The 2026 NRL season continues to deliver.
Manly rebounded from their opening month of chaos with one of the most destructive wins we'll see this year.
Elsewhere the Storm and Bulldogs were exposed, the Raiders woes continued while the Dragons hit rock bottom.
Fans of the Knights and the Tigers are currently over the moon on the back of blistering starts to the season.
Last week was incredibly difficult to rank. This week threw some serious spanners but we're starting to see some serious patterns.
Where did your team land on this week's Power Rankings following NRL Round Five?:
1. Penrith Panthers (1)
Yikes! I have never seen a team dominate the opening five weeks of a competition, ever!
Their points differential (150) is 98 points better off than the second best +/-. 20 points is their smallest victory across five weeks.
The way they brushed the Melbourne Storm aside was a thing of beauty, and scary! Nathan Cleary, Casey McLean and Thomas Jenkins are all firing at 10/10 right now.
They start embarrassingly short favourites against the Bulldogs this Thursday night.
2. Brisbane Broncos (3)
Three straight wins now has the Broncos firmly back in the mix. A horror injury curse may see them fall in the coming weeks, but right now they look the biggest "threat" to Penrith.
Ezra Mam was chief destroyer in Brisbane's 26-12 win over the Titans on Saturday night. Pat Carrigan was unstoppable in an 80 minute effort.
Injuries to Reece Walsh, Adam Reynolds and Ben Hunt are sure to see a much different team for the next few weeks, but they're still chock full of stars.
A Friday night clash with the Cowboys now looks an absolute ripper!
3. Newcastle Knights (5)
The Newcastle Knights are absolutely flying right now! They have their first win at home in a long, long time!
Greg Marzhew's double, Dane Gagai's day out and Sandon Smith's skills saw them produce 32 points in entertaining fashion. Dominic Young is also back to his high flying best.
Fletcher Hunt is playing such good footy right now that there is no rush to bring back Kalyn Ponga.
Who would have thought a Newcastle game vs the Tigers would frame as the game of the weekend!?
4. Wests Tigers (8)
This Wests Tigers side are an absolute joy to watch!
Jock Madden has put in two huge performances since being called into the side. His partnership with Adam Doueihi is working brilliantly.
Kai Pearce-Paul is an absolute machine out wide. Two try assists and four offloads made for some entertaining footy. The club needs to announce Jahream Bula's re-signing yesterday!
I cannot wait to see them host Newcastle this Sunday afternoon. Sign me up!
5. South Sydney Rabbitohs (6)
It seems like a week ago now but the Bunnies second half against the Bulldogs was absolutely brilliant!
Tallis Duncan played arguably his career best game. Latrell Mitchell crossed for a double while Keaon Koloamatangi's game high 198 metres saw him win the middle for his side.
Jye Gray continues to light it up at the back. The Bunnies look a completely different side this year.
Saturday's clash in Perth against the Raiders should be a lot of fun. They start as deserved favourites.
6. Cronulla Sharks (10)
The Sharks season will be defined by games against the likes of the Raiders and Warriors. Two wins in a row has them sitting pretty through five rounds.
Nicho Hynes and Will Kennedy were magnificent in the Sunday afternoon sunshine. KL Iro dominated his edge and completely changed the game once he got going.
The Sharks backs did the heavy lifting allowing their middles to shut down the Warriors big men.
A trip to Perth will be tough against a well rested Roosters side, but the Sharks have a rest coming in the form of a bye.
7. North Queensland Cowboys (12)
The Cowboys absolutely blistered the poor Dragons on Saturday afternoon, enroute to posting their third win in a row.
Jaxon Purdue was simply unstoppable on the night. Scott Drinkwater's on a run that needs to be seen to be believed. Braidon Burns looks to have his spot sewn up.
Jake Clifford and Tom Dearden had a field day in leading their side to a 32-0 win over the Dragons.
A Friday night clash against the Broncos comes at a good time given Brisbane's injury list.
8. New Zealand Warriors (2)
A Dallin Watene-Zelezniak hattrick wasn't enough to see them overcome the Sharks on Sunday afternoon.
