NRL greats Darren Lockyer and Andrew Johns have backed Payne Haas to eventually surpass the career of Glenn Lazarus to become the greatest prop forward of all-time.
Haas, who took out another prop of the year award at this week's Dally M Medal ceremony, is widely regarded as the best current prop in the game.
At just 25 years of age he is already 141 games into a career which is seeing him earn more than a million per cent, and he justified every cent of that price tag with a barnstorming effort against the Penrith Panthers last weekend.
Haas, who played all 80 minutes, topped the tackle count and did plenty with the ball in hand as the Broncos turned a 14-point halftime deficit into a narrow win to knock the four-time premiers out and keep their hopes of winning a first title since 2006 alive.
The prop has averaged 168 metres per game this year to go with a remarkable tackle efficiency of 98.5 per cent, while he also broken 125 tackles and added 70 offloads across his 23 games.
Glenn Lazarus - who won three premierships with three different clubs during a career which could be immortalised in the coming decades - is widely regarded as the best ever, but Lockyer, speaking on Channel Nine's QLDER, said Haas will overtake Lazarus if he can win competitions, starting with this Sunday's clash against the Melbourne Storm.
"I've always said Glenn Lazarus was the best and if you look at his record, he's won three premierships with three different clubs," Lockyer said.
"That's just the missing piece for Payne.
"His engine is the biggest I have ever seen for a prop.
"I was watching Cleary with the ball for the two-point field goal and they stuffed it up - I didn't realise it was Payne Haas that chased him.
"Then there's the one where he went back for a kick and dives on it.
"Lazarus used to do that. Lazo would be in cover defence and jump on balls.
"He has got great anticipation for the game, and I just marvel at his work rate."
Haas has made no secret of his desire to lift the Provan-Summons trophy on the first Sunday in October, having almost left the Broncos at one stage.
He had requested a release from the club as he looked for a more competitive outfit to call home, but he eventually stayed in Brisbane, who lost the 2023 Grand Final to the all-conquering Panthers.
Having knocked the Panthers over, one of the clubs Haas was linked with, the Melbourne Storm, now lie in front of him and his quest.
Johns didn't play into the premiership debate in his comments on Freddy and the Eighth, but said he thinks Haas will go past Lazarus in the coming years.
"I didn't think I would ever see a front-rower like Glenn Lazarus," he said.
"But this bloke - he hasn't gone past him yet, but I have no doubt he will. This is a genetic freak, we won't ever see a player like this in that position in our lifetime.
"What I saw the other day, I couldn't believe it.
"He topped the tackle count, he was in cover to stop that [try] and when Nathan Cleary goes for the two-point field goal, he's the first bloke there ... he is just a freak of nature."
