NRL Power Rankings: round 9
1. Melbourne Storm (last week 1)
Clearly the best team in the competition right now after the way the weekend unfurled. They headed to Wollongong and smashed the Dragons with a superb first half. In Billy Slater, Suliasi Vunivalu and Josh Addo-Carr they have a trio of finishers without peer in the NRL. They each bagged a double against the Dragons. Watch out.
2. Cronulla Sharks (last week 3)
This was more a case of the Roosters slipping courtesy of their loss in Auckland rather than the Sharks earning their way into second spot. Yes they did beat the Wests Tigers, but their opponents weren’t exactly in world-beating form. You just know the Sharks aren’t going to be far away come finals time.
3. Brisbane Broncos (last week 5)
You know the Broncos are going to be tough in the middle of the park. So, when their attack is functioning like it did in the first half against the Panthers they are a sight be behold. James Roberts’ blistering speed is something else too. Can we please organise a one-on-one race between he and Josh Addo-Carr at some stage this season?
4. Manly Sea Eagles (last week 7)
Well, hello. The Rabbitohs were diabolical, but that shouldn’t take anything away from the superb performance turned in by the Sea Eagles. Power, skill, speed, Manly had it all. Blake Green looks to have taken over playmaking duties, giving Daly Cherry-Evans freedom to create. As for the Trobjevic brothers, the sky is the limit.
5. Sydney Roosters (last week 2)
Maybe it was the quick turnaround after a bruising Anzac Day battle with the Dragons, but the Roosters just weren’t themselves. They had their chances, but a combination of slippery conditions and fatigue did them in. They’ll have a few more days like this, but they remain on the comp’s elite squads.
6. New Zealand Warriors (last week 10)
With a spine including Issac Luke, Shaun Johnson, Kieran Foran and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, the Warriors are blessed in the playmaking department. All they need is a strong defence (which they are developing) and a group of players who can hang onto the ball. Watch this space.
7. Parramatta Eels (last week 9)
When Tim Mannah is scoring tries and winning scrums against the feed you know things are going well. A deserved win in Townsville has them in the top eight. Their clash with the Roosters after the rep break should be something special. A win there sets them up nice for a top eight finish.
8. St George Illawarra Dragons (last week 4)
The absence of Gareth Widdop had nothing to do with the abject performance in the first half. Melbourne founds scoring tries far too easy. Was this an aberration from a team who’s defence had been great prior to Sunday, or is this a sign of things to come? Like the Roosters, the short turnaround after Anzac Day didn’t help.
9. Canterbury Bulldogs (last week 11)
You will never doubt the courage or commitment of this team, but their win over the Raiders won’t be appearing in any type of ‘how-to’ manual. Throughout the 80 minutes it seemed that the Raiders merely had to get things in order and they would win. They never did.
10. Gold Coast Titans (last week 12)
After their strong win over the Sharks in round eight, the first half of their clash with the Knights look like make that an outlier rather than an upswing in their season. The second half was a much better effort. The Storm and Sea Eagles will test their new resolve after the rep break.
