| This Week |
Last Week |
Change |
Team |
| #1 |
1 |
- |
Melbourne Storm
An unconvincing win but a win nonetheless against the Bulldogs. The Storm are a capable team and will only get better the longer their combinations spend together. A tough road trip to face the Roosters will be the perfect test to prove where they are at.
|
| #2 |
2 |
- |
Brisbane Broncos
Won the Battle of Brisbane against the Dolphins and did so with key personnel absent. Such victories make them a better team moving forward. This is made better by the key individual contributions by younger players. They remain at home to host the Raiders.
|
| #3 |
3 |
- |
Penrith Panthers
A week off with the Bye. News that Cleary is struggling to overcome a hamstring injury will cause some concern moving forward. They head to Bathurst to host the Tigers and will want to erase the poor showing they had there last season.
|
| #4 |
7 |
+3 |
Cronulla Sharks
Overcame a ‘tricky’ game against the Rabbitohs. They were clearly the better team but had to defeat a team with emotion at the forefront of their play. Building nicely into the season and face another difficult challenge against the Cowboys in Round 7.
|
| #5 |
4 |
-1 |
New Zealand Warriors
Had a draw against the Sea Eagles and were lucky to escape with 1-competition point. They are a better team than that. Not to undervalue their opponents, the Warriors are simply capable of more. They must defeat the Dragons this week to return to winning form.
|
| #6 |
5 |
-1 |
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
There is more to like about their result than their opponents. They are still lacking consistency and will be out to again prove themselves this week against the Titans. The storyline of Hasler coaching a winless team will surely create plenty of (nervous) attention.
|
| #7 |
10 |
+3 |
Canberra Raiders
Scraped home against the Titans in Canberra. The unconvincing performance will leave many continuing to doubt the Raiders, but you cannot knock winning form. Their toughest challenge to date awaits with a road trip to Brisbane to face the Broncos.
|
| #8 |
6 |
-2 |
North Queensland Cowboys
They are a better team than their loss to the Eels suggests. It was disappointing considering they were the superior team; they failed to execute when it mattered. Inconsistency is an issue, and they have a tough challenge on the road in Round 7 against the Sharks.
|
| #9 |
8 |
-1 |
Sydney Roosters
Returned to winning form with a strong performance against the Knights. Down on players, their determined effort was what makes them a dangerous team. It will be needed again this week, as they host the Storm.
|
| #10 |
9 |
-1 |
The Dolphins
Tried hard against the Broncos but were outplayed in most areas. There is a lot to like about the Dolphins, but plenty still needs to improve if they are to compete with the top teams in the competition. If they are the real deal, they will need to defeat the Eels on the road this week.
|
| #11 |
13 |
+2 |
Parramatta Eels
A much-needed win against the Cowboys at home. Their defence was stronger, and they appeared to have a greater focus in attack. Such performances are needed if they are to regain form. The same level of effort and execution is needed against the Dolphins.
|
| #12 |
15 |
+3 |
St George-Illawarra Dragons
Didn’t worry about the hype around their opponents and easily handled the Tigers. They can produce some impressive passages of play on their day. Another difficult challenge awaits against the Warriors but if they want to be taken seriously, it is a game which they should perform well in. |
| #13 |
14 |
+1 |
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
A spirited effort against the Storm in Melbourne. The most pleasing thing is that they are improving each week. A true sign of improvement will be whether they can handle the Knights on Sunday afternoon.
|
| #14 |
11 |
-3 |
Newcastle Knights
It was a disappointing performance against the Roosters. They are a better team than that and will need to be if they want to compete with the leading sides. Execution let them down. They must win this week against the Bulldogs on the road to regain confidence.
|
| #15 |
12 |
-3 |
Wests Tigers
Tried hard when hosting the Dragons but were not rewarded. They cannot afford to lose confidence; their fight is something to be admired. They will need every bit of it this week against the Panthers, and they cannot just ‘want’ history to repeat itself…
|
| #16 |
16 |
- |
South Sydney Rabbitohs
A better effort on the field but still a loss. The noise around the longevity of their coach is becoming monotonous. They have the Bye next week and will need every bit of the break to prepare for another tough run. Their draw to star the year hasn’t made things any easier.
|
| #17 |
17 |
- |
Gold Coast Titans
Their best effort so far this season but they are still winless. They have conceded far too many points each week to be competitive. It doesn’t get any easier as they head home to face the Sea Eagles. Hasler is beginning to see just how poor this club has been handled in the past.
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