The worrying signs for two of the competition’s pre-season contenders continued in Round 17, while a gutsy win has many firmly believing the Bulldogs are the real deal in 2024.
Melbourne continuing their winning ways against Canberra, with Penrith’s surprise loss giving Craig Bellamy’s side a four point lead atop the NRL ladder.
Elsewhere, the Dragons and the Cowboys claimed huge scalps against top sides to put their name firmly in the top eight mix.
Read on four our Power Rankings ahead of Round 18!
1. Melbourne Storm
Last week’s ranking: 2nd (up one place)
With their 16-6 victory over the Raiders, Melbourne extended their winning streak to four game. What made their Round 17 win against Canberra, their voodoo side in recent years, more impressive is the fact it was achieved without superstar trio Ryan Papenhyuzen, Cameron Munster and Harry Grant.
A core part of their recent good form has been the performances of halfback Jahrome Hughes, who has made a claim to being the NRL’s best halfback not named Nathan Cleary this season.
The Kiwi international had one try assist and ran for 125 metres against the Raiders, with his performance further exemplifying how he’s put the injury-riddled Storm on his back this season.
Much like their position on the NRL ladder, Melbourne sit atop our Power Rankings this week. And the scary part is we’ve barely scratched the surface of what Craig Bellamy’s full strength spine can do.
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2. Penrith Panthers
Last week’s ranking: 1st (down one place)
Penrith uncharacteristically dropped their second game of the season at Bluebet Stadium, which has become a fortress for in recent years.
The Panthers failed to capitalise on the Cowboys having two first half sin bins, mustering just a single try in the first 40.
Brad Schneider’s 33rd minute try was their only of the match as Ivan Cleary’s slumped to their second worst attacking performance of the season.
In Penrith’s defence they were without Dylan Edwards, Brian To’o, Jarome Luai, Nathan Cleary and Liam Martin against North Queensland.
However, the next man up mentality is something we have grown accustomed to seeing from the Panthers. That attitude evaded them in Round 17, though they have the perfect chance to reclaim top spot in our Power Rankings against Brisbane this weekend.
3. Sydney Roosters
Last week’s ranking: 3rd (unchanged)
The Sydney Roosters continue to show us why they are the best attacking side in the competition, running in 40 points against a Tigers outfit searching for their third consecutive win.
Key to their win was halfback Sam Walker, who has grown a reputation as the NRL’s king of wet weather footy in recent weeks.
The young half has amassed five try assists in his two last games, both of which played out in torried weather, highlighting his ability to play wet conditions as if they were dry.
Off the back of Walker’s continued blossoming into the elite halfback everyone knows he can be the Sydney Roosters are flourishing into genuine Premiership contenders with enough firepower to blow any side off the park on any given day.
They face a red hot Dragons side in Round 18 and will be hoping to win as comprehensively as they did against the Red V on ANZAC Day.
BURTON ICES FG AFTER MISSED NICHO SITTER | 00:47
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4. Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
Last week’s ranking: 6th (up two places)
After their dramatic 15-14 win over the Cronulla Sharks in golden point last week the Bulldogs are starting to emerge as a competition dark horse.
The Dogs shot to a 12-nil margin before the Sharks wrestled back a two point lead with 19 minutes remaining, but they didn’t let Cronulla’s resurgence spook them.
Cameron Ciraldo’s side showed fantastic defensive resolve and determination to ensure scores were locked up at full time, setting up a climactic golden point finish.
Nicho Hynes missed a point blank field goal that allowed Matt Burton to slot one himself from 35 metres out and seal a potential season-defining win.
It’s not the first time this year that Canterbury have snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, displaying that even when faced with significant adversity they can find ways to win.
Canterbury host the Warriors this week, with a victory going a long way to cementing their position as not just a true top eight side, but also as a genuine smokey for a top four place come the end of the season.
They will be boosted by the returns of fullback Connor Tracey and utility Kurt Mann, both of who will be crucial to the side as they look to continue their perfect home record this season.
5. Cronulla Sharks
Last week’s ranking: 4th (down one place)
Having started the season with so much promise, 2024 is threatening to fall by the wayside for the Cronulla Sharks.
They were downed in a golden point thriller by an under strengthened Bulldogs, who defended as if their life depended on it for the entirety of the match, but Cronulla will rue the fact they had plenty of chances to ice the game.
Nicho Hynes missed two sideline conversions and shanked a point blank field goal to continue his horror month of form that he’ll need to forget quickly if he is to turn the Sharks’ season around.
