NRL Prop Power Rankings 2026: Joel’s Top 5 Heading Into the Season

Joel Johnston

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Fact Checked by Jeremy Darke

Last updated: Thu 29 Jan 2026 12:46

Joel Johnston 29 Jan 2026

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NRL props are now critical playmakers, not just defenders.
Top 5 props in 2026 are led by Payne Haas of the Brisbane Broncos.
Modern props set tempo and influence game momentum.

Payne Haas of the Broncos. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

NRL Prop Power Rankings 2026: Joel’s Top 5 Heading Into the Season

The role of the NRL prop has changed more than almost any other position in the modern game.

NRL Prop Power Rankings 2026: Joel’s Top 5 Heading Into the Season
5. Keaon Koloamatangi (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
4. Terrell May (Wests Tigers)
3. Addin Fonua-Blake (Cronulla Sharks)
2. Joseph Tapine (Canberra Raiders)
1. Payne Haas (Brisbane Broncos)

Once judged almost exclusively on size, toughness, and endurance, today’s elite front-rowers are asked to do far more. They are expected to bend defensive lines, play long minutes, link with the spine, and still anchor the middle defensively against the biggest bodies in the competition.

The best props no longer just absorb pressure. They create momentum.

That evolution mirrors what we are seeing across the league, particularly when you compare the demands on middle forwards to the influence of modern playmakers in our NRL Halfback Power Rankings 2026 and NRL Hooker Power Rankings 2026.

After breaking down the position on the League of Inches podcast, one thing stood out very quickly. There is a clear benchmark at the top, a tight chase pack behind him, and then a group of elite enforcers whose ranking often comes down to role, minutes, and how much responsibility they carry within their system.

These rankings are based on what we believe we are getting in 2026. Form, durability, workload, and how much influence each prop has when games are tight.

5. Keaon Koloamatangi (South Sydney Rabbitohs)

Keaon Koloamatangi earns his spot on this list because of what he does when the Rabbitohs need a lift.

While he has spent time on the edge, his impact through the middle is what separates him. He runs hard, defends with intent, and plays with an edge that forces defensive lines to react. When South Sydney are under pressure, he is often the one who changes the tone of a set.

What holds Koloamatangi back from climbing higher is role clarity. His output can fluctuate depending on how South Sydney deploy him week to week. When he is locked into heavy middle minutes, his influence is obvious. When that role shifts, his impact can fade.

If the Rabbitohs settle on using him as a genuine front-row weapon for long stretches in 2026, this ranking could look conservative by mid-season.

4. Terrell May (Wests Tigers)

Terrell May’s rise has been impossible to ignore.

What stands out is not just his size or power, but how effective he is across long minutes. He consistently wins the ruck, generates post-contact metres, and rarely looks fatigued late in games. That combination makes him incredibly valuable in the modern NRL.

At the Wests Tigers, May benefits from a system that demands high standards from its middle forwards. He is not asked to overplay his hand. He is asked to do his job, over and over again, at a high level.

The next step for May is dominance rather than consistency. He is already reliable. If his attacking impact grows further, particularly around quick play-the-balls and second-phase play, he has the tools to push even higher on this list.

3. Addin Fonua-Blake (Cronulla Sharks)

Addin Fonua-Blake remains one of the most physically imposing forwards in the competition.

Few props bend the line the way he does. When Fonua-Blake carries the ball, defensive lines compress, markers retreat, and space opens up elsewhere. That alone makes him invaluable.

His move to Cronulla adds a fascinating layer to his ranking.

At the Sharks, he is part of a system that values structure and discipline through the middle. He doesn't need to carry the entire pack on his back every week, which allows him to pick his moments more effectively.

If Fonua-Blake can continue to thrive in that environment and maintain his work rate across a full season, he remains one of the most damaging props in the game. The question is whether that impact becomes more efficient rather than just forceful.

2. Joseph Tapine (Canberra Raiders)

Joseph Tapine is the heartbeat of the Canberra Raiders.

His value goes far beyond raw metres. He sets the defensive tone, leads by example, and consistently delivers in the toughest moments. When Canberra are under pressure, Tapine is almost always the one taking the hardest carries.

What separates Tapine is his reliability.

You know what you are getting every week. Strong carries. Elite defence. Leadership. He does not disappear when the game tightens. If anything, he becomes more influential.

The Raiders’ resurgence over the past two seasons has been built on their middle, and Tapine is at the centre of that. He may not have the highlight moments of others on this list, but his influence across 80 minutes is undeniable.

1. Payne Haas (Brisbane Broncos)

Payne Haas remains the standard for NRL props.

There is no other front-rower who combines minutes, power, efficiency, and consistency the way he does. He routinely plays extended stints, generates elite metres, and still leads the defensive line without drop-off.

What makes Haas so difficult to compare is that his baseline is already elite.

A “quiet” game for Haas would be a standout performance for most props. He does not rely on attacking stats or favourable matchups. His influence is constant, regardless of opposition or game state.

In a Brisbane Broncos side loaded with strike, Haas is the platform everything else is built on. Until someone proves they can match his output across a full season, under finals pressure, he sits comfortably at number one.

These big men are tempo setters, defensive anchors, and momentum creators. As the league continues to evolve, the demands on middle forwards will only increase, and the gap between good props and elite ones will become even more obvious.

If your club has one of the players on this list, you are winning the battle through the middle more often than not.