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2019 power rankings

84 Baby

84 Baby

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28,240
Good thing Queensland got good warning for that cyclone that formed just off the coast of Peru
 
Gronk

Gronk

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Rabbitohs remain at No.1, Tigers roar
Author
Jamie SowardNRL.com Columnist

1. South Sydney Rabbitohs (last week: 1)
They led 6-0 pretty easily and seemed to relax a bit against the Dragons. Defensively the right edge of Greg Inglis and Dane Gagai wasn't up to scratch but they fixed that at half-time and put together a damaging 20-minute burst. Wayne Bennett will remind them they can't rely on 20-minute points avalanches against better teams but the Rabbitohs look good and Cam Murray is an absolute star.

2. Melbourne Storm (2)
A very impressive win against the Raiders. Their attack hasn't skipped a beat. Cam Smith's pulling all the right strings, Munster was outstanding, they're just all doing their job. The width of Smith's passing is really causing teams trouble. Opponents haven't picked it up that he's actually going two passes wide with one pass.

remote.axd


3. Sydney Roosters (3)
A fantastic win against Manly. Luke Keary will play Origin this year. It's always a sign of a good team when key players are out and other guys step up. Lachy Lam was outstanding on debut. Trent Robinson probably has some concerns about the cheap ball they're turning over. He'd expect a bit better from the premiers.

4. Brisbane Broncos (7)
The Broncos were the highlight of the weekend and they make a big jump in the Power Rankings. The only question mark is over Anthony Milford because he just looked like he was trying too hard and wasn't in sync with Kodi Nikorima. That cost them last year in the finals and it could cost them again this year if he doesn't get on the same page as Nikorima.

5. Cronulla Sharks (6)
We saw some signs of what we're going to see this year from the Sharks with their free-flowing attack, but when they lead a team 20-0 they should be able to come out and put the game to bed. The Titans made them work hard for it but I like the Sharks - they're a real smoky.

6. Penrith Panthers (8)
A really scrappy win and Ivan Cleary will be happy they hung in there and won a tight one in enemy territory. Panthers fans would've been happy with the start. But the Panthers know they have to get 10 times better if they're going to be a title threat. A big challenge in Bathurst this week against Melbourne.

remote.axd


7. North Queensland Cowboys (4)
A pretty big drop in the Power Rankings after they were blown off the park by Tevita Pangai jnr. The question for the Cowboys is whether they can score points or not. They do a decent job of marching up the field but they still struggle to find some finesse in their outside backs. No Taumalolo for at least six weeks is a big loss.

8. Newcastle Knights (5)
They would've expected two wins from two home games but didn't have a great start against Penrith and were in and out all game. The Kalyn Ponga question keeps popping up - that switch is going to take time. Nathan Brown will probably look at it for six weeks and decide if it needs to change.

9. Wests Tigers (11)
Robbie Farah wound back the clock against the Warriors. He's just a real smart footballer who was able to take opportunities and steer the team around. It was Cameron Smith-esque in the way he had a hand in everything. The Tigers don't have any big names in the forwards but as far as working hard for each other they're in the top two or three.

remote.axd


10. Parramatta Eels (13)
Could've had them higher in the Power Rankings but we need to see how they go against a premiership threat. The Eels were great against the Bulldogs and Blake Ferguson's been fantastic, a real physical and spiritual leader for his side. Dylan Brown was also outstanding. Parra had to start the season well and they have.

11. Canberra Raiders (10)
Tried really hard but were caught on the hop a bit with some of their defensive reads and didn't get their numbers right. I was wrong about Jack Wighton because he's been pretty good at five-eighth, but they lack a real leader in the halves because when Josh Hodgson is taken out of the game they don't have anyone they can go to.

12. St George Illawarra Dragons (9)
No construction or cohesion in their attack at all and their last-play options continue to suffer. They look like they're forcing this move with Widdop, Norman and Hunt, and Norman is the only one who looks comfortable with it. Defensively they're not good through the middle but it's the spine that's causing all the talk around the Dragons.

dragons-dejected-190321.jpg

The Dragons are winless after two rounds.:copyright:Grant Trouville/NRL Photos
13. New Zealand Warriors (12)
A lot of hype after their first-round win and about their season and then they come out on Sunday and put in a stinker in against the Wests Tigers. They'll be looking to bounce back this week against a Manly side that are desperate for a win.

14. Manly Warringah Sea Eagles (15)
Up a spot from last week based purely on what we saw from them in that second half. That potentially could be the Manly side with Tom Trbojevic back in and I liked how Manase Fainu came on and added something different. Daly Cherry-Evans had a disappointing game but was better at the back end of the second half.

remote.axd



15. Gold Coast Titans (14)
They're missing their halves but they've been very disappointing. It took three halves of football to score a point and I really expected them to be better this season. Jai Arrow's been a shining light but there's not much else to get excited about at the moment.

16. Canterbury Bulldogs (16)
Real dramas for the Dogs, they're in trouble. Started well against Parra but just don't look like they've got the depth. They need to move some guys around, Rhyse Martin needs to come in and Josh Jackson can play lock, but the reality is that the Bulldogs just don't look good enough this year.

https://www.nrl.com/news/2019/03/25...utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=NetworkContent
 
Bazal

Bazal

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Messages
99,802
Gronk said:
Rabbitohs remain at No.1, Tigers roar
Author
Jamie SowardNRL.com Columnist

1. South Sydney Rabbitohs (last week: 1)
They led 6-0 pretty easily and seemed to relax a bit against the Dragons. Defensively the right edge of Greg Inglis and Dane Gagai wasn't up to scratch but they fixed that at half-time and put together a damaging 20-minute burst. Wayne Bennett will remind them they can't rely on 20-minute points avalanches against better teams but the Rabbitohs look good and Cam Murray is an absolute star.

