NRL Power Rankings: Round 15 - Two teams on title trajectory, another 13 who can’t get their act together ... and two duds
In the simplest of terms, the 17 NRL teams of 2024 can be carved into three categories – the two sides that are doing everything possible to show they could be the premiers, another 13 who are unreliable and two duds at the bottom.
Penrith and Melbourne are the only clubs you can count on to maintain a high standard week on week and it would not be a surprise if those teams are again duking it out on Grand Final night.
Despite missing key players, the Panthers rolled on past the Knights in Newcastle on Sunday after the Storm did likewise on Saturday despite a hot start from a fired-up Warriors side before a sellout Auckland crowd.
Cronulla, the Roosters, Dolphins and Broncos could and should be in the premiership conversation but they have had too many off days in recent weeks to belong in the upper tier.
The rest of the teams in the competition fluctuate wildly and you wouldn’t put more than five bucks on any of them to make the playoffs let alone do any damage if they get there.
And then there’s the Titans and Tigers who at least kept this year’s race for the wooden spoon interesting at Leichhardt on Saturday with Wests drawing level with the Gold Coast in the battle to avoid being on the bottom.
Team by team, here’s how the Power Rankings stack up after Round 15.
1 Panthers (last week 1): The Penrith formula for success rarely changes – they win the possession game (holding the ball for six minutes more than the Knights all up on Sunday) by rarely making errors and get more yardage per set from the starts generated from their back three, which then snowball with their forwards through the middle.
Their average set distance was a fraction under 10 metres more than Newcastle’s. Even with players out and everything not quite clicking, the Panthers rarely looked like losing.
2 Storm (3): They registered possibly their best win of the year in Auckland on Saturday. Down 14-0 with a few key players out, it would have been understandable if they couldn’t work their way back in the contest.
But they were in the lead by half-time and were way too clever for their opponents with Jahrome Hughes having a field day in his homeland.
3 Roosters (4): They still haven’t quite gelled this season for anything more than a couple of weeks and with Origin messing their team around, it will be a while before they can truly settle into a groove.
But they are doing enough in the meantime to be in touching distance of the top four and be well set to cement a spot up near the top of the ladder heading into the finals.
4 Sharks (2): True premiership contenders don’t go down 22-0 at home in as many minutes.
Where was the circuit breaker during the Dolphins’ hot start to force an error with a big hit, turn the momentum with a clever attacking play? Cronulla need to be able to counter-punch better when their opponents have the upper hand.
5 Dolphins (9): They continue to confound their doubters who can’t believe that they’re still in the top four now that we’re 15 rounds into the season.
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow’s sizzling length-of-the-field match-winner at Shark Park was one of the finest individual tries for many a year – his seemingly effortless ability to accelerate and maintain top speed while weaving through traffic is a priceless commodity.
6 Bulldogs (8): Put their feet up for the bye week and watched others stumble around them.
7 Broncos (5): That’s three losses in a row now and four from their past six. They appear devoid of attacking spark without Reece Walsh and after a couple of shoddy games with his handling at the back, Tristan Sailor should be given the heave-ho the next time Walsh is out with Selwyn Cobbo taking over at fullback.
Dolphins v Melbourne Storm
2.35
1.60
NRL : Head To Head Fri, 21 Jun 2024, 20:00 Gold Coast Titans v New Zealand Warriors
2.45
1.55
NRL : Head To Head Sat, 22 Jun 2024, 15:00 Sydney Roosters v Canterbury Bulldogs
1.37
3.10
NRL : Head To Head Sat, 22 Jun 2024, 17:30 South Sydney Rabbitohs v Manly Sea Eagles
1.55
2.45
NRL : Head To Head Sat, 22 Jun 2024, 19:35 Wests Tigers v Canberra Raiders
2.35
1.60
NRL : Head To Head Sun, 23 Jun 2024, 16:05 * Odds Correct At Time Of Posting. Check PlayUp Website For Latest Odds What are you prepared to lose today? For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
8 Raiders (6): In typical fashion, the Green Machine was stuck in neutral and was often in reverse last Friday at home, just when you thought they could cement themselves as a legit finals contender.
It’s hard to be too hard on them with their rookie playmakers running the show but a few of their more-experienced players went missing at crucial stages in the heavy loss to the Cowboys.
9 Warriors (7): With three wins on the trot and a 14-0 lead, life was looking good for the Warriors before another sellout crowd but once they ceded momentum to the Storm, their defence withered and their attack became panicked.
Marcelo Montoya can be a fine finisher but he can also be a liability in defence, which explains why he’s a winger, and he cost his team any hope of victory in the second half with his bone-headed professional foul.
10 Sea Eagles (10): They stay where they are because their win at home over the Dragons was gritty given they suffered a few injuries but hardly set the world on fire.
And they have still won just two of their past six games yet and with no less than 14 players out this week, they’re not out of the woods just yet.
11 Cowboys (13): Easily the most unreliable side in the NRL in what has been a very inconsistent year for a lot of teams.
They have now won four of their past five matches but their loss in the previous round was a 42-12 stinker to the Warriors. If they string together their best form, they can beat anyone but there is an overriding fragility to this team.
12 Rabbitohs (14): Say it ain’t so but the Bunnies are now just five points off eighth spot and riding high on a three-game streak capped off by their best performance of the year in thrashing the Broncos.
Well, the final scoreline was only 22-12 but that flattered Brisbane. If they can negotiate the remaining Origin weeks without capitulating now that Latrell Mitchell and Cameron Murray are involved, the unlikely playoff dream is well and truly alive.
Jack Wighton takes on the Brisbane defence. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
13 Eels (11): They botched it against Canterbury last week and they also couldn’t land a knockout blow on the Roosters on Saturday night.
Dylan Brown has gone from being miscast as the chief playmaker when Mitchell Moses was out to now not being involved enough in attack.
14 Dragons (12): A game they could have won on Sunday at Brookvale if not for some poor handling with the try line in sight.
If you line up and pay your tickets for the Luciano Leilua rollercoaster, you are going to get highs and lows down the left edge – when it comes off, you get big wins like the recent one over the Tigers but when it doesn’t, it can cost you, as it did against Manly.
15 Knights (16): They are putting some starch back into their blue collars but they need to juj it up in Newcastle with a new look.
Young English five-eighth Will Pryce is stuck in NSW Cup and with no less than Andrew Johns calling for him to be given a whirl at NRL level, what’s the harm in letting him loose for a game or two because the current Knights spine is in desperate need of some X-factor.
16 Wests (17): When you have lost nine in a row, any win is a good win and it was a “four-pointer” in terms of the race to avoid the wooden spoon when they knocked off the Titans on Saturday.
(Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)
17 Titans (15): This team is as uninspiring as their away strip – minimal effort, lacking in wow factor and doesn’t make a statement.