Round 7 of the 2015 NRL season is completed and the updated Power Rankings are in! Who has been the most surprising and who has been the most disappointing so far?
1. Dragons (Last week: 4)
Say what you want about the recruitment decisions during the offseason, but the Dragons are THE form team of the competition right now and sit equal atop the NRL table. As we move forward, early season form is becoming less important, and over the past four weeks the Dragons have looked like world beaters. Their defence has been by far the hardest to crack. They’ve conceded just 20 points in their past four games, and half of those came against the top of the table Broncos this weekend. Will it last? Possibly not, but then again I’m confident in saying most wouldn’t have them sitting top right now either.
2. Storm (5)
If the Dragons aren’t the form team of the competition, then it’s the Storm. Incredibly the two games they’ve lost this season have been by two points or less. An incredible victory over the competition favourites is their latest in their three straight victories. They’re at incredibly short odds to make it four on the trot when they host the Sea Eagles on Anzac Day. Pre-season many, including myself, had the Storm slipping, possibly out of the eight for the first time since their dramas, but they continue to show us all up. Billy Slater returns this weekend which makes them even more dangerous.
3. Broncos (1)
The Broncos may have lost their first game since the season opener, but they won’t be too discouraged at this stage. They were well in the game against the Dragons, and if not for a few bad options, they could have taken the two points. They lost Justin Hodges in the second half to injury, although to be fair he probably wasn’t his most effective at fullback. The Broncos are well positioned considering their top two fullbacks are yet to return to the park. Sam Thaiday’s stunning form turnaround should see him rewarded with a rep jersey this Sunday afternoon.
4. Rabbitohs (2)
The Rabbits simply aren’t the same without their champion halfback Adam Reynolds. Although the conditions on Monday night were nothing short of downright awful, the Sharks handled the conditions far better than the reigning premiers. John Sutton was named to play against the Sharks only to be withdrawn and curiously he has missed the side this weekend as well. Surely this is to allow him an extra week plus the international break to recover, but it does put the likes of Keary and McInnes under pressure.
5. Bulldoogs (6)
The Bulldogs may have been down on troops, but they were far too good for the equally as decimated Sea Eagles on Friday Night. They get the first of their troops back this weekend in the form of big Sam Kasiano, and Klemmer and Graham are not too far away. Trent Hodkinson seems to have lost his radar kicking wise both from the tee and in general play, but looked more confident with ball in hand than in previous weeks. I was going to not advance them due to the nature of their victory over the Sea Eagles, but considering the big men they were missing, not to mention both Morris twins, it was a brave win and worthy of a spot up.
6. Cowboys (10)
OK now it’s time to worry about the Cowboys. Their past three wins came on the back of JT masterclass showings, but this victory came on the back of a brilliant team effort. By all rights the Cowboys could have turtled up and watched the Warriors run riot after going so far behind so early, but this Cowboys side is full of resolve. Jake Granville’s hatrick of tries was a highlight in a brilliant game. His 78th minute try from dummy half stole a game that could have gone either way. They face a tough game away to the Knights before the break, but given their form, you’d be silly to back against them.
7. Knights (3)
I gave the Knights the benefit of the doubt on the back of last week’s loss to the Sharks, but to lose at home to the Eels isn’t a good look for a top three ranked side. If not for their amazing early wins they’d have slipped out of the eight completely. Incredibly former Kangaroo Sione Mata’utia can’t even crack the side, despite no one in the current Knights spin shining form wise. Dane Gagai and Kade Snowden apart, no Knight is currently standing up to correct the form slump. They face a huge contest against the Knights. If they lose, their 4-0 start could be forgotten.
8. Sharks (12)
Following a third straight victory, the Sharks are red hot. In the space of three weeks they’ve beaten the two premiership favourites, and easily disposed of the Knights. It has been on the back of incredible efforts from the likes of Heigington, Ennis, Lewis and most importantly young guns Val Holmes and Jack Bird. Their handling in the past two games has been incredible considering the weather conditions. The Shark shave won 70% of games played in the wet in the past few seasons, showing that if they play their game, with a little bit of youthful brilliance, they can be dangerous.
