Two rounds are down and it’s starting to become clear who are the contenders and pretenders this season.

The Rabbitohs and Broncos are the two clear stand-out teams this season, and if both clubs continue on their hot form to start the new year, then their Round 8 showdown at Suncorp Stadium on the Anzac Day weekend could serve as a preview to this year’s NRL grand final.

Meanwhile, rugby league fans aren’t used to seeing the Roosters jointly prop up the ladder, but it is a familiar sight for fans of the Newcastle Knights, for whom another long season potentially lays ahead.

Here is the full preview to Round 3.

Cowboys versus Roosters
The Sydney Roosters face their worst start to a season since 2007 when they make the long flight to Townsville to take on last year’s premiers, who to say the least haven’t been at their best to start their premiership defence.

After being hammered 42-10 by the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the opening round, the Roosters put in a good effort against the Canberra Raiders in the nation’s capital and were very unlucky to lose by only a field goal in the dying minutes.

This has left Trent Robinson lamenting the worst start to a season in his time as Roosters coach, the eight-week suspension to halfback Mitchell Pearce not helping his cause.

It means for the third week running Jayden Nikorima and Jackson Hastings will line up in the halves, with the latter coming up against the greatest rugby league player on the planet in Johnathan Thurston.

The reigning premiers last week suffered their first loss in half a year when they went down to the Parramatta Eels at Pirtek Stadium last Saturday night. Despite this, they have retained the same 17 yet again for their clash with the Roosters.

They’ll also be seeking some redemption after their previous meeting with the Roosters didn’t end well, the boys from Bondi leaving Townsville with a 28-4 victory in Round 1 last year.

Though the Roosters should put up another good effort like they did against the Raiders, the Cowboys’ home ground advantage should again get them home here.

Prediction: Cowboys by 14 points.

Bulldogs versus Eels
This is without doubt the match of the round, and given the high expectations for both clubs this year, a huge crowd will be expected for this ANZ Stadium blockbuster.

Both the Bulldogs and Eels enter this match on the back of impressive victories, with Des Hasler’s men just sneaking past the Panthers after the siren and the Eels inflicting the Cowboys’ first defeat in exactly six months with a gutsy 20-16 victory.

On top of being without Brett Morris for an extended period, the Bulldogs could also be without NSW Origin forward David Klemmer after he elected to contest his contrary conduct charge against a referee at the tribunal on Wednesday night.

Last week’s hero, Kerrod Holland, makes way for Chase Stanley, while the Dogs have also named a six-man bench with two to drop out. Just who is omitted will hinge on the result of Klemmer’s tribunal hearing.

Meanwhile, the Eels have lost hooker Nathan Peats after he suffered an arm injury in their upset victory over the Cowboys, but his loss is offset by Issac De Gois, while Ken Edwards and David Gower are also inclusions for the blue and gold.

The presence of new captain Kieran Foran, who missed the season-opening loss to the Broncos due to a hamstring injury, proved crucial in their win over the Cowboys, but Eels fans must know that he and Michael Jennings, among other new recruits, are not their long-term solutions to ending their six-year finals drought.

Having lost both times to the Bulldogs last year by 20 and 24 points, Brad Arthur’s men will be keen to bridge the gap and vindicate many experts’ beliefs that they are well and truly a team on the rise.

Prediction: Bulldogs by 12 points.

Knights versus Raiders
If Nathan Brown thought he would have it easy trying to rebuild the Newcastle Knights, then he’s been terribly mistaken.

The Knights last week suffered the heaviest defeat of any side so far this season when they went down to a red-hot Rabbitohs side by 48-6. It vindicated many experts’ beliefs that Brown still has a lot of work to do to make the team competitive again.

And while they will suit up for their first home game of the season this Saturday afternoon, any hope of a first win for the season may have to wait, as they face the undefeated Canberra Raiders.

Without their injured first-choice halves pairing in Aidan Sezer and Blake Austin, the Raiders with Lachlan Croker and Sam Williams calling the shots edged out a plucky Sydney Roosters side, winning 21-20 with the latter kicking the match-winning field goal three minutes from time.

Another win this weekend would see the Raiders enjoy their best start to a season since 2005 and vindicate the hard work coach Ricky Stuart has done in building a side that will have no excuses if they cannot make the finals this year.

However, the season is only young and a lot can happen between now and the first weekend of September, and so the Green Machine cannot afford to get ahead of themselves otherwise another season of promise might go begging.

Prediction: Raiders by 14 points.

Panthers versus Broncos
Another packed crowd will be expected when the Penrith Panthers welcome last year’s beaten grand finalists, and premiership favourites this year, the Brisbane Broncos, to the foot of the mountains in a Saturday night blockbuster.

The club has been slow out of the blocks under new coach Anthony Griffin; after losing to the Canberra Raiders in the opening round, the Panthers were extremely unlucky to lose to the Bulldogs in the last minute at home last week.

By contrast, the Broncos were impressive in the second half of its victory against the New Zealand Warriors last Friday night, keeping the visitors scoreless en route to a 25-10 victory and second place on the NRL ladder.

The major subplot of the match will be Griffin and Peter Wallace facing off against their old club for the first time since they left the club at the end of 2014 and 2013 respectively.

Wallace was let go by the Broncos at the end of what was their worst season on record in 2013, while Griffin made way for Wayne Bennett twelve months later.

The Broncos could not finish any higher than eighth in the three years between Lockyer’s retirement at the end of 2011, and Bennett’s return to the club prior to the start of the 2015 season.

The glamour club’s poor results during that period was the catalyst to the super coach returning to Red Hill after six years away from the club, during which he experienced the highs of coaching the Dragons to the 2010 premiership and the lows of leading the Knights through the Alex McKinnon tragedy.