The Warriors forwards all produced good numbers but really didn't make in roads into a Sharks middle that can be there for the taking.
KL Iro will give the Warriors right edge nightmares. They were so focused on Iro at times that they allowed William Kennedy to literally waltz in for two tries.
A Storm outfit coming off three straight losses probably isn't the fixture you want to see, but it's what stands in front of the Warriors.
9. Melbourne Storm (4)
For the first time ever in these Rankings I get to type these words ... the Melbourne Storm are in all sorts!
Three straight losses, a long injury list and aging stars all have people wondering if the Storm can get back to their world beating best in 2026.
Their 50 points to 10 drubbing at the hands of the Panthers was as "un Storm like" as you'll ever see. They were so far off the pace in every single aspect, despite completing at 94%.
They host the equally out of sorts Warriors on Sunday afternoon. A fourth straight loss would be unfathomable.
10. The Dolphins (7)
The Dolphins copped an absolute hiding on Thursday night. At the hands of the 0-3 Sea Eagles no less.
Three late tries hardly covered over the fact they copped 52 points, at home, to a side who haven't looked like they knew what rugby league even was this season.
64% completion. Read that again. Yuk!
A bye this weekend comes at a good time. Their past two weeks have been very much below par.
11. Sydney Roosters (11)
The Roosters sat back and watched the Easter weekend chaos.
The Chooks have been the very definition of the famous "sometimes maybe good" meme in 2026.
They'll expect to beat the Sharks, in Perth, coming off a bye.
12. Canterbury Bulldogs (9)
The Dogs good start to the season now seems a world away. Two straight losses has fans turning on their players, and each other.
Cameron Ciraldo's decision to overlook specialist left centre Bronson Xerri, following an injury to left centre Stephen Crichton, for a halfback, needs studying!
Another game without a try assist from their spine. The Dogs attack is almost painful to watch at times.
This Thursday presents a good opportunity to return to winning ways as they host .... Penrith!? Oh no.
13. Parramatta Eels (13)
The Eels fell to the Tigers in Golden Point, in an Easter Monday thriller. They lost despite scoring four tries to three.
Mitch Moses spent more time trying to hug the referee than he did trying to win the game. Jonah Pezet struggled mightily on the big stage.
Bailey Simonsson was having a brilliant game prior to his horror injury. We wish him all the best.
A home game on Sunday afternoon against the Titans is a must win if they're serious about playing Finals footy.
14. Manly Sea Eagles (17)
What a difference a week, and change of coach makes!
Manly, fresh off three home losses and sacking their coach, looked like world beaters on Thursday night.
Their 52 straight points downright embarrassed the Dolphins. Haumole Olakau'atu bashed everyone in front of him. Ben Trbojevic had the best game of his career.
They should walk past the lowly Dragons on Saturday afternoon in the Gong.
15. Canberra Raiders (14)
The Raiders now sit 1-4 and sit above only the Dragons.
Their horror start to the season continued after falling 32-12 to the Knights, in Newcastle.
Simi Sasagi has been a rare highlight in an otherwise less than stellar opening month and a bit.
Their Saturday afternoon clash with the Rabbitohs is now as close to must win as you'll ever see in Round Six. I literally cannot believe where they sit.
16. Gold Coast Titans (15)
The Titans have looked far better over the past fortnight but they finished a distant second best against the Broncos on Saturday night.
Jojo Fifita crossed for a double and Tino Fa'asuamaleaui looked back to his destructive best. That was about all she wrote for the home side though.
I'm not sure Keano Kini is playing at a level that makes it worth shifting AJ Brimson anymore. There is a tough decision coming for Josh Hannay.
They travel to Sydney to play the under manned Eels on Sunday afternoon. Has a "must win" feel about it considering.
17. St George Illawarra Dragons (16)
The Dragons 2026 season went from bad to worst on the back of a 32 point loss, at home, to the Cowboys.
I'm employing the "if you have nothing good to say, don't say anything at all" expression here.
A loss on Friday evening to the Sea Eagles might be all she wrote for Shane Flanagan and half the Dragons side.
