Sunday, 12 March 2017
NRL Round 2 Power Rankings
Two rounds down and some teams have already had a reversal of form. A week is a long time in rugby league and here is a look at how your team is shaping up heading into this week.
1 = North Queensland Cowboys (no change) - Won yet another thrilling Golden Point game. The Cowboys are experts in how to close out close matches. Scary that there is still improvement left in them.
2 = Sydney Roosters (no change) - The Roosters were solid this week. They would've been disappointed that they let the Bulldogs close the margin on them and still have maturing to do as a team.
3 = Melbourne Storm (+1) - Great work by the Storm winning their first two matches which were both on the road. It doesn't get any easier; short turnaround into the Broncos on Thursday.
4 = Cronulla Sharks (+2) - That is the Sharks that we have come to know. They blew the Raiders away on home field and put behind them an opening round loss.
5 = Brisbane Broncos (no change) - Tough to go down in Golden Point against the Cowboys but it showed some flaws in their play. How couldn't they possibly set up for a field goal in the closing minutes?
6 = Canberra Raiders (-3) - Gave up home field advantage against a hungry Sharks team. Perhaps fatigue from a Golden Point match on the road last week lead to their demise.
7 = Parramatta Eels (+1) - The Eels have won their opening two matches with style. They overcame a long hoodoo against the Dragons on Sunday and look to be only getting better.
8 = South Sydney Rabbitohs (+7) - Greg who? The Rabbitohs made a statement in their first match without GI, with several players making a statement with their play. It'll change when they face a quality opponent though.
9 = Penrith Panthers (+7) - Another team that put a poor showing in Round 1 behind them. All of a sudden, maturity returned to the Panthers as they came out and performed as they should've given their previous weeks effort.
10 = St George-Illawarra Dragons (-1) - Not the ideal back-up following their domination of the Panthers. Mistakes continually let them down and they need to play with greater discipline.
11 = Newcastle Knights (+3) - The Knights are back...for this week anyway. Yet again they played with heart and fight for the entire 80 minutes. Other teams can learn a lot from their attitude.
12 = Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (-1) - The Bulldogs made the score look respectable but their point scoring problems still remain. Injuries didn't aid their cause and they now will scramble to cover for their losses. Not an ideal time to take a "home" game on the road either...
13 = Wests Tigers (-5) - The Tigers looked a shadow of the team they were in Round 1, with the weight of possession hampering their cause. Better defence made their halves lack penetration when it mattered.
14 = New Zealand Warriors (-4) - Conditions were not great but the Warriors performance was worse. They are struggling for a spark and when RTS went off, they lacked a leader in attack. Didn't Johnson once win the Golden Boot...?
15 = Gold Coast Titans (-3) - Injuries and the playing group torn; pressuring is on the Titans very early. Perhaps a few weeks without their fullback will bring the best out of them. Watch this space...
16 = Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles (-3) - If pressure is on the Titans, then the Sea Eagles are in need of a miracle. They have creative flair, but all round, they are a very poor football team on that showing, regardless of how many tries they converted.
Agree or disagree? Post your thoughts to @scoobystips.
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