Payne Haas dismisses the idea of a bad blood claim prior to the Roosters’ first game after the racial controversy in Vegas.
In front of their first meeting since their contentious match in Las Vegas, where Spencer Leniu called Brisbane’s five-eighth Ezra Mam “a monkey” and set off an altercation between the two teams at the team hotel, superstar Broncos prop Payne Haas maintains that “there’s no bad blood” between his team and the Roosters. This Friday night’s game at Suncorp Stadium will mark Leniu’s eighth and final match of his eight-match suspension for the racial remark that hurt Mam’s feelings and infuriated his teammates.
Mam, who missed Saturday night’s victory over the Wests Tigers due to a finger injury, is not guaranteed to play. Last week, he stated that he was eager to meet up with Leniu in the future and that he didn’t regret shouting out bigotry. Haas is optimistic that his squad can manage their emotions on Friday night despite the fact that the incident occurred two months ago.
I doubt that there is any ill will. I’m not sure what transpired or whether there was animosity because I wasn’t present,” he remarked. “I think they’ve put the hatchet away. “Our group is fairly proficient in this area. We have to train hard because we know it’s just another football game. It doesn’t really matter because the football game will still be played on a field.
In an attempt to exact revenge for their defeat in Las Vegas, the Broncos will start as heavy favorites thanks to a string of impressive victories and the return of multiple key players from injuries, including Haas, who made his first appearance since round 2.
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