After missing three weeks with AC joint issues in both of his shoulders, Payne Haas wasted no time in his return match for the Broncos on Thursday evening, registering a round-high 99 points in the VB Hard Earned Index.
Haas played 65 minutes in Brisbane's 36-14 victory over the Eels, scoring a first-half try and racking up game-high numbers for metres gained (225) and post-contact metres (96), along with 14 runs where he made eight metres or more.
Payne Haas is back
He wasn't the only prop to stand out last week, with overall Index leader Joseph Tapine, Wests Tigers big man Joe Ofahengaue and Maroons enforcer Josh Papalii rounding out the top four places.
Papali'i was the round's Offload King with five from 14 carries, while his Raiders teammate Tapine stood out when it came to tackle busting, with six breaks from 17 runs in Canberra's comeback victory over the Warriors.
Half-turned-lock Jackson Hastings is the only player in the round 19 Index Team of the Week who also made it last week, registering an impressive 19 line engagements to go with 31 tackles.
Rabbitohs hooker Damien Cook was another to stand out in his return to NRL action, getting through 35 tackles without a single miss, along with 10 dummy-half runs and six runs for at least eight metres.
After trailing Tapine by just seven points in the overall Index count last week, a relatively quiet game for Isaiah Papali'i, which saw him register 71 points, has seen him fall 31 points behind his New Zealand teammate, while Penrith prop James Fisher-Harris rounds out an all Kiwi top three.
Panthers fullback Dylan Edwards remains the only back in the overall top 20, while the next best non-forward, James Tedesco, strengthened his standing with 69 points against the Knights, the top rank among fullbacks last week.
Tedesco domination
VB Hard Earned Index: Round 19
- Payne Haas (Broncos) — 99 points
- Joseph Tapine (Raiders) — 95 points
- Joe Ofahengaue (Wests Tigers) — 93 points
- Josh Papalii (Raiders) — 89 points
- Jackson Hastings (Wests Tigers) — 86 points
- Blake Lawrie (Dragons) — 85 points
- Egan Butcher (Roosters) — 81 points
- Jai Arrow (Rabbitohs) — 81 points
- Toby Rudolf (Sharks) — 80 points
- Thomas Flegler (Broncos) — 77 points
VB Hard Earned Index: Leaderboard
- Joseph Tapine (Raiders) — 1347 points
- Isaiah Papali'i (Eels) — 1316 points
- James Fisher-Harris (Panthers) — 1218 points
- Joe Ofahengaue (Wests Tigers) — 1216 points
- Isaah Yeo (Panthers) — 1185 points
- Jason Taumalolo (Cowboys) — 1164 points
- Dylan Edwards (Panthers) — 1152 points
- Keaon Koloamatangi (Rabbitohs) — 1135 points
- Cameron McInnes (Sharks) — 1133 points
- Paul Vaughan (Bulldogs) — 1129 points