Now, come this Saturday night, both Anthony Griffin and Peter Wallace will be out for revenge against the club that dumped them, and wouldn’t it be fitting if the Panthers’ first victory of the new season comes against them.

But on the basis of form, it’ll be hard seeing the Broncos beaten.

Prediction: Broncos by 10 points.

Titans versus Wests Tigers
Having won their first two matches of the new season for the second year in a row, the Wests Tigers will be out to ensure that what happened for the rest of 2015 does not happen again in 2016.

After they had beaten the Titans and Dragons to kick off last season, many believed that the Tigers’ decision to hire Jason Taylor as coach was vindicated. Instead, the club would win just six more matches and crash to second-last on the ladder for the second time in three seasons.

Despite being tipped by many for another lowly-placed finish this year, the Tigers have the chance to make it three from three to start the season when they face the Gold Coast Titans this Saturday night, and again James Tedesco, Mitchell Moses and Luke Brooks will be their keys to victory.

Tedesco was impressive last Monday night against the Sea Eagles at Leichhardt Oval and many are tipping him to take over from Josh Dugan as NSW fullback when the series starts in Sydney on June 1.

In contrast to the Tigers’ impressive start to the season, the Titans went down to the Melbourne Storm in Melbourne last week, their 18-point loss seeing their percentage drop back to 0 after they had defeated the Newcastle Knights by the same margin in Round 1.

And although they will be back at home this weekend, the Tigers should prove too strong and thus take the points home in this one.

Prediction: Wests Tigers by 16 points.

Warriors versus Storm
After two tough away losses to start the new season, the New Zealand Warriors will return home to play in front of their fans for the first time this season when they face the Melbourne Storm at Mount Smart Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

After a poor first half against the Wests Tigers cost them in the opening round, the Warriors didn’t fare better against the Brisbane Broncos, being held scoreless in the second half en route to a 25-10 loss.

It was only their willingness to compete against the Broncos that saved Andrew McFadden from being axed. This weekend, they’ll come up against a side that has lost their start fullback for the season.

Yes, that’s right – the Melbourne Storm have lost their veteran fullback Billy Slater for quite possibly the rest of the season after he underwent more shoulder surgery after playing through the pain in their opening round win over the Dragons.

Slater’s loss will be Cameron Munster’s gain, with the 21-year-old set to deputise at fullback for the balance of the year. He is seen by many as the successor to Slater not just at the Storm, but also possibly for Queensland in the not-too-distant future.

Still, the Storm proved that there could be life after their superstar fullback when they defeated the Gold Coast Titans at home last week, further exaggerating fears that their demise might come sooner rather than later.

Craig Bellamy’s men will also come up against one of their old favourite sons in Ryan Hoffman, who this year has been handed the reins as captain of the Warriors and will be desperate to lead his side to their first win of the season.

But even without Slater, I still think the Storm will win this one – but only by just.

Prediction: Storm by 12 points.

Dragons versus Rabbitohs
This Sunday’s match at the Sydney Cricket Ground will bring together two teams who have started this season in contrasting form.

Firstly, what can you say about the South Sydney Rabbitohs?

Michael Maguire’s men have started this season in blistering form, thrashing the Sydney Roosters and Newcastle Knights in their first two matches and posting more than 40 points on their hopeless rivals in the opening fortnight.

The latter win was all the more impressive given it was achieved without veteran John Sutton and halfback Adam Reynolds, who are both out due to long-term injuries. Many are also attributing the two victories to forward Sam Burgess, back in the NRL after twelve months in English rugby.

That sees them top the ladder after as many rounds, and they’ll again start favourites to defeat the Dragons who, in contrast to the Bunnies, barely fired a shot in their 30-2 loss to the Sharks last Sunday.

Paul McGregor’s men had started the season with a narrow loss to the Storm in Melbourne and were no match for a Cronulla side that were missing their captain Paul Gallen due to a knee injury.

Recruit Kurt Mann endured a horror day at fullback and McGregor has responded, dropping him altogether and moving Josh Dugan back to his preferred position of fullback, although an injury cloud hangs over the incumbent NSW Origin fullback.

The question now will be whether the Dragons can put behind last week’s disastrous loss and get on the board for the 2016 season, or whether the Rabbitohs can continue their devastating form and prove that they are not yet a spent force.

Prediction: Rabbitohs by 24 points.

Sea Eagles versus Sharks
For the second week in a row, Manly have been given the rather dubious honour of finishing the round – and they’ll do so hoping to bank their first win for the season following poor losses to the Bulldogs and Tigers to start the Trent Barrett era.

The Sea Eagles’ plight hasn’t been helped by a hamstring injury to veteran fullback Brett Stewart, which will keep him out of the side for at least another week. Still, they have stuck with the same 17 that went down to the Wests Tigers last week.

By contrast, the Cronulla Sharks will make the trip across the Sydney Harbour Bridge on a high, defying the loss of their injured captain Paul Gallen to thrash a poor Dragons side last week by 30-2.

Instrumental to that win was new recruit James Maloney, who is seen by many as one of the missing pieces to the Sharks’ premiership puzzle, and fullback Ben Barba, who might be about to rediscover the form which saw him win the Dally M Medal and lead the Bulldogs to the grand final four years ago.

The Sharks’ historical lack of success is well documented, with the club yet to win a premiership in its half-century of existence in Australian rugby league. However, expectations are high for the club in 2016 and there is no doubt the Sharks would love to break their premiership hoodoo in what is their 50th year this season.

First though, they must defeat the Sea Eagles and the rest can then take care of itself.

Prediction: Sharks by 10 points.