And now the obligatory reason why a Broncos player should not be suspended....................
Broncos star broke down before police clash (msn.com)
Broncos star
Payne Haas says that he's struggled to handle the death of his brother and that grief contributed to his clash with police.
Haas, 21, escaped without conviction after pleading guilty to two counts of intimidating police, during a January incident in Tweed Heads.
The State of Origin and Test star said that he was "extremely embarrassed" about an incident in which he verbally abused and threatened police while drunk. He was given a two-year good behaviour bond and is awaiting a ruling from the NRL Integrity Unit.
Haas lost his disabled brother, Chace, suddenly last August. Having become intoxicated after a
Broncos training session last month, he went for a walk with his pregnant partner, Leilani Mohenoa, and broke down about his brother's passing.
"I was not in a good head space at all in that moment (when police approached him). I had been drinking. I allowed myself to drink too much which affected my actions," Haas told The Courier Mail.
"It's been tough losing Chace. I haven't spoken much about it. We were really tight. He died so suddenly and to be honest I haven't handled this whole tragedy well.
"Because of the COVID restrictions, I had limited time to process Chace's death with my family. It's been the hardest thing I ever have faced.
"So while I am really embarrassed and disappointed at the way I treated the police, I hope people can see there were other factors behind what happened.
"Thankfully I've had my family and my partner Leilani supporting me and helping me cope during this time. Without them I am not sure I would have gotten through it."
Haas admitted that he had placed his NRL career in jeopardy with his actions. He may miss the start of the season due to his police clash; far from ideal, with the Broncos trying to rebound from their first wooden spoon last year.
