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.

11. Melbourne Storm

Likely first-choice: Stefano Utoikamanu, Josh King, Trent Loiero, Shawn Blore, Joe Chan

It can not be understated exactly how enormous the loss of Eliesa Katoa for the season to a traumatic head injury sustained during the Pacific Championships is for the men in purple.

Katoa's loss means Shawn Blore steps up as the key second-rower, while Joe Chan will have an enormous point to prove in attempting to keep Ativalu Lisati out of the starting side.

The middle third is strong for the Storm.

Stefano Utoikamanu still hasn't realised all of his potential, but had an exceptional 2025, while in true Craig Bellamy style, Josh King and Trent Loiero are two of the game's hardest workers.

Still, the Storm do not enter 2026 with a forward pack at the top of the tree. Plenty to prove in the season ahead.

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