There might be two rounds to play in the 2023 NRL season, but Zero Tackle's MVP race is over, with Payne Haas crowned the champion.
In what has been a fantastic season for the Broncos' prop, Haas has barely been challenged at the top of the leaderboard after he secured at least 14 votes in each of the opening eight rounds.
The lead he built up has simply been too much to close down, and with a maximum of 40 votes left in play for any player at 20 per week, Haas holds a 47-vote lead at the conclusion of Round 25, despite not actually playing this past weekend with Brisbane off on the bye.
Shaun Johnson and Scott Drinkwater sat equal second at the end of Round 24, but only Johnson could poll votes during Round 25, and even that was only a seven-vote haul, despite the fact the Warriors' star had registered 70 votes in his previous four games.
It means that he is now no longer able to catch Haas, who takes out the win.
It also means the race is on for the minor placings. Johnson leads Drinkwater by just seven votes, with Addin Fonua-Blake, Nicho Hynes and Kalyn Ponga all in the race for a podium finish.
The top ten is rounded out by Reece Walsh, Clint Gutherson, James Tedesco and Cameron Munster, but David Fifita, Dylan Edwards, Isaah Yeo and Latrell Mitchell are all within a handful of votes.
Outside of the votes secured by Johnson, Kalyn Ponga and James Tedesco were the best of the contenders with 20 votes a piece. The other unanimous 20-vote games in Round 25 were Connor Tracey, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Apisai Koroisau and Jahrome Hughes.
Here are all the votes from Round 25.
North Queensland Cowboys vs Cronulla Sharks
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Jack Blyth | |
| 5 | Connor Tracey | Connor Tracey | Connor Tracey | Connor Tracey |
| 4 | Nicho Hynes | Nicho Hynes | Braydon Trindall | Braydon Trindall |
| 3 | Braydon Trindall | Braydon Trindall | Nicho Hynes | Nicho Hynes |
| 2 | Thomas Hazelton | Royce Hunt | Thomas Hazelton | Royce Hunt |
| 1 | Toby Rudolf | Toby Rudolf | Royce Hunt | Thomas Hazelton |
New Zealand Warriors vs Manly Sea Eagles
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Jack Blyth | |
| 5 | Dallin Watene-Zelezniak | Dallin Watene-Zelezniak | Dallin Watene-Zelezniak | Dallin Watene-Zelezniak |
| 4 | Tohu Harris | Jason Saab | Jason Saab | Jason Saab |
| 3 | Jason Saab | Tohu Harris | Shaun Johnson | Addin Fonua-Blake |
| 2 | Addin Fonua-Blake | Addin Fonua-Blake | Addin Fonua-Blake | Shaun Johnson |
| 1 | Shaun Johnson | Shaun Johnson | Daly Cherry-Evans | Daly Cherry-Evans |
Parramatta Eels vs Sydney Roosters
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Jack Blyth | |
| 5 | James Tedesco | James Tedesco | James Tedesco | James Tedesco |
| 4 | Luke Keary | Luke Keary | Luke Keary | Luke Keary |
| 3 | Nat Butcher | Daniel Tupou | Daniel Tupou | Nat Butcher |
| 2 | Joseph Suaalii | Nat Butcher | Nat Butcher | Joseph Suaalii |
| 1 | Lindsay Collins | Joseph Suaalii | Joseph Manu | Lindsay Collins |
Wests Tigers vs The Dolphins
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Jack Blyth | |
| 5 | Apisai Koroisau | Apisai Koroisau | Apisai Koroisau | Apisai Koroisau |
| 4 | Alex Twal | Kodi Nikorima | Kodi Nikorima | Kodi Nikorima |
| 3 | Sean O'Sullivan | Alex Twal | Daine Laurie | Alex Twal |
| 2 | Daine Laurie | Daine Laurie | Sean O'Sullivan | Sean O'Sullivan |
| 1 | Euan Aitken | Sean O'Sullivan | Euan Aitken | Daine Laurie |
Gold Coast Titans vs Penrith Panthers
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Jack Blyth | |
| 5 | Dylan Edwards | Stephen Crichton | Dylan Edwards | Dylan Edwards |
| 4 | Stephen Crichton | Dylan Edwards | Stephen Crichton | Stephen Crichton |
| 3 | Tyrone Peachey | Sunia Turuva | Sunia Turuva | Tyrone Peachey |
| 2 | Isaah Yeo | Tyrone Peachey | Tyrone Peachey | Sunia Turuva |
| 1 | Sunia Turuva | Nathan Cleary | Nathan Cleary | Isaah Yeo |
St George Illawarra Dragons vs Melbourne Storm
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Jack Blyth | |
| 5 | Jahrome Hughes | Jahrome Hughes | Jahrome Hughes | Jahrome Hughes |
| 4 | Eliesa Katoa | Eliesa Katoa | Eliesa Katoa | Eliesa Katoa |
| 3 | Will Warbrick | Blake Lawrie | Will Warbrick | Blake Lawrie |
| 2 | Blake Lawrie | Will Warbrick | Blake Lawrie | Will Warbrick |
| 1 | Moses Suli | Tyrell Sloan | Tyrell Sloan | Tyrell Sloan |
Newcastle Knights vs South Sydney Rabbitohs
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Jack Blyth | |
| 5 | Kalyn Ponga | Kalyn Ponga | Kalyn Ponga | Kalyn Ponga |
| 4 | Greg Marzhew | Greg Marzhew | Greg Marzhew | Greg Marzhew |
| 3 | Dane Gagai | Dane Gagai | Dane Gagai | Dane Gagai |
| 2 | Tyson Frizell | Jacob Saifiti | Tyson Frizell | Tyson Frizell |
| 1 | Phoenix Crossland | Phoenix Crossland | Jacob Saifiti | Phoenix Crossland |
Canberra Raiders vs Canterbury Bulldogs
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Jack Blyth | |
| 5 | Jordan Rapana | Joseph Tapine | Jordan Rapana | Jordan Rapana |
| 4 | Joseph Tapine | Jordan Rapana | Matthew Timoko | Matthew Timoko |
| 3 | Josh Papalii | Matthew Timoko | Jamal Fogarty | Joseph Tapine |
| 2 | Corey Horsburgh | Josh Papalii | Joseph Tapine | Josh Papalii |
| 1 | Matthew Timoko | Corey Horsburgh | Jake Averillo | Jake Averillo |
Top Ten
| PLAYER | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Payne Haas |
0 | 253 |
| 2 | Shaun Johnson |
7 | 206 |
| 3 | Scott Drinkwater |
0 | 199 |
| 4 | Addin Fonua-Blake |
9 | 192 |
| 5 | Nicho Hynes |
14 | 187 |
| 6 | Kalyn Ponga |
20 | 180 |
| 7 | Reece Walsh |
0 | 167 |
| 8 | Clinton Gutherson |
0 | 165 |
| 9 | James Tedesco |
20 | 159 |
| 10 | Cameron Munster |
0 | 151 |
