NRL Power Rankings: Long live the new look Titans and the resurgent Cowboys - but look away, Bunnies fans

The NRL was back with a (sort of) bang following Origin. OK, so the Friday game was a bit of a damp squib and all Saturday’s games were thrashings, but hey – how ’bout them Titans?

Good job we had plenty to talk about on the transfers front, with Ben Hunt’s decision to leave the Dragons, Luke Brooks’ big Brookvale call and another bloody nose to rugby union with Tolu Koula staying in Manly.

Of course, player movements are the only thing more interesting that actual footy – alright, alright, the judiciary too – and the great wheel keeps on a-turning.

Lucky for us, on the playing front next weekend there’s some legit blockbusters: Melbourne host Penrith at that big AFL stadium with the roof and the Roosters and Manly play off keep their season alive in the accelerating house price derby at Brookvale.

Oh, and the Warriors v Souths is a legit belter, plus another Conflict on Caxton at the Gabbatoir.

Do they kill Dolphins in abattoirs? They shoot Broncos, don’t they? This column just took a macabre turn. Let’s get back to the business of ranking. Power Ranking. Here goes nothing.

1 – Panthers (-)

The Panthers have often looked like they could field a reserve grade side and beat several NRL teams and proved that point with a simple dusting of the Knights. They’re really, really good.

2 – Broncos (+1)

The Broncos have got ahead of themselves on occasion before, and did so again this weekend, paying the price against the Titans. 

Kevvie Walters tore strips off them, and deservedly so. It’ll be very interesting to see what reaction that provokes, though the best medicine they could get is the arrival of the Dolphins on Saturday. It’s at the Gabba, too, so insert your own cricket score joke.

3 – Storm (+1)

Melbourne went through the motions against Manly, just as they did the week before in Campbelltown to defeat the Tigers. They’re all two points and they will take them all day.

There’s a feeling they aren’t quite at the level they have been in previous seasons, but in truth, nobody – least of all Craig Bellamy – will care if they turn up late in the year, as they invariably do.

We’ll get a better read on where they actually are against the Panthers on Friday, and if everything goes well, they might well skyrocket next week.

(Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

4 – Souths (-2)

Souths have had a few issues in personnel in recent weeks, with a tough Origin burden and injuries among key position players. 

They lost to the Eels at full strength, then the Raiders with a lop-sided Origin disadvantage, beat a poor Titans – and still conceded plenty – before another Origin affected loss to the Dragons and Sunday’s nightmare at home to the Cowboys.

The Origin defeats might be excusable, but the two others that bookended them aren’t, and show a fundamental issue with their attack that their improved defence can’t cover. 

Without their attack, Souths are just another side, and Jason Demetriou needs to sort that out pronto.

5 – Sharks (-)

The Sharks missed this weekend and played a desperate Dogs outfit the week before, so it’s hard to move them anywhere. The feeling that they’ll whack bad teams but lose to anyone half decent persists, and with the Dragons on Thursday and the Tigers the week after, that perception probably isn’t going anywhere.

6 – Eels (-)

The Eels rampage up the table continues, albeit assisted by a dreadful Dolphins showing. Still, the points and the vibes are flowing.

Don’t discount Parramatta yet, because by the time they get to the Finals they’ll be on a mega-roll: it’s a week off, then the Titans and Warriors at home, which should set them up very well indeed.

7 – Warriors (-)

The NRL’s feelgood story keeps going, courtesy of a very obliging Dragons, and now they’ve sold out Mt Smart for what should be a belter with Souths on Friday night. The vibes are audible from across the Tasman.

(Photo by Izhar Khan/Getty Images)

8 – Raiders (+1)

“Canberra remain inscrutable regarding how good they actually are, but that has been the case for ages now.”

This was our last Power Rankings, since when the Raiders have defeated the Roosters on their own turf, and yet remain just as inscrutable. They are the national rugby league team of land that logic forgot. Works, though.

9 – Cowboys (+5)

North Queensland have taken their sweet time to get into form, but they might have found it at the perfect time. They’ve now beaten the Storm, Panthers and Bunnies back to back, and while none of those had close to their full team on the park, it’s another three wins in the bank that they can rack up elsewhere.

Remember, this team got 60 points put on them by the actual Wests Tigers, so no chickens being counted yet, but things certainly look a lot rosier now. Oh, and guess who have to go to Townsville this weekend?

10 – Manly (-1)

Anthony Seibold now has the perfect excuse for why his first season in charge will likely end outside the Finals, and not for the first time on the Beaches, it’ll be the health of Tom Trbojevic that does it.

For what it’s worth: there’s plenty in this side that is good enough to make the 8 and the draw isn’t terrible, with four games at home and eminently winnable trip to the Dogs, Dragons and Roosters, who also visit Brookie this weekend. 

They probably need seven wins from their remaining nine, which is last chance saloon territory. It’ll take a miracle, and the announcement of four signings in one day suggests the focus may well have shifted to next year already.

11 – Dolphins (-1)

The wheels aren’t so much off as careering down the jetty in Redcliffe, in search of the end of the season. The Dolphins may not win again. Realistically they can’t get any lower at the moment, given everyone beneath them is also losing, but the manner of the defeats will likely change that soon.

(Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

12 – Roosters (-)

The Roosters weren’t as bad as they looked on Sunday in defeat to the Raiders, but lost anyway. Either they or Manly are done this weekend, if they aren’t already done.

13 – Titans (+2)

Justin Holbrook, we hardly knew ye. Let the Power Rankings put on record its happiness that the low-talking Tony Soprano of the NRL, Des Hasler, is back in the league from next year on. He’s been missed.

On the field, the Titans won! Well done. They’re still rubbish and will ultimately let you down, but enjoy it while it lasts. It’ll be interesting to see what a free ride until the end of the year does for them, though, because playing for the Gold Coast has essentially always been a bit of a free ride, consequence-free environment. It’s the new vibes train.

14 – Bulldogs (-1)

A week off for Canterbury after being roundly flogged the week before by the Sharkies. Nothing to see here.

(Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)

15 – Knights (-4)

The curtain is going up around Adam O’Brien like a faller at the first as we speak, and it’s probably not the wrong call.

For the record, there are plenty of things to like about his coaching and what he has done with this Knights side, but the results have rarely followed and these things will happen. If Justin Holbrook is smart, he’ll be first on the blower to get parachuted in.

16 – Tigers (-)

They didn’t play, but somehow still managed to lose a little bit with Luke Brooks finally leaving. If you consider that a loss, of course. If you don’t, bear in mind that Josh Schuster might arrive.

17 – Dragons (-)

Got roundly flogged by the Warriors and looked rubbish in the process. They’re a bad football and have now fallen out with their best player/only creative outlet. It’ll be tears before bedtime.