2022 shapes as the year of the upset. Another round of difficult games to predict. One game completely changed from one half to the other, while in a derby game the balance of power seems to have completely changed. Throw in a reality check for a Queensland side and you have yourself an incredible round of rugby league.
How did the results and performances impact your team's final landing spot on our Round 3 rankings?
1. Penrith Panthers (last week: 1)
Three games for three wins makes the defending Premiers the only remaining undefeated side in 2022. As previously mentioned they've achieved that while missing some serious cattle.
They were in an absolute dogfight with the Knights on Saturday until gifted a man advantage. From there the Panthers were way too good.
Taylan May scored a hat-trick while Izack Tago crossed for a double. Brian To'o may be out but the Panthers are still lethal on that edge.
Dylan Edwards topped the metres (again) while Jarome Luai continues to get better and better. Scary to think they'll likely welcome back Nathan Cleary this weekend.
2. Newcastle Knights (2)
Newcastle dropped their first game of the season to the rampaging Panthers on Saturday afternoon. Where they could have been if not for a moment of madness from Mitch Barnett? We'll never know.
What we do know though is that the Knights can be extremely happy with their season to date. Two wins and they were right in the game until the send off.
Tex Hoy had a career best game and looks a brilliant option in the absence of Ponga. Kurt Mann worked his backside off despite a laughable 15 minute enforced break.
Newcastle have outplayed all expectations thus far. We'll see where they really are on Friday evening when they travel to the Shire to play the Sharks.
3. Cronulla Sharks (3)
The Sharks officially took the mantle as "big brother" in the southern Sydney rivalry with a fourth straight win over their local and bitter rivals.
Nicho Hynes lead the way in horrible conditions as the Sharks played slick, dry weather football on the back of a dominant pack.
Will Kennedy was 10 out of 10 in the rain while Matt Ikuvalu and Sione Katoa tore strips off the Dragons. Jesse Ramien, Siosifa Talakai, Braden Hamlin-Uele, Dale Finucane and Blayke Brailey were all also standouts.
Cronulla are now one tackle off the top of the competition and can be very happy with their work. This Friday night they will clash with the equally in form Knights in a game that should tell us plenty about both sides.
4. Parramatta Eels (8)
The Eels jump four places on the back of a breath taking golden point win over the Melbourne Storm in the Victorian capital.
Ray Stone's experience shone through as he was the only player who chased through the Mitch Moses field goal. He was rewarded with the match-winner. Unfortunately an ACL injury will end his season.
Dylan Brown was outstanding against two elite halves. Reagan Campbell-Gillard was the best forward on the park and ran for almost 200 metres.
Isaiah Papali'i, Junior Paulo and Nathan Brown also added big metres as the Eels overpowered their Storm counterparts. This was a great game and a statement win for the Eels.
5. Melbourne Storm (4)
Melbourne sits two and one and are one play away from a perfect record despite not reaching "Storm-like" heights. That said they probably let this game slip.
Cameron Munster was the best player on the park despite what the Dally M points suggest. Ryan Papenhuyzen was almost as equally irresistible.
Melbourne's forwards were slightly outplayed and ultimately that was the difference here but with Harry Grant still to return there's no reason to panic.
The Storm have a few winnable games coming up against the Dogs and Raiders. I dare say we'll see the Storm in full flight again soon.
6. North Queensland Cowboys (9)
I feel I've taken part in an injustice to the Cowboys here placing them sixth but it's purely strength of opposition that has them outside the top four.
Valentine Holmes put forth a masterclass and towelled up Kotoni Staggs in a one way battle. Jason Taumalolo reminded everyone in the game of his abilities.
Jeremiah Nanai scored a hattrick and put his name in lights. The Cowboys need to move heaven and earth to re-sign their young star.
Tom Dearden is proving plenty, myself included, wrong. The Cowboys delivered an almighty reality check to their Queensland rivals.
7. Brisbane Broncos (3)
The Broncos were brought back to earth in a very big way on Sunday afternoon. They were played off the park by the Cowboys.
Payne Haas was outplayed by Jason Taumalolo. Valentine Holmes bathed Kontoni Staggs. Dearden outplayed Adam Reynolds. The Broncos lost all of their one on one battles.
How have Brisbane have not yet re-signed Herbie Farnworth? He was the only player who consistently threatened the Cowboys line.
For Brisbane's sake let's hope this is a blip rather than the regular.
8. Canberra Raiders (12)
What a halftime talk from Ricky Stuart! For 38 and a half minutes the Raiders were spectators. A Semi Valemei try in the 39th minute as the only highlight.
In the second half the Green Machine of old emerged and they were scorching! Brad Schneider and Jack Wighton outpointed their Titans rivals 10-7 in the second stanza.
