12 rounds are in the books for 2022, and with it comes the halfway point in the campaign, as well as the Origin window.
From the Penrith Panthers running away at the top of the table, to two of last year’s top four becoming two of the season’s biggest disappointments, there has been plenty to keep footy fans on their toes.
Add that to the Queensland teams becoming the competition’s biggest surprise packets, a sacked coach and the Warriors' impending return home whilst still in finals contention, and it has been an excellent first 12 weeks.
So, before things get just a little bit crazy this weekend, with new players, byes and then a Wednesday night game that stops the nation - well, not the nation, but the east coast anyway - it’s time to look back at the opening three months.
Here is how your team has performed during the opening 12 rounds on the Zero Tackle mid-season report card.
Keep in mind that these grades factor in pre-season expectations as much as they do form and results over the first 12 rounds.
Sydney Roosters
Grade: C+
Record: 7 wins, 5 losses, +53 points differential
By their own admission, the Roosters were well short of their best during the opening weeks of the competition, and it told on the scoreboard, with the tri-colours losing games they shouldn’t have been, and getting involved in scraps for others that they should have been blasting out of.
The Roosters won just two of their first four, and then had scratchy wins over clubs like the Broncos and Warriors, before falling short on ANZAC Day and again the following week against the Bulldogs.
It was starting to look something of a hopeless case for the Roosters, who came into the season as premiership favourites.
But maybe it should have been expected from Trent Robinson’s side. They had so many players returning from season-ending injuries in 2021, while James Tedesco had off-season knee surgery limiting his preparation. When you consider one of those players without a game for almost 12 months was Luke Keary, maybe the slow start is justified.
And it has been in recent weeks, with three wins in their last four games, including a belting of the Sharks in Round 12.
They still have a long way to go to challenge the Panthers - evidenced in Round 11 - but the Roosters will only get more and more dangerous the longer the season goes on.
Best player: James Tedesco
Best win: Round 10, vs Parramatta Eels, 31-24
Worst loss: Round 8, vs Canterbury Bulldogs, 16-12
