Brisbane Broncos and New South Wales Blues star prop Payne Haas managed a 12-vote haul in his return from injury during Round 21, but his lead at the top continues to be cut.
His 12 votes - taking him to a total of 209 votes for the season - means that with five games to play (Brisbane has a bye in Round 25), he only needs another 23 votes to pass last year's winning total of 231 votes, scored by James Tedesco.
That ultimately may not be enough to win it though, with Scott Drinkwater and Shaun Johnson continuing to close the gap.
Both players had perfect rounds in Round 21, with Drinkwater continuing to lead the North Queensland Cowboys resurgence as the Townsville-based outfit went past the Parramatta Eels, while Johnson was at his best in the New Zealand Warriors' critical victory over the Canberra Raiders in Auckland.
The vote tallies mean Drinkwater is now within a game of Haas - just 17 votes back. Johnson closing by another eight votes means he is 40 votes back. The Warriors have the bye this weekend meaning he will likely need the wheels to fall off for Haas to win the season award, while Drinkwater, who is closer, also has a bye in Round 24.
Further down the table, Nicho Hynes failed to poll a vote in the Cronulla Sharks' loss to the Manly Sea Eagles, while Clint Gutherson, Addin Fonua-Blake (both 16 votes) and Reece Walsh (17 votes) all polled healthy tallies to increase their standing in the top ten and stay in contention for the winner's award at the end of the season.
Cameron Munster also managed ten votes to sneak back inside the top ten.
Elsewhere, it was a round of unanimous MVP winners, with Johnson and Drinkwater joined by Zac Lomax, James Tedesco, Tyson Frizell, Scott Drinkwater, Brian To'o and Daly Cherry-Evans. Only Kotoni Staggs and Reece Walsh split honours for the Broncos.
Here are all the votes from Round 21.
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Jack Blyth | |
| 5 | Zac Lomax | Zac Lomax | Zac Lomax | Zac Lomax |
| 4 | Junior Tupou | Junior Tupou | Junior Tupou | Junior Tupou |
| 3 | Tommy Talau | Ben Hunt | Francis Molo | Ben Hunt |
| 2 | Ben Hunt | Tommy Talau | Tommy Talau | Francis Molo |
| 1 | Talatau Amone | Francis Molo | Ben Hunt | Jahream Bula |
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Jack Blyth | |
| 5 | Kotoni Staggs | Kotoni Staggs | Kotoni Staggs | Reece Walsh |
| 4 | Reece Walsh | Reece Walsh | Reece Walsh | Kotoni Staggs |
| 3 | Payne Haas | Payne Haas | Payne Haas | Payne Haas |
| 2 | Selwyn Cobbo | Jai Arrow | Campbell Graham | Jai Arrow |
| 1 | Campbell Graham | Campbell Graham | Jai Arrow | Adam Reynolds |
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Jack Blyth | |
| 5 | James Tedesco | James Tedesco | James Tedesco | James Tedesco |
| 4 | Jared Waerea-Hargreaves | Egan Butcher | Egan Butcher | Jared Waerea-Hargreaves |
| 3 | Brandon Smith | Brandon Smith | Brandon Smith | Egan Butcher |
| 2 | Egan Butcher | Jared Waerea-Hargreaves | Jared Waerea-Hargreaves | Joseph Suaalii |
| 1 | Joseph Suaalii | Joseph Suaalii | Joseph Suaalii | Brandon Smith |
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Jack Blyth | |
| 5 | Tyson Frizell | Tyson Frizell | Tyson Frizell | Tyson Frizell |
| 4 | Kalyn Ponga | Kalyn Ponga | Kalyn Ponga | Kalyn Ponga |
| 3 | Cameron Munster | Cameron Munster | Cameron Munster | Greg Marzhew |
| 2 | Greg Marzhew | Bradman Best | Bradman Best | Bradman Best |
| 1 | Dominic Young | Dominic Young | Greg Marzhew | Cameron Munster |
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Jack Blyth | |
| 5 | Brian To'o | Brian To'o | Brian To'o | Brian To'o |
| 4 | Jarome Luai | Jarome Luai | Jarome Luai | Jarome Luai |
| 3 | Isaah Yeo | Isaah Yeo | Isaah Yeo | Isaah Yeo |
| 2 | Nathan Cleary | Scott Sorensen | Scott Sorensen | Tyrone Peachey |
| 1 | Scott Sorensen | Nathan Cleary | Tyrone Peachey | Nathan Cleary |
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Jack Blyth | |
| 5 | Daly Cherry-Evans | Daly Cherry-Evans | Daly Cherry-Evans | Daly Cherry-Evans |
| 4 | Haumole Olakau'atu | Haumole Olakau'atu | Reuben Garrick | Reuben Garrick |
| 3 | Cameron McInnes | Reuben Garrick | William Kennedy | Haumole Olakau'atu |
| 2 | Tolutau Koula | William Kennedy | Tolutau Koula | William Kennedy |
| 1 | Jesse Ramien | Cameron McInnes | Cameron McInnes | Tolutau Koula |
| PLAYER | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Payne Haas | 12 | 209 |
| 2 | Scott Drinkwater | 20 | 192 |
| 3 | Shaun Johnson | 20 | 169 |
| 4 | Nicho Hynes | 0 | 162 |
| 5 | Clinton Gutherson | 16 | 147 |
| 5 | Addin Fonua-Blake | 16 | 147 |
| 7 | Reece Walsh | 17 | 146 |
| 8 | David Fifita | 0 | 130 |
| 8 | Dylan Edwards | 0 | 130 |
| 10 | Cameron Munster | 10 | 128 |
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