As if losing to the struggling Eels in front of 40,000 home fans wasn’t bad enough, Brisbane Broncos rep forward Payne Haas has suffered yet another injury in the closing stages of the Round 21 clash.
Already managing a chronic back issue first revealed during the recent State of Origin series, the latest setback for Haas involves an ankle.
As the Broncos desperately chased a match-winning try, the damaging prop was rendered virtually immobile in the final minute.
“Payne Haas can barely move, he’s really struggling,” Cooper Cronk said in commentary for Fox Sports.
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After the game, Brisbane Broncos coach Michael Maguire was disappointed with a performance he described as being too ‘cute’ but also optimistic when asked about the health of his forward star.
“Payno is okay, he’s just got a temperamental body at the moment,” Maguire said.
Early indications are it could be little more than a rolled ankle, but scans will reveal all in the coming 24 hours as Broncos fans yet again hold their collective breaths.
The 22-20 home loss was the Broncos’ first defeat since Round 13.