Payne Haas might have contract speculation taking up all the attention off-field, but he hasn't let that impact his on-field performance for a moment this season.
That was the case again during Round 23, with Haas putting on a man of the match performance to help the Broncos past the Cowboys as they continue pushing for a potential crack at the minor premiership.
Haas has played a monstrous role in that, with the prop now sitting on 241 votes after his latest 20-vote round. That means he has now scored more votes than last year's winner James Tedesco, who wound up with 231 votes, despite the fact the Brisbane prop still has three games up his sleeve.
With Cowboys' fullback Scott Drinkwater unable to register a vote in the loss to Brisbane, it now means the gap at the top is 42 votes. Both the Broncos and Cowboys and have bye on the run in, meaning Drinkwater can only claim a maximum of 60 more votes.
Shaun Johnson has retained his spot in third position and without a bye, has four games remaining - that means he could, at most, wind up with 269 votes if he had four 20-vote games to the end of the year. That is the highest tally any player could end up on apart from Haas, meaning the Brisbane prop only needs another 29 votes across his final three games to guarantee victory.
Elsewhere in Round 23, all of Nicho Hynes, Clint Gutherson, Addin Fonua-Blake and Kalyn Ponga received solid vote totals to continue their fight for places in the Top 10.
Of that group, only Ponga was a unanimous man of the match, alongside the aforementioned Haas and Johnson. Joseph Manu, Nathan Cleary and Jordan Rapana also all recorded 20-vote totals in Round 23.
Here are all the votes from the weekend just gone.
Sydney Roosters vs Manly Sea Eagles
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Jack Blyth | |
| 5 | Joseph Manu | Joseph Manu | Joseph Manu | Joseph Manu |
| 4 | James Tedesco | James Tedesco | Joseph Suaalii | James Tedesco |
| 3 | Joseph Suaalii | Joseph Suaalii | James Tedesco | Siua Wong |
| 2 | Haumole Olakau'atu | Haumole Olakau'atu | Siua Wong | Joseph Suaalii |
| 1 | Siua Wong | Siua Wong | Haumole Olakau'atu | Haumole Olakau'atu |
Gold Coast Titans vs New Zealand Warriors
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Jack Blyth | |
| 5 | Shaun Johnson | Shaun Johnson | Shaun Johnson | Shaun Johnson |
| 4 | Addin Fonua-Blake | Addin Fonua-Blake | Addin Fonua-Blake | Addin Fonua-Blake |
| 3 | Dallin Watene-Zelezniak | Dallin Watene-Zelezniak | Jayden Campbell | Jayden Campbell |
| 2 | Jackson Ford | Jayden Campbell | Wayde Egan | Dallin Watene-Zelezniak |
| 1 | Jayden Campbell | Jackson Ford | Jackson Ford | Jackson Ford |
Penrith Panthers vs Melbourne Storm
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Jack Blyth | |
| 5 | Nathan Cleary | Nathan Cleary | Nathan Cleary | Nathan Cleary |
| 4 | James Fisher-Harris | James Fisher-Harris | Brian To'o | Brian To'o |
| 3 | Isaah Yeo | Brian To'o | James Fisher-Harris | James Fisher-Harris |
| 2 | Brian To'o | Isaah Yeo | Zac Hosking | Isaah Yeo |
| 1 | Zac Hosking | Zac Hosking | Isaah Yeo | Zac Hosking |
North Queensland Cowboys vs Brisbane Broncos
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Jack Blyth | |
| 5 | Payne Haas | Payne Haas | Payne Haas | Payne Haas |
| 4 | Patrick Carrigan | Patrick Carrigan | Patrick Carrigan | Patrick Carrigan |
| 3 | Herbie Farnworth | Ezra Mam | Ezra Mam | Ezra Mam |
| 2 | Ezra Mam | Herbie Farnworth | Herbie Farnworth | Herbie Farnworth |
| 1 | Luciano Leilua | Luciano Leilua | Kyle Feldt | Reece Walsh |
The Dolphins vs Newcastle Knights
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Jack Blyth | |
| 5 | Kalyn Ponga | Kalyn Ponga | Kalyn Ponga | Kalyn Ponga |
| 4 | Jamayne Isaako | Jamayne Isaako | Jamayne Isaako | Jamayne Isaako |
| 3 | Dominic Young | Dominic Young | Dominic Young | Adam Elliott |
| 2 | Adam Elliott | Adam Elliott | Adam Elliott | Dominic Young |
| 1 | Isaiya Katoa | Connelly Lemuelu | Connelly Lemuelu | Connelly Lemuelu |
South Sydney Rabbitohs vs Cronulla Sharks
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Jack Blyth | |
| 5 | Sione Katoa | Braydon Trindall | Braydon Trindall | Braydon Trindall |
| 4 | Braydon Trindall | Sione Katoa | Mawene Hiroti | Mawene Hiroti |
| 3 | Nicho Hynes | Nicho Hynes | Sione Katoa | Nicho Hynes |
| 2 | Cameron Murray | Mawene Hiroti | Nicho Hynes | Sione Katoa |
| 1 | Jack Williams | Cameron Murray | Jack Williams | Cameron Murray |
Parramatta Eels vs St George Illawarra Dragons
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Jack Blyth | |
| 5 | Clinton Gutherson | Mikaele Ravalawa | Mikaele Ravalawa | Clinton Gutherson |
| 4 | Mikaele Ravalawa | Clinton Gutherson | Clinton Gutherson | Mikaele Ravalawa |
| 3 | Bryce Cartwright | Junior Paulo | Junior Paulo | Junior Paulo |
| 2 | Junior Paulo | Jack Bird | Jack Bird | Bryce Cartwright |
| 1 | Jack Bird | Bryce Cartwright | Bryce Cartwright | Jack Bird |
Canberra Raiders vs Wests Tigers
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Jack Blyth | |
| 5 | Jordan Rapana | Jordan Rapana | Jordan Rapana | Jordan Rapana |
| 4 | Joseph Tapine | Joseph Tapine | Jack Wighton | Jack Wighton |
| 3 | David Klemmer | Jack Wighton | Joseph Tapine | Joseph Tapine |
| 2 | Luke Brooks | David Klemmer | Apisai Koroisau | Sebastian Kris |
| 1 | Sebastian Kris | Apisai Koroisau | Sebastian Kris | Apisai Koroisau |
Top Ten
| PLAYER | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Payne Haas |
20 | 241 |
| 2 | Scott Drinkwater |
0 | 199 |
| 3 | Shaun Johnson |
20 | 189 |
| 4 | Nicho Hynes |
11 | 173 |
| 5 | Clinton Gutherson |
18 | 165 |
| 6 | Addin Fonua-Blake |
16 | 163 |
| 7 | Kalyn Ponga |
20 | 160 |
| 8 | David Fifita |
0 | 150 |
| 9 | Reece Walsh |
1 | 147 |
| 10 | Cameron Munster |
0 | 137 |