9. Panthers (8)
The Panthers probably should have dropped further, but based on the results of those around them they drop just the one spot. They’re massively understrength and face the next six weeks without superstar winger Josh Mansour, as well as eight without Brent Kite. James Segeyaro looks to be out for a month now also, meaning they’re without both halves, their starting number nine, their most experienced prop, and two monster outside backs. They need their halves back on the park ASAP if they’re to make good on the promising start to the season. Face a huge game at home to the Sharks.
10. Roosters (7)
The Roosters have fallen on the back of a third straight defeat but have been within an extremely late scoring play in their last two games. It’s hard to point a finger on what is wrong at the Roosters as they’ve been far from terrible, but they just lack that final bit of class. They face a huge test on Anzac day against the table topping Dragons, in what traditionally has been one of the franchise fixtures of past seasons. They’ve got an elite roster and will return to winning ways before too long, so no need to worry just yet.
11. Warriors (11)
The Warriors showed the two sides of their play in 80 minutes. They were incredible in the opening ten minutes of the game against the Cowboys, but the only way the troubled the scoreboard after the 50th minute was via a penalty goal. The Warriors are a strange side, and the tipster’s ultimate headache, but surely they are simply too talented to fall away. The fact there is only three points between those scored and conceded after seven rounds perfectly sums up the Warriors. I could pretty much copy and paste that they need to find consistency each and every week.
12. Raiders (13)
The Raiders looked dead and buried after half an hour on Sunday afternoon. They simply weren’t in the game against the Tigers and looked as though they would cop 40+. Fast forward 50 minutes and incredibly they walked away with the two competition points. They’re back in the winner’s circle after what was a club record come-back victory and will look to make it two straight on Sunday against the battered Bunnies in neutral territory. There is plenty to like about the Raiders this year.
13. Titans (14)
A brilliant victory over the Panthers sees the Titans move up one spot, although they probably deserve to be higher based on their efforts over the past fortnight. The reason they’re not higher is that for 65 minutes they were in an arm wrestle with a side missing half of their run on side. Zillman and Roberts are arguably the most under rated centres pairing in the NRL, yet are on fire right now. If there’s one man you don’t want in open space it is Roberts. They’re a fair shot at beating the Warriors this weekend, although will all due respect to the under manned Panthers, the Warriors are home should pose a whole new threat.
14. Tigers (9)
To go 22 points ahead of an unfancied side, at a loud and enthusiastic home ground, only to leave without competition points, is unforgivable at this level. The Tigers were flying after 28 minutes, and could have been even further ahead, such was their dominance, but after conceding a try to the Raiders, they never looked like posing a threat. Two disappointing losses in a row see the Tigers slip. They need a good performance against the Dogs on Friday Night to get their confidence back.
15. Eels (15)
The Eels recorded a brilliant, against the odds, victory away from home, but their thumping at home to the Titans weighs heavily on them not moving up the rankings this weekend. Nathan Peats was incredible and his contribution went beyond even his two tries. Corey Norman is playing for a contract, and given his current form, would be hard to pass up right now. They travel to Brisbane to play the Broncos this weekend looking for two straight victories.
16. Sea Eagles (16)
It’s a shame that there isn’t a 17th position as the Sea Eagles deserve to go backwards. They’re suffering an insane injury toll, and a mass of media negative media attention, but they’re not coping. There are more than a few comparisons to the season the Sharks suffered in 2014, although you’d have to think Manly’s roster is much a stronger. The crisis was such that David Williams was called upon to play five-eighth, although Lyon filled in for most of the game. Strangely they still haven’t called upon Littlejohn, the man most likely to take over, should their star halves honour their contracts elsewhere next season.
