A 27-round season means there is no official halfway point of the 2026 NRL season, but 14 rounds completed seems as good a time as any to call it officially the downhill run.
As the State of Origin period rolls on, and the ladder becomes a distorted mess (just look at the teams who are yet to have a bye), the run to the finals still has plenty of wiggle room, but some times have shone against pre-season expectations, and others have flopped.
When we checked in after seven weeks in our quarter season report, two coaches had already been sacked.
That carnage has come to an end, and with every team now having at least one win, the idea of a team going winsless is over.
Plenty has changed through the middle of the ladder over the last seven weeks, but it's still the Penrith Panthers proving they are the NRL's dominant force.
Here is every team's grade, best players and ladder predictions as we hit half of the 2026 NRL season played.
Melbourne Storm
Grade: C
Current record: 11th place, 6 wins, 8 losses, 0 byes, - 2 F/A, 12 points
Run home: Bye, Raiders (h), Sea Eagles (a), Bye, Titans (h), Roosters (a), Rabbitohs (a), Bulldogs (h), Sea Eagles (h), Bye, Panthers (h), Broncos (a), Sharks (a)
The Storm were diabolical during the front part of the season. Two wins to start, then a long losing streak.
They have started to turn a corner now, and with all three byes in hand, they should sneak into the finals with any luck. It's a tricky run home, but they should be able to find the wins required if they are anywhere near their best.
Craig Bellamy's side missing the finals is unheard of, and while there is plenty happening around the club, it would still be a surprise even from this position given they have begun to salvage their campaign.
Given pre-season expectations, the grade we have given them might actually be slightly generous.
Best player: Sua Fa'alogo
Zero Tackle MVP leader: Harry Grant, 8th, 102 votes
Prediction: 8th
