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.

New Zealand Warriors

Grade: A
Current record: 9 wins, 3 losses, 2 byes, + 154 F/A, 22 points
Run home: Sharks (h), Cowboys (h), Dolphins (a), Bye, Tigers (a), Dragons (h), Bulldogs (a), Titans (a), Panthers (h), Broncos (a), Rabbitohs (a), Knights (h), Sea Eagles (h)

The Warriors have been excellent throughout 2026, with coach Andrew Webster seeming to unlock his side's ability.

They haven't exactly had a cruisy run on the injury front either. Luke Metcalf came back but not for long, Tanah Boyd, his replacement, did his ACL, and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck's season is over. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad has also spent more time off the park than he has on it.

The Auckland-based club though just keep finding ways to win, and have only dropped a single game at home. If the Warriors are going to succeed, they must be successful in Auckland.

They do, however, have plenty of tricky games on the run home, six of eight on the road from the time they clash with the Dolphins in Round 17 to the time they play the Rabbitohs in Round 25.

Injuries could also catch up with them. James Fisher-Harris has just been sidelined, and that's sure to put a dent in their campaign.

Despite that, they should be a top-four side.

Best player: Wayde Egan
Zero Tackle MVP leader: Jackson Ford - 6th, 116 votes
Prediction: 3rd