POLICE have interviewed suspended young Brisbane Broncos star Payne Haas as part of the investigation of the alleged assault of a woman at a female rugby league game.
Haas was last month
fined $20,000 and stood down by the Broncos for the first four games of the season for allegedly failing to co-operate with an NRL Integrity Unit probe into two off-field incidents last year involving family members.
Broncos bombshell: Young prodigy suspended
The Courier-Mail can reveal the 20-year-old giant was interviewed by detectives from Hendra CIB today over an alleged serious assault of a woman at rugby league match in which his girlfriend was playing in Brisbane last August.
The woman was allegedly pushed over and injured during a confrontation among spectators at the game.
Haas’s lawyer, Campbell MacCallum, said his client gave police a “full and frank” account of what happened and vehemently denied being involved in any assault.
Payne Haas was last month fined $20,000 and stood down by the Broncos for the first four games of the season. Picture: AAP image, John Gass
“He instructs that his only involvement was to break up parties who were entering into some sort of melee,” Mr MacCallum said.
“There was a complete and utter lack of involvement in any assault on his part. There have been no charges laid and we don’t expect there will be, but the matter is still being investigated.’’
Mr MacCallum said there was “no way” he would have allowed Haas to be formally interviewed by police if he did not believe his version had “an absolute ring of truth”.
“As a young rookie, he accepts any decision his club makes,” Mr MacCallum said, referring to the Broncos’ decision to suspend Haas.
“But he instructs me that he is training harder and harder to be as fit as he can when he gets back on the football field.’’