Matthew Timoko crossed for a double continuing his rapid rise. Tom Starling had spiders on him and surely must start next week.
Some may call this the great escape for Canberra but regardless they now sit 2-1 with two wins in front of their own fans against finals contenders. Sitting pretty.
9. New Zealand Warriors (14)
Ok the Wests Tigers largely beat themselves on Friday evening but the Warriors should probably sit two and one right now given the manner of their defeat to the Titans.
Reece Walsh was again best on ground for the victors. The way he has stood up, despite his young age in the absence of Shaun Johnson, shows great maturity.
I still maintain that Wayde Egan is one of the game's most underrated players. He just goes about a mountain of work with little to no fuss.
Lodge, Curran and Fonua Blake largely dominated the middle. They're leading the way with Tohu Harris's return date edging closer and closer.
10. Gold Coast Titans (7)
The Titans now sit the best of the one and two bunch. That's hardly comforting considering the manner of their defeat on Saturday night but there are positives.
At 22-0 up with two minutes until halftime this looked like a case of the Titans by how many. Toby Sexton and AJ Brimson had the ball on a string.
Tino Fa'asuamaleaui is leading by example and was the best Titan on field across 80 minutes.
Justin Holbrook's men could very easily be 3-0 right now. They could also just as easily be 0-3. They need a big result against the Titans on Thursday night.
11. St George Illawarra Dragons (5)
The Dragons were absolutely atrocious on Thursday night. Ben Hunt was the only Dragon in the top 12 players on the field.
Conditions were extremely difficult and a few decisions didn't go their way but the way the Dragons allowed Nicho Hynes to stroll through the line to score the Sharks sixth try says it all.
Ben Hunt was, by far, the best for the home side. He was in everything and was forced to overplay his hand in that farcical moment when Mybe was 25 metres off-side.
The Dragons need a distraction-free week first and foremost but face a very difficult trip to face the Eels on Sunday night.
12. South Sydney Rabbitohs (16)
The Bunnies are on the board and in a big way! Nothing is sweeter for fans of the red and green than beating their cross-town rivals with ease.
Latrell Mitchell was an absolute monster. Every time he touched the ball the crowd stood on its collective feet. It'll be good for both Manu and Mitchell to move on from their supposed feud.
Cameron Murray was unstoppable. 152 metres, two line breaks and an incredible try. Jai Arrow was more than an accomplice with his 173 metres.
The 28-16 win was far more dominant than the scoreline suggested and kick starts the 2022 season for the Bunnies.
13. Manly Sea Eagles (15)
Are Manly back? Absolutely not but Sunday night's win the torrential downpour was certainly a step in the right direction. Daly Cherry-Evans' field goal was enough to put the Sea Eagles on the board.
Tom Trbojevic finished off a brilliant team try and started to look somewhere near his best. He was still quiet compared to his double three-try efforts in last year's Dogs fixtures.
Manly did make four linebreaks to one and broke 29 tackles to 15 so there were signs that Manly could still be their 2021 selves.
This was all about the win for Manly. Performances will come but competition points were important here.
14. Sydney Roosters (10)
Friday night was not a good night for the Sydney Roosters. They were so soundly beaten by their most bitter of rivals that some pundits are writing them off.
The Roosters forwards just didn't match their Souths counterparts. Sitili Tupouniua made 49 metres while Nat Butcher ran for 29. Angus Crichton has started slowly.
Joseph Manu played well in the face of ridiculous scrutiny from something that wasn't even of his own doing. He will be glad to move on.
I'm not buying into the doomsday scenario but this Roosters side is levels below of what I expected. Keary, Walker and Tedesco are all well below par.
15. Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (11)
The Dogs are two scoring plays away from being undefeated yet haven't put forward a complete performance yet. They were solid in the rain but lacked the class Manly had at the end.
Matt Burton is feeling the pressure and is making silly errors he never would have made at the Panthers. Brandon Wakeham's return to the top grade was certainly a good decision.
Paul Vaughan had his best game for the Bulldogs with 144 metres. Matt Dufty looked clever in moments, including a brilliant try assist off the boot.
Josh Addo-Carr is sitting on the wing. The Dogs have hardly used him. They need to find a way and quickly to bring their superstar weapon into the game.
16. Wests Tigers (13)
Dire! Absolutely dire!
Yes the Tigers were seemingly hard done by after a shocking referring non-decision. Seriously, they refer everything, why not this? That said, the Tigers had more than enough opportunities to win this game.
Gifted a 13 on 12 advantage, it looked as though the Tigers were attacking a line of 15. They never even looked like scoring.
Jock Madden was the Tigers best half. That says everything you need to know about the Tigers.
