Within the easiest of phrases, the 17 NRL groups of 2024 will be carved into three classes – the 2 sides which might be doing the whole lot doable to point out they may very well be the premiers, one other 13 who’re unreliable and two duds on the backside.
Penrith and Melbourne are the one golf equipment you possibly can depend on to take care of a excessive commonplace week on week and it could not be a shock if these groups are once more duking it out on Grand Closing evening.
Regardless of lacking key gamers, the Panthers rolled on previous the Knights in Newcastle on Sunday after the Storm did likewise on Saturday regardless of a scorching begin from a fired-up Warriors facet earlier than a sellout Auckland crowd.
Cronulla, the Roosters, Dolphins and Broncos might and ought to be within the premiership dialog however they’ve had too many off days in latest weeks to belong within the higher tier.
The remainder of the groups within the competitors fluctuate wildly and also you wouldn’t put greater than 5 bucks on any of them to make the playoffs not to mention do any harm in the event that they get there.
Terrell Could is tackled. (Photograph by Brendon Thorne/Getty Photos)[/caption]
3 Roosters (4): They nonetheless haven’t fairly gelled this season for something greater than a few weeks and with Origin messing their crew round, will probably be some time earlier than they’ll really settle right into a groove.
However they’re doing sufficient within the meantime to be in touching distance of the highest 4 and be properly set to cement a spot up close to the highest of the ladder heading into the finals.
4 Sharks (2): True premiership contenders don’t go down 22-0 at residence in as many minutes.
The place was the circuit breaker throughout the Dolphins’ scorching begin to pressure an error with an enormous hit, flip the momentum with a intelligent attacking play? Cronulla want to have the ability to counter-punch higher when their opponents have the higher hand.
5 Dolphins (9): They proceed to confound their doubters who can’t consider that they’re nonetheless within the prime 4 now that we’re 15 rounds into the season.
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow’s scorching length-of-the-field match-winner at Shark Park was one of many most interesting particular person tries for a lot of a 12 months – his seemingly easy capability to speed up and preserve prime pace whereas weaving by means of visitors is a priceless commodity.
6 Bulldogs (8): Put their ft up for the bye week and watched others stumble round them.
7 Broncos (5): That’s three losses in a row now and 4 from their previous six. They seem devoid of attacking spark with out Reece Walsh and after a few shoddy video games together with his dealing with on the again, Tristan Sailor ought to be given the heave-ho the subsequent time Walsh is out with Selwyn Cobbo taking up at fullback.
Dolphins
v
Melbourne Storm
NRL : Head To Head
Fri, 21 Jun 2024, 20:00
Gold Coast Titans
v
New Zealand Warriors
NRL : Head To Head
Sat, 22 Jun 2024, 15:00
Sydney Roosters
v
Canterbury Bulldogs
NRL : Head To Head
Sat, 22 Jun 2024, 17:30
South Sydney Rabbitohs
v
Manly Sea Eagles
NRL : Head To Head
Sat, 22 Jun 2024, 19:35
Wests Tigers
v
Canberra Raiders
NRL : Head To Head
Solar, 23 Jun 2024, 16:05
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8 Raiders (6): In typical vogue, the Inexperienced Machine was caught in impartial and was usually in reverse final Friday at residence, simply once you thought they might cement themselves as a legit finals contender.
It’s laborious to be too laborious on them with their rookie playmakers working the present however a couple of of their more-experienced gamers went lacking at essential levels within the heavy loss to the Cowboys.
9 Warriors (7): With three wins on the trot and a 14-0 lead, life was wanting good for the Warriors earlier than one other sellout crowd however as soon as they ceded momentum to the Storm, their defence withered and their assault grew to become panicked.
Marcelo Montoya could be a wonderful finisher however he may also be a legal responsibility in defence, which explains why he’s a winger, and he value his crew any hope of victory within the second half together with his bone-headed skilled foul.
10 Sea Eagles (10): They keep the place they’re as a result of their win at residence over the Dragons was gritty given they suffered a couple of accidents however hardly set the world on hearth.
They usually have nonetheless received simply two of their previous six video games but and with at least 14 gamers out this week, they’re not out of the woods simply but.
11 Cowboys (13): Simply probably the most unreliable facet within the NRL in what has been a really inconsistent 12 months for lots of groups.
They’ve now received 4 of their previous 5 matches however their loss within the earlier spherical was a 42-12 stinker to the Warriors. In the event that they string collectively their greatest type, they’ll beat anybody however there may be an overriding fragility to this crew.
12 Rabbitohs (14): Say it ain’t so however the Bunnies are actually simply 5 factors off eighth spot and driving excessive on a three-game streak capped off by their greatest efficiency of the 12 months in thrashing the Broncos.
Effectively, the ultimate scoreline was solely 22-12 however that flattered Brisbane. If they’ll negotiate the remaining Origin weeks with out capitulating now that Latrell Mitchell and Cameron Murray are concerned, the unlikely playoff dream is properly and really alive.
Jack Wighton takes on the Brisbane defence. (Photograph by Cameron Spencer/Getty Photos)
13 Eels (11): They botched it in opposition to Canterbury final week and so they additionally couldn’t land a knockout blow on the Roosters on Saturday evening.
Dylan Brown has gone from being miscast because the chief playmaker when Mitchell Moses was out to no longer being concerned sufficient in assault.
14 Dragons (12): A sport they might have received on Sunday at Brookvale if not for some poor dealing with with the strive line in sight.
For those who line up and pay your tickets for the Luciano Leilua rollercoaster, you’ll get highs and lows down the left edge – when it comes off, you get massive wins just like the latest one over the Tigers however when it doesn’t, it might probably value you, because it did in opposition to Manly.
15 Knights (16): They’re placing some starch again into their blue collars however they should juj it up in Newcastle with a brand new look.
Younger English five-eighth Will Pryce is caught in NSW Cup and with at least Andrew Johns calling for him to be given a whirl at NRL degree, what’s the hurt in letting him unfastened for a sport or two as a result of the present Knights backbone is in determined want of some X-factor.
16 Wests (17): When you will have misplaced 9 in a row, any win is an efficient win and it was a “four-pointer” by way of the race to keep away from the picket spoon after they knocked off the Titans on Saturday.
(Photograph by Jason McCawley/Getty Photos)
17 Titans (15): This crew is as uninspiring as their away strip – minimal effort, missing in wow issue and doesn’t make a press release.
