The engine room is the heart and soul of every rugby league team, and no team has ever won a competition with a poor forward pack.

It's really quite as simple as that.

SEE ALSO: Every NRL club's spine ranked for 2026

The spine might get all the credit, and the outside backs provide all the flash, but they might as well all stay in the dressing room.

RELATED: Every NRL club's outside backs ranked for 2026

For the purposes of this exercise, and given hookers were included in the spine, we will be looking at the prop, lock and second-row positions to determine which NRL side has the best forward pack.

Here are the rankings for the 2026 campaign.

4. Brisbane Broncos

Likely first-choice: Payne Haas, Corey Jensen, Patrick Carrigan, Jordan Riki, Jack Gosiewski

The Broncos again are led by the best middle third duo in the game in Payne Haas and Patrick Carrigan.

Both are walk-up representative players for whichever teams they are eligible, and that isn't about to change.

The only question surrounding Haas is whether his signing with the Rabbitohs for 2027 impacts anything.

The Broncos also have Jordan Riki who is one of the game's better second-rowers, while Corey Jensen at prop, and either Jack Gosiewski or Brendan Piakura on the edge don't miss a step.

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