If the 50-point rule holds true, the race for the NRL premiership is already down to 15 teams only after the Roosters and Eels copped opening-round drubbings.
In essence, the competition is a 17-team race in name only and it already appears there are little more than six or perhaps seven clubs who could realistically be a chance of getting their hands on the trophy this year.
The Roosters were a couple of steps behind Brisbane on Thursday night at Allianz Stadium and the 50-14 obliteration has raised hopes of a Broncos renaissance under Michael Maguire.
For the Eels, it is clearly going to be a rebuilding year after they were on the receiving end of the fastest half-century in Melbourne since Sam Konstas’ Test debut on Boxing Day.
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The Storm were awe-inspiring in the first half as they raced to a 46-6 advantage and had the luxury of being able to cruise through at half-rats pace in the second stanza knowing full well they would win comfortably.
Here’s how all 17 teams stack up after the opening round was finally completed on Sunday after kicking off seven days earlier on the other, much more unstable side of the Pacific Ocean.
1. Storm: A total demolition job of the Eels and any hopes their fans had of a bounce-back season.
They piled on eight line breaks in the first half alone and if anyone can spot a weakness in this side, there are 16 other NRL coaches who would be happy to hear your thoughts.
Ryan Papenhuyzen makes a break to score a try. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
2. Panthers: They were not at their best in beating the Sharks in Las Vegas, but it was still an exceptional effort from a rusty side with little to no pre-season build-up.
Jack Cole stepped up at five-eighth and deserves to get at least a few more weeks in the No.6 jersey while the Panthers slow-play the introduction of Blaize Talagi into their line-up.
Penrith should be way too strong for the Roosters this weekend to get off to a 2-0 start and show that even though they’ve lost a few stars in the off-season they are still up there with Melbourne as the two teams to beat in 2025.
3. Sea Eagles: Wow-wee, as Miss Hoover would say. They could not have been more impressive in annihilating the Cowboys at Brookvale on Saturday night.
The Tom Trebojevic Show took centrestage but every cog of the Manly machine clicked into top gear and they could have put 60 on North Queensland if they didn’t take their foot off the pedal in the final 20 minutes.
With Daly Cherry-Evans playing the conductor, Manly have a strong chance to not only make the finals but be top-four material this season and, best-case scenario, be well and truly in the grand final race.
4. Bulldogs: Their 28-20 victory over the Dragons was not without a few hiccups but they muscled up against a committed opponent and the arrival of Sitili Tupouniua from the Roosters is just what they needed – an extra attacking weapon in their pack so that defensive lines cannot just load up on Viliame Kikau on the left edge.
The Bulldogs are primed to take a step up again this year after their lengthy and painful rebuild. The Titans are in for a world of hurt this Sunday when they visit Belmore because the Dogs now have bite all over the park.
Sitili Tupouniua is tackled by Hamish Stewart. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
5. Sharks: They are outside of the top four in the Power Rankings due to Manly and the Bulldogs registering outstanding wins while they fluffed a golden opportunity to take down an underdone Penrith in Vegas to prove they deserve a seat at the high rollers table.
Cronulla still seem to come up short in the big moments against the top opposition and until they get that calmness under pressure, they will remain in the second tier of title contenders.
6. Broncos: Michael Maguire’s opening foray as Broncos coach couldn’t have gone any better but they are rated sixth for now because the Roosters did not put up much of a fight in attack and their defence was anemic at times.
Ben Hunt shone in his first match for seven years as a Bronco and it looks like he will relish being the secondary option after years of carrying a heavy load as St George Illawarra’s only go-to guy as an on-field organiser.
The enormous impact of Payne Haas in busting tackles and offloading at will was ominous for the rest of the competition and with Patrick Carrigan, Kobe Hetherington and Xavier Willison eating up metres on the back of their spearhead, the Broncos ran roughshod over the Roosters.
They need to back it up this Saturday in Canberra to prove that they are deserving of being in the conversation for the top four after last year’s hot and cold season that led to them missing out on the finals.
7. Knights: There was nothing too fancy about their win over the Tigers in Campbelltown but the Knights are at their best when their team is gritty, not pretty.
Fletcher Sharpe continues to make his mark as a five-eighth – much better than the last time Newcastle tried to convert a fullback into a playmaker, hey Kalyn.
Beating the Tigers is no longer a walk in the park so not every team will come away from one of their four home grounds this year with the two competition points.
