Who is the best prop in the NRL today? Comparing the game's elite big men

Liam O'Loughlin

Who is the best prop in the NRL today? Comparing the game's elite big men image

The big men in the NRL in 2019 are as good as they have ever been, and this season has seen a plethora of new big boys emerge - so the question is, who is the best prop in the competition?

Veterans like Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Josh Papalii are well and truly at the forefront and have had fantastic seasons, while Payne Haas and Addin Fonua-Blake are having breakout campaigns.

Senior journalists Brent Read and Dean Ritchie have both weighed in - and they believe the Manly enforcer is certainly near the top of the list after his stellar display against Cronulla.

 

“In my eyes I think he is just about the best going around. He has formed a wonderful partnership with Marty Taupau," Ritchie said.

"He came to Manly under a bit of pressure on and off the field, but Des has moulded him into a consistent player.

"Marty Taupau’s influence has taken him to another level."

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“For me Fonua-Blake needs to do a few more years, I know he’s only young and I think he’s got it in him," Read said.

"I loved what he did the other night, where he targeted Paul Gallen. Every chance he got he ran at Gallen and it was like him saying ‘hey old man, there’s a new buck in town’.

“I’d go with Josh Papalii, he’s had a fantastic year. He’s been the best prop in the comp this year."

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There are certainly arguments to be made for both men - and while stats aren't everything in rugby league, here is a breakdown of the numbers for some of the game's elite big men in 2019. 

PlayerAvg. runsAvg. metresAvg. tacklesAvg. tackle breaksAvg. offloadsTries
Josh Papalii15145m 282.21.15
David Klemmer17170m341.21.10
Addin Fonua-Blake15163m243.61.65
Jared Waerea-Hargreaves15139m301.10.81
Payne Haas18185m354.90.84
Paul Vaughan15141m330.80.92
Martin Taupau16149m293.11.72
Matt Lodge17153m293.411
Nelson Asofa-Solomona13120m222.41.44
Siosiua Taukeiaho14148m241.70.55

Note: Sam Burgess not included as he spent large portions of the year on the edge. 

Numbers-wise, Broncos teenager Payne Haas leads the way in most aspects and he is almost a certainty to claim 'Rookie of the Year' honours at the Dally M Awards.

Klemmer and Vaughan are consistently strong despite being in underperforming sides, while the Roosters duo of Waerea-Hargreaves and Taukeiaho are probably under-appreciated due to the star-studded cast at Bondi.

But it is probably hard to go past Read's pick of Josh Papalii - his performances in Origin were brilliant and he picked up the Mal Meninga Medal on Tuesday for Raiders best player in 2019. 

Liam O'Loughlin

Liam has been with The Sporting News since 2019, helping lead both NRL and cricket content, as well as delving into the world of combat sports and NFL. A true rugby league tragic, he has spent the past 20 years playing, coaching and volunteering for his beloved junior club, Penshurst RSL. 

Away from work, Liam has a lifelong passion for all things pro wrestling and has travelled abroad to attend showcase events for WWE, AEW and NJPW.