The one NRL team set to stop Haas signing off in style

George Clarke | February 11, 2026

Players from rival NRL clubs have backed Brisbane to send Payne Haas out with a second-straight premiership, while also nominating Penrith as the likeliest challenger.

At Tuesday’s season launch in Sydney, senior players and captains were asked a simple question by AAP: if not you, then who will win this year’s grand final?

The majority singled out Brisbane, who will be able to draw on Haas’ looming exit and the impending retirement of halfback Adam Reynolds, as the top choice.

Haas announced this week he would leave the Broncos at the end of this year to join South Sydney for 2027.

“Brisbane are the defending premiers and they haven’t had all that much turnover,” Penrith captain Isaah Yeo told AAP. 

“There’s obviously going to be some turnover next year but sometimes that can be a good thing too.

“Knowing it’s sort of your last dance as a group – we’ve certainly drawn from that in the past.”

Canterbury skipper Stephen Crichton echoed Yeo’s sentiments and said: “The team hasn’t changed, they’ve got superstars and it’s Payne’s last year”. 

Canberra back-rower Hudson Young was bullish about the Raiders’ hopes of building on last year’s minor premiership – the club’s first silverware in 31 years. 

But Young said if it wasn’t Brisbane pipping the Green Machine to the title, Penrith shaped as the Broncos’ main challengers.  

“They are the two powerhouse clubs of the NRL at the moment,” Young said. 

North Queensland back-rower Jeremiah Nanai said the Sydney Roosters, boasting a new hooker in Reece Robson and a halfback in Daly Cherry-Evans, were more than a dark horse.

The Roosters are fourth favourites with bookmakers, behind last year’s beaten grand finalists Melbourne, then Penrith and Brisbane. 

The Panthers finished seventh after the 2025 regular season, recovering from being last after 12 rounds, to go within a whisker of a fifth-straight grand final.

“They would have learned a lot from last year at the start of this season, they’re definitely not doing that again,” said Parramatta halfback Mitchell Moses. 

“They’re going to be tough to beat – we’ve got them round two, so it’s perfect.” 

Penrith were gunned down by the Broncos in last year’s preliminary final to end their run of four consecutive premierships.

But for the first time since their dynasty began, Penrith haven’t lost a single regular starter. Instead, they’ve overhauled the reserve grade side to keep established names on their toes. 

“We certainly feel like we’re in a (premiership) window at the moment where we want to be, and that’s what we’re aiming for,” Yeo said.

“I know every club talks about it, but I feel like only for a handful of teams is it realistic. 

“We’ve got a really strong contingent and haven’t had much turnover in terms of our top 19 players.”