Haas ready to embrace Blues boos on home turf

Blues enforcer Payne Haas said he is prepared for a chorus of boos from the fans he usually calls his own in Wednesday night’s Origin decider.

Determined to defy the odds and keep the series alive at The Cauldron, the Brisbane prop knows the Blues are in for a torrid reception at a ground where they have lost five of their past six Origins.

“I don’t think the Maroons fans will care who I am, they'll be booing me just as much as the rest of the boys,” Haas told NRL.com.

“I don’t hear it while I’m playing but when I run out, that’s when I notice it and it’s pretty crazy… it's a pretty hostile ground.

"It is a hard challenge, but we've done it before, we’ve won a decider there and we can do it again. I just can’t wait to get out there and get the job done.

“Queensland will still probably call themselves the underdog but we’ve got our backs against the walls and it’s a pretty cool opportunity to show everyone what we’re made of.”

With the Broncos leading the Telstra Premiership ladder after Round 16, Haas admitted State of Origin comes as a “strange” time of the year, putting his push for a premiership on hold at Brisbane and focusing on reclaiming the shield for the Blues.

But after parting ways at Red Hill, Haas said “it’ll be every man for themselves” when he reunites with Maroons forwards Pat Carrigan and Tom Flegler at their home ground on Wednesday.

“It's a bit weird. This Origin time is always a bit strange when you’re versing your mate one day and back on the field with them as teammates a few days later,” Haas said.

“But you’ve just got to put any friendships to the side on Wednesday night. It’s every man for themselves out there and there's no friends on the field.

“So I actually can't wait for that. It's a good challenge for me versing the boys.

“We're all professionals and know what it takes to turn up for our state on Wednesday and then we and we’ll be back playing with each other on Sunday, ready to turn it on again for the Broncos.”

Game Two will notch 11 State of Origin appearances for the Broncos big man and the fourth time playing at Suncorp Stadium in NSW Blues colours.

Although the 23-year-old Newcastle product doesn’t yet see himself as a leader in the side, Haas is on track to become the most capped Blues front-rower and hopes to use his experience to help debutant prop Stefano Utoikamanu prepare for the Origin arena.

“With Stefano, I have taken on a bit more of a role with helping him with stuff he needs it and helping out some of the other new boys in the squad,” he said.

“Stefano is a big unit and he runs hard and makes his tackles so I’m real excited for him. He’s pretty switched on for a kid his age and it looks like he’s a leader at Tigers as well.

“Most of these boys I’m playing with are all older than me and I grew up watching them play when I was younger, so it’s hard to see myself as a leader but at the end of the day I’m just here to do my job.”