8. Raiders: It seems like a long time ago now even though it was only eight days ago but Canberra’s all-round display in Las Vegas had all the hallmarks of a Ricky Stuart-coached side.
They did the little things well, competed on every play and were much more willing to roll up their sleeves than the Warriors to collect a thoroughly deserved triumph.
We will know a lot more about the quality of this version of the Green Machine after this weekend’s home date with the Broncos but a lot of early signs are promising in the national capital.
9. Dolphins: The fact that they are ahead of the Rabbitohs on the Power Rankings may not make sense to some given that Souths beat them on Friday night but overall the Dolphins still have a slightly stronger look about them for the first few weeks of the season.
And their preparations for the game couldn’t have been worse with three players pulling out due to the threat of Cyclone Alfred and the match being moved away from Brisbane late in the week.
10. Rabbitohs: Their victory was another of the ugly ones on the weekend but beauty is in the eye of the beholder and those two competition points will be like gold to Wayne Bennett.
The loss of Tyrone Munro to another collarbone fracture and Jack Wighton to suspension means their already depleted roster just got significantly worse although the return of Campbell Graham at centre from a year out with a sternum injury was a godsend for the Bunnies with his class out wide shining through when it mattered most.
11. Dragons: Shane Flanagan’s side was willing against the Bulldogs but not able to match intensity with intelligence.
St George Illawarra came up with way too many dumb errors to hand field position to the Bulldogs and some of their goal-line defence was flimsy and disorganised.
Lachlan Ilias is a very good attacking player but he will be targeted in the defensive line and the Dragons need to ensure he has a bodyguard in the form of a strong defender from the pack alongside him at all times when opponents are in the red zone.
12. Cowboys: They could be and probably should be much lower given their pathetic performance against Manly in which they trailed by 42 before a couple of late consolation tries saved them from total embarrassment.
This is a team that looks betwixt and between and looked like a squad that hadn’t trained together all off-season rather than one that should have been primed from the get-go.
They have a few players to come back from injury in Jason Taumololo and Jake Clifford but does Todd Payten have the cache at the club to withstand another season of yo-yoing between the finals and also-ran status – they have finished 15th, third, 11th and fifth under his watch.
13. Roosters: That sound you hear from Sydney’s east is alarm bells that haven’t been ringing for around a decade.
Trent Robinson’s team looks as weak as it’s been for a long time and their inability to foot it with the Broncos in pace and physicality at Allianz Stadium was a real concern although he was putting on a brave face and saying that he was excited by the challenge of moulding a new era into shape.
That’s the kind of thing that coaches say when they know their team is not in the genuine hunt for the title and even though they still have plenty of big names on their books the Roosters will be lucky to make the top eight this season.
Jarome Luai passes. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
14. Tigers: Benji Marshall’s team desperately lacked Api Koroisau on Friday against Newcastle.
Jarome Luai was the only experienced member of their spine and with Jahream Bula out injured and Heath Mason deputising at fullback, at times the Tigers looked like the wooden spoon team of the past few years rather than a fresh outfit which could be in with a sniff of the finals this year.
Wests get another chance to show they won’t be easybeats against Parramatta this weekend and with Koroisau back from suspension, they will actually start as favourites.
15. Warriors: Luke Metcalf had been excellent in the pre-season at halfback with Te Maire Martin at five-eighth and it looked like Andrew Webster pulled the wrong rein by partnering him with Chanel Harris-Tavita in Las Vegas.
They looked rudderless at times against the Raiders in attack and a few members of their forward pack would have been red-faced watching the replay of some of their tackling efforts.
After inconsistency cruelled their 2024 campaign, the Warriors desperately need to string a few solid performances together starting this Friday against Manly in Auckland to show that they can rise again into playoff contention.
16. Titans: They’re yet to play a game but with Kieran Foran and Carter Gordon already injured from the pre-season, the bye was probably one of the few opponents they would not have been beaten by in Round 1.
17. Eels: Like an Anchorman street fight between news crews, that escalated quickly. Parra appeared to be hanging in the fight with Melbourne for all of 10 minutes before finishing the first 40 minutes 40 points behind.
Jason Ryles put on a brave face in the post-match media conference to say he takes full responsibility for the changes that have occurred at the club but he was resolute in his belief that it will lead to an upswing in results … eventually.
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