Failure to beat the Bulldogs means Craig Fitzgibbon’s side have won just once in their past five matches, against the equally hapless Broncos.
Cronulla take on the Gold Coast this weekend with a win absolutely necessary to ensure their credentials as Premiership contenders remain somewhat legitimate.
6. New Zealand Warriors
Last week’s ranking: 7th (up one place)
It must be a wild ride going for the Warriors this season. One week they’re showing they’re playing like world-beaters, the next week they’re beating no one but themselves.
Te Maire Martin was at the heart of their impressive Round 17 victory over the Brisbane Broncos, with the halfback recording four try assists. But even more brilliant than Martin’s performance was the defensive resolve that returned for the Warriors.
Brisbane had plenty of opportunities to claw their way back into the contest but were more often than not met by a resilient Warriors defensive wall
It’s impossible to know whether Andrew Webster’s side have turned a corner. For every win over the Broncos there is a 66-6 loss to the Gold Coast lurking in the future.
They face the Bulldogs this week and will need to build on their Round 17 showing and prove to themselves, and the rest of the competition, that they can make a late push for the finals.
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7. North Queensland Cowboys
Last week’s ranking: 11th (up four places)
For the last few weeks everyone has been talking about the Cowboys as a side genuinely capable of making a late surge into the finals and against Penrith they showed why this could be the case.
Granted the Panthers were without a host of big name stars but the Cowboys themselves were also missing a fair amount of firepower.
The reigning Premiers had more than enough chances to win the game. That they didn’t is a huge testament to the brilliance of the Cowboys, who showed the kind of grit and determination that has evaded them for much of this season.
If they continue playing as they did against the Panthers when all their Origin stars are back on deck there is no reason why Todd Payten’s side can’t make a late push for finals footy.
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8. Dolphins
Last week’s ranking: 5th (down three places)
Wayne Bennett will instruct his side to wipe their Round 17 loss to the Dragons from memory. His side led 6-2 at half-time but collapsed in the second 40, allowing their opponents to score 24 unanswered points on their way to victory.
Put simply it’s not a performance you would expect from a Wayne Bennett outfit.
In fairness, the Dolphins were without superstar fullback Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and lost Jeremy Marshall-King in the 22nd minute.
But there’s no excuse for how they rolled over in the second half, when they missed 28 tackles and completed at just 69%.
They find themselves sixth heading into Round 18, where they have a much-needed bye. After that it’s the Rabbitohs and Penrith, game’s they’ll need to win to ensure they’re in and around the top eight at the season’s pointy end.
9. Manly Sea Eagles
Last week’s ranking: 9th (unchanged)
After their Round 17 bye Manly are unchanged in our Power Rankings.
Anthony Seibold’s side have received a big boost ahead of their clash with the Cowboys this week, with superstar Tom Trobjevic returning in the centres.
Trbojevic returns just in time for Manly to build some momentum for the back end of the season.
Whether or not the the Sea Eagles’ backline reshuffle, which has seen Tolu Koula shifted to fullback and Lehi Hopoate to the No.14 role, works or not remains to be seen.
The decision to shift Turbo to the centre, where he’s excelled at for the Blues in the past, could prove to be a masterstroke by Seibold. And the Sea Eagles will need it to be if they are to turn their indifferent form around and keep their finals push alive.
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10. Brisbane Broncos
Last week’s ranking: 8th (down two places)
The alarm bells should well and truly be ringing at Red Hill. Not just because they lost to the Warriors but because Kevin Walters’ side have now not won since they beat Manly by a point in mid-May.
Brisbane were without Origin trio Payne Haas, Reece Walsh and Patrick Carrigan, while Jordan Riki (suspension) and Adam Reynolds (injury) were also sidelined. That’s five of their best players out, which would hurt every side in the competition.
Even still, those circumstances hardly excuse how Brisbane played.
As has been the case in recent weeks they made schoolboy errors and were ill-disciplined, ensuring they were effectively out of the contest by half-time.
Walters needs to turn his side’s fortunes around or risk them slipping out of the finals altogether, as they did in 2022.
11. St George Illawarra Dragons
Last week’s ranking: 14th (down three places)
The Dragons have jumped a fair few places in our rankings following their comprehensive win over the Dolphins. It was a masterclass that allowed Shane Flanagan’s side to clinch eighth on the ladder heading into Round 18.
Trailing 6-2 at halftime, St George came out firing, scoring five unanswered tries to run in 26-6 winners in a performance that truly exemplified the resilience Flanagan has instilled in his side.
