Family of polarising footy star Payne Haas claims are misunderstood Gregor Joan assault NRL broncos

The father of Broncos superstar Payne Haas has spoken out about his personal life for the first time since his wife was imprisoned for a vicious attack at a Gold Coast casino.

Gregor Haas says his wife Joan, recently released for her crime, is determined to stay out of trouble now that she’s back at the family home.

Haas has also insisted that his family are not troublemakers, despite recent clashes with the law, including his son Payne’s despicable abuse of a female police officer last year.

“It’s been there with the toughest four weeks of our lives,” Haas Snr told the Daily Telegram.

“Joan is back home now. She can’t go to certain locations, but she’s back with us and it’s fantastic. We are back to normal as a family.

“I can’t say too much about what she did (attacking the guards) because Joan has some strict terms around her release, but all I can say is that it happened and we don’t want it to happen again.

‘Look, life is life and you can never predict what it will bring you. You can only deal with what life brings, but we certainly hope there are no more problems.’

Uiatu ‘Joan’ Taufua pleaded guilty to beating one guard and spitting at another in an attack at the Star Casino on the Gold Coast in May

Haas (pictured playing for the Broncos) has had a scorching year both on and off the field

Joan, 46, punched a guard in the face and spat in the face of another guard during an altercation that Magistrate Ron Kilner described as a “most disgusting and vulgar offense.”

In 2019, Joan was arrested after brutally attacking a delivery man at a McDonald’s drive-thru. Magistrate Pamela Dowse denounces her ‘absolutely unforgivable behavior’

Commenting on the view that the public sees his family as criminals, Haas said: “Look, people will have their own opinion, but I know we’re not like that as a family.

“I know we made mistakes. I can’t sit here and pretend we’re perfect.

Haas with brother Chace, who died tragically in 2020 after unexpected respiratory failure

“No family is perfect and we are certainly not perfect.

‘I used to be annoyed by what people would say and think about us, but now I think it’s okay. It’s every man for himself.

“In social media there is a lot more focus, especially on someone like Payne who is an NRL player, but we love each other and that’s all that matters.

“We’ve had a hard time as a family.

Haas (pictured right here) with his disabled brother Chace as a child. Chace became wheelchair-bound in a car accident in 1999

“The hardest thing we’ve had to live with is judgment. We walked through a mall with Chace in a wheelchair and people stared. They would stare constantly.

“People don’t see what Joan has had to do for twenty years to raise a disabled child. She did everything, change him, feed him, all the medical appointments.

“Raising a child with quadriplegia isn’t easy and Joan’s love for our children is amazing.

“I know Payne’s mother like no other and what people in the media see of her is not the full story.”

Haas demanded to be released by the Broncos this season, but has since withdrawn the request and will remain with Red Hill for now

Chace was Payne’s disabled brother who ended up in a wheelchair in a car accident in 1999. He died unexpectedly of respiratory problems in August 2020, at just 21 years of age.

Joan’s time behind bars was tough for Gregor – with six children still in school and the youngest only seven.

“It was very difficult, it was the longest four weeks we have had as a family,” he said.

“Life wasn’t the same without Joan. I know people say bad things about her, but Joan is my wife and I love her. And as a dude, it was a good reminder of what the beautiful women do to keep the family going and husbands take it for granted.”