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.
1. New Zealand Warriors
Likely first-choice: James Fisher-Harris, Mitch Barnett, Erin Clark, Leka Halasima, Kurt Capewell
This forward pack has it all and, in our view, quite rightly enters 2026 as the best in the game.
Their props are two of the best in the game with a New Zealand representative and State of Origin representative (admittedly returning from an ACL injury).
Jackson Ford did a great job filling in throughout 2025.
Erin Clark, in his first season with the club after moving from the Gold Coast Titans, became the game's best lock. Whether he holds that mantle this year with the return of Cameron Murray will be intriguing, but right now, he holds the mantle.
Leka Halasima is the game's best breakout player, Kurt Capewell brings experience in droves, and the Warriors have a real competition for minutes and positions everywhere.
There are no excuses for the Warriors to not dominate in 2026.
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I would have expected to see the Broncos, Bulldogs and Rabbitohs higher, and the Raiders and Warriors lower.
I find it hard to develop a great enthusiasm for the Raiders pack. Solid, but no X-factor.