While the Dragons consistency has been questioned this season what can’t be doubted is the form Maroons back rower Jaydn Su’a, who flexed his muscles last week and had a blinder for the Red V, even after being forced into right centre as a result of an injury to Mathew Feagai.
They travel to Allianz Stadium for a rematch with the Roosters, who embarrassed St George on ANZAC Day. Going toe-to-toe with the Roosters, and perhaps stealing a victory, would give Dragons fans plenty of confidence heading into the pointy end of the season.
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12. South Sydney Rabbitohs
Last week’s ranking: 12th (unchanged)
South Sydney had the bye in Round 17 and so gave no further insight into how good of a side they really are.
However, their credentials for a late charge to the finals were boosted by the performances of Latrell Mitchell and Cameron Murray in Origin II.
The duo were among the Blues best on ground in Melbourne and will need to carry their form into clubland if the Bunnies are to make it five wins in a row against the Eels.
South Sydney won by 16 points when these sides last met at the end of May and will be hoping to achieve the same result on Thursday night, an achieveable outcome considering Parramatta can’t seem to buy a win at the moment.
13. Canberra Raiders
Last week’s ranking: 10th (down three places)
Round 17 was bitterly disappointing for the Canberra Raiders. On paper a 10 point loss to the Melbourne Storm isn’t that bad, but they made 17 errors, which makes it extremely difficult to win matches.
Despite their inability to keep the footy, Raiders coach Ricky Stuart felt his side’s loss had more to do with the game’s officiating than anything else.
“We were on the wrong side of the guessing game again,” Stuart said in his post-game press conference.
The Raiders were responsible for seven of the game’s 11 set restarts, a stat which explains the coaches frustrations. But his side were simply their own worst enemy against Melbourne.
They host a Knights side buoyed by Kalyn Ponga’s return. Genuinely, it’s a must-win match for the Raiders, who run out with the same experimental spine that failed to get the job done against Melbourne – with Kaeo Weekes at fullback and Adam Cook at halfback.
Only time will tell whether this is the right move for Ricky’s Raiders.
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14. Newcastle Knights
Last week’s ranking: 13th (down one place)
It feels a little cruel that Newcastle recorded a much-needed win over the weekend. And while they were much improved against the Eels, they did get some rub of the green calls that assisted their victory.
Will Pryce performed extraordinarily well on debut, crossing for a try and producing a post-match interview for the ages. The Englishman’s presence freed Jackson Hastings to return to his controlling best, with the Knights as a whole benefitting from the pair’s dynamic.
Adam O’Brien’s side are boosted by several key players returning this weekend, none more important than Kalyn Ponga.
The 2023 Dally M Medallist ended last year in career best form and Newcastle will need him to match, if not exceed, his form in the closing rounds of this season if they are to make yet another late push for the finals.
The star fullbacks first test? Canberra in Canberra, one of the hardest road trips in the NRL – particularly in the depths of winter. If Newcastle win and win well they’ll breathe fresh hope into their season.
15. Gold Coast Titans
Last week’s ranking: 16th (up one place)
Des Hasler’s men recorded one of the wins of the season against the Warriors in Round 16, blowing them off the park 66-6.
The performance gave an insight into how good this team can be when everything clicks and some very exciting signs for the future.
It was a stark difference from the week before when they lost to the Tigers.
A good challenge awaits this weekend with a clash against the Sharks and with AJ Brimson returning, if the Titans can hold their form, they’re every chance of causing an upset.
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16. Parramatta Eels
Last week’s ranking: 15th (down one place)
Had it not been for a dropped pass 10 metres out from the Knights’ line, Parramatta likely would have won last week.
Instead, Bradman Best scooped up the loose ball and ran away to give Newcastle an eight-point lead with seven minutes to play before they went onto win.
It’s been a frustrating year for the Eels and their fans.
They’ve gone close in several games but their inability to put together a 80-minute performance often has cruelled them.
With nine games to play, they’d need to win at least eight of them to have any hope of playing finals football.
A tough test against the red hot Souths comes next for Trent Barrett’s side.
17. Wests Tigers
Last week’s ranking: 17th (unchanged)
A better performance against the Roosters might have lifted them off the bottom of these rankings, but they were outclassed against one of the premiership heavyweights.
There was plenty of merit in their two wins prior, especially the win against Canberra when they put 48 on the Green Machine.
There are signs of improvement on last season and several young guns have shown they have bright futures, but now, they are favourites to win their third straight wooden spoon.
Next up, they’ll be right up against it when they take on the ladder-leading Storm.