pulled up, so it’s really good,” Klese said. “He always calls me and gives me like a paragraph of stuff to work on after games, so it’s good to have someone to lean on like that.”
The stakes are high for both teams. The defending premier Broncos have dropped four straight games to sit 11th, while the 16th-placed Titans are desperate to snap a five-game losing streak. Following Brisbane’s recent frustrating loss to St George Illawarra, Klese expects a fierce challenge.
“After a loss, they want to get their season back on track, so we’re expecting a bit of hostility going up there, but we’re all ready for it,” Klese said. “If I’m being honest, we’re pretty confident.”
While club commitments will keep them on opposing sides for the foreseeable future, with Klese locked in at Gold Coast and Payne heading to South Sydney next year, the brothers hope to unite internationally for Samoa at the end-of-season World Cup.
“To have that opportunity to represent our culture, our heritage together, it would mean the world to us,” Klese said. “So fingers crossed.”
Source: Australian Associated Press
