After four rounds of the NRL season for 2015, here’s how the clubs sit on The Roar‘s NRL power rankings.
1. Knights (4-0) (Last Week: 3)
I couldn’t keep them out any longer. The last undefeated team in the NRL, they proved themselves with a big win over the Panthers on Saturday Afternoon. With the Dragons and Sharks coming up in Rounds 5 and 6, this team could easily be 6-0 when they meet Parra in Round 7. I’m calling it now: The Knights will be Top 4 in 2015.
2. Roosters (3-1) (Last Week: 2)
A big win over the Raiders on Sunday, but a long term injury to new recruit Blake Ferguson could hinder this team a little. Having said that, the Roosters have enough class all over the field to continue their current run of form, and they don’t look like dropping off any time soon.
3. Rabbitohs (3-1) (Last Week: 1)
No, this team won’t go undefeated. They ran into a Parramatta ambush on Friday Night, taking the 29-16 loss. Their form wasn’t great the week before against the Tigers either, and maybe this loss will prime them for another run of victories.
They have the Bulldogs in Round 5, and a loss in that game could have people questioning their credentials.
4. Bulldogs (3-1) (Last Week: 6)
What a game on Friday Night. The Dogs looked dead and buried mid way through the second half, but a late game fightback, and an unlikely hero in Moses Mbye, saw them take their 3rd win of 2015.
A crunch game with the Rabbitohs is up next, and with a fairly soft draw following that game, the Bulldogs could set themselves up for a Top 4 finish early this season.
5. Broncos (3-1) (Last Week: 7)
New Zealand isn’t an easy trip for any side, but the Broncos dealt with the Warriors’ late challenge and came away with the two points. This team seems to be gelling, which could mean trouble for the rest of the competition. With game-breakers all over the park, expect the Broncos to make some noise in September.
6. Panthers (2-2) (Last Week: 4)
The first 20 minutes of Saturday Afternoon’s game was probably Penrith’s worst stretch of football in the last two years. They didn’t look close to competitive, and were lucky to salvage a couple of late try to make the score look respectable. The Panthers have to turn their season around quickly, with a couple of tricky games coming up in the next month.
7. Eels (2-2) (Last Week: 10)
If you knock off the No. 1 team, you’re set for a rise up the list. The Eels looked good on Friday Night, and made it two strong home victories to start 2015. They stay at home in Round 5 to take on the Tigers, and another strong win would see another rise up the list. However, I still question their ability to win on the road.
8. Storm (2-2) (Last Week: 5)
They gave the game away on Monday Night. A poor second half (and an even poorer last 10 minutes) sealed the Storm’s fate, but they had that game won at half time. They host the Warriors on Easter Monday, and a loss there would create some noise in the Melbourne media.
9. Tigers (2-2) (Last Week: 8)
A tough loss on Friday Night, but these are the types of games you need to hang on to if you want to play finals in the NRL. The Tigers looked strong for long periods of that game, but a poor finish shows that this team still isn’t quite there yet. I think they’ll play finals in 2015, but there will be some heart-breaking losses along the way.
10. Warriors (2-2) (Last Week: 9)
Not too much went right for the Warriors, and despite a couple of late try that made the game close, the Broncos were always in control. They travel to Melbourne in Round 5, so don’t expect them back on the winner’s list this weekend.
11. Dragons (2-2) (Last Week: 12)
The Sea Eagles are a basket case at the moment, but the Dragons still had to do enough to beat them. They still didn’t look fantastic with the ball in hand, but their defence was solid, and they got enough out of their forwards to control the game. They travel to Newcastle in Round 5, and a win there would surely have their season back on track.
12. Sea Eagles (1-3) (Last Week: 11)
It’s all falling apart on the Northern Beaches. The injury list keeps growing, the halves are already mentally at their new clubs, and the forwards don’t have enough drive to get themselves over the advantage line. They should beat the Raiders in Albury this weekend, but they won’t play September football in 2015.
13. Cowboys (1-3) (Last Week: 16)
No, the Cowboys aren’t back. Not yet at least. They got extremely lucky on Monday Night, and the reality is that they could easily be looking at an 0-4 record with 3 home losses. They travel to Penrith on Monday Night, and a win there would convince me that the Cowboys are back at it.
14. Titans (1-3) (Last Week: 15)
The Great Escape. That’s what I’m calling Saturday Evening’s match with the Sharks. A James Roberts’ intercept try saved the Titans from an 0-4 start to Season 2015, and they have Wade Graham to thank for a very ill-advised pass.
A clash with the Broncos is coming in Round 5, and if they found a way to get the win at home, the Titans would be set up nicely for the rest of 2015.
15. Raiders (1-3) (Last Week: 13)
Is there a more irrelevant team in the NRL right now? The Raiders slumped to another heavy loss on the weekend, and it feels like nobody cares about their results at the moment. They play regional footy against the Sea Eagles on Saturday Afternoon (a match that any team should see as winnable at the moment), but another loss would put Ricky Stuart firmly on the hot-seat.
16. Sharks (0-4) (Last Week: 15)
The last winless team in the NRL deserves the last spot on the rankings. Although they looked adequate for long periods on Saturday Afternoon, their finish left a lot to be desired, and one can easily see a second consecutive spoon heading to the Shire.
With the Roosters coming up in Round 5, followed by the Knights, Rabbitohs and Panthers, this side could easily be 0-8 before we know it.
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All the team list information for Round 8.
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