Matured Haas happy for Reynolds to lead team in 2022

He's been Brisbane's best player to take home the club's major award in the past three seasons but Payne Haas says Adam Reynolds is the man to guide the Broncos into a new era.

Haas, 21, has been earmarked as a captaincy option at Red Hill following the retirement of Alex Glenn but insists he's happy without the extra responsibility that comes with the role.

He said on Tuesday new recruits Adam Reynolds and Kurt Capewell were logical choices before steering towards the former Rabbitohs halfback. 

Reynolds is yet to start training with the Broncos after his mammoth 2021 campaign with South Sydney but is expected to join his new teammates before Christmas.

"It would be an honour [to be captain] but I think we've got some pretty special leaders around here with Capes [Capwell] and Reyno [Reynolds] coming and with our young leaders like Patty [Carrigan] and Kotoni [Staggs]," Haas said.

"We need guidance on the park and in close games in the past if we had someone like [Reynolds] we would've probably won those games.

"His guidance and experience is going to help us a lot. His kicking game stands out the most. You watch Souths' games last year he was winning games through his kicking game.

"I'm happy to keep focusing on my footy and keep improving. Hopefully in the near future, I just want to be a leader for the boys first on the field and take care of my off-field stuff."

After the birth of his first child, daughter Lalita in May, Haas said his maturity levels had grown from the person who has been in trouble with the law and NRL's integrity unit in recent years.

"Everyone knows some of the off-field stuff I've been through and what I've done," he said.

"I'm not proud of that but as long as I've learned from that it's all I can do.

"Having my daughter in my life now has changed the way I view life and it's been good.

"You be more careful what you do off the field. When you have a little one you want to do what's best for them and your partner."

Haas has responded well to an ankle injury suffered in the final round of the 2021 season against Newcastle to ensure he's available for the trials in February.

The NSW forward agreed with comments made by Broncos football director Ben Ikin recently that anything less than a top eight finish in 2022 will be deemed a step backward for the club.

"I believe we should think like that anyways but if you see how we finished last year it's a big improvement to the start of the year," Haas said.

"I think the top eight, if we don't go near that it's a failure. We're looking to strive for that and as long as we work hard we'll get there."