2. Melbourne Storm (2)
A very impressive win against the Raiders. Their attack hasn't skipped a beat. Cam Smith's pulling all the right strings, Munster was outstanding, they're just all doing their job. The width of Smith's passing is really causing teams trouble. Opponents haven't picked it up that he's actually going two passes wide with one pass.

remote.axd


3. Sydney Roosters (3)
A fantastic win against Manly. Luke Keary will play Origin this year. It's always a sign of a good team when key players are out and other guys step up. Lachy Lam was outstanding on debut. Trent Robinson probably has some concerns about the cheap ball they're turning over. He'd expect a bit better from the premiers.

4. Brisbane Broncos (7)
The Broncos were the highlight of the weekend and they make a big jump in the Power Rankings. The only question mark is over Anthony Milford because he just looked like he was trying too hard and wasn't in sync with Kodi Nikorima. That cost them last year in the finals and it could cost them again this year if he doesn't get on the same page as Nikorima.

5. Cronulla Sharks (6)
We saw some signs of what we're going to see this year from the Sharks with their free-flowing attack, but when they lead a team 20-0 they should be able to come out and put the game to bed. The Titans made them work hard for it but I like the Sharks - they're a real smoky.

6. Penrith Panthers (8)
A really scrappy win and Ivan Cleary will be happy they hung in there and won a tight one in enemy territory. Panthers fans would've been happy with the start. But the Panthers know they have to get 10 times better if they're going to be a title threat. A big challenge in Bathurst this week against Melbourne.

remote.axd


7. North Queensland Cowboys (4)
A pretty big drop in the Power Rankings after they were blown off the park by Tevita Pangai jnr. The question for the Cowboys is whether they can score points or not. They do a decent job of marching up the field but they still struggle to find some finesse in their outside backs. No Taumalolo for at least six weeks is a big loss.

8. Newcastle Knights (5)
They would've expected two wins from two home games but didn't have a great start against Penrith and were in and out all game. The Kalyn Ponga question keeps popping up - that switch is going to take time. Nathan Brown will probably look at it for six weeks and decide if it needs to change.

9. Wests Tigers (11)
Robbie Farah wound back the clock against the Warriors. He's just a real smart footballer who was able to take opportunities and steer the team around. It was Cameron Smith-esque in the way he had a hand in everything. The Tigers don't have any big names in the forwards but as far as working hard for each other they're in the top two or three.

remote.axd


10. Parramatta Eels (13)
Could've had them higher in the Power Rankings but we need to see how they go against a premiership threat. The Eels were great against the Bulldogs and Blake Ferguson's been fantastic, a real physical and spiritual leader for his side. Dylan Brown was also outstanding. Parra had to start the season well and they have.

11. Canberra Raiders (10)
Tried really hard but were caught on the hop a bit with some of their defensive reads and didn't get their numbers right. I was wrong about Jack Wighton because he's been pretty good at five-eighth, but they lack a real leader in the halves because when Josh Hodgson is taken out of the game they don't have anyone they can go to.

12. St George Illawarra Dragons (9)
No construction or cohesion in their attack at all and their last-play options continue to suffer. They look like they're forcing this move with Widdop, Norman and Hunt, and Norman is the only one who looks comfortable with it. Defensively they're not good through the middle but it's the spine that's causing all the talk around the Dragons.

dragons-dejected-190321.jpg

The Dragons are winless after two rounds.:copyright:Grant Trouville/NRL Photos
13. New Zealand Warriors (12)
A lot of hype after their first-round win and about their season and then they come out on Sunday and put in a stinker in against the Wests Tigers. They'll be looking to bounce back this week against a Manly side that are desperate for a win.

14. Manly Warringah Sea Eagles (15)
Up a spot from last week based purely on what we saw from them in that second half. That potentially could be the Manly side with Tom Trbojevic back in and I liked how Manase Fainu came on and added something different. Daly Cherry-Evans had a disappointing game but was better at the back end of the second half.

remote.axd



15. Gold Coast Titans (14)
They're missing their halves but they've been very disappointing. It took three halves of football to score a point and I really expected them to be better this season. Jai Arrow's been a shining light but there's not much else to get excited about at the moment.

16. Canterbury Bulldogs (16)
Real dramas for the Dogs, they're in trouble. Started well against Parra but just don't look like they've got the depth. They need to move some guys around, Rhyse Martin needs to come in and Josh Jackson can play lock, but the reality is that the Bulldogs just don't look good enough this year.

https://www.nrl.com/news/2019/03/25...utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=NetworkContent
Click to expand...

Haha I just commented on this in the Wenty thread regarding Soward and his "predictions"

The man is a f**king moron
 
Gronk

Gronk

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
73,981
Roosters remain on top, Eels the real deal

The Roosters and Storm are playing catch us if you can, the Raiders and Eels are making noise, while the Knights, Panthers and Warriors continue to struggle.

Check out if your team is hot or not in this week's Power Rankings.

1. Sydney Roosters (Last week: 1)
A heap of injuries for the Roosters but that was the game of the year and both sides don't lose anything with that result in terms of Power Rankings. They showed how important it is to have depth in your squad and guys who can come in and know the role they have to play for the team. They consistently put their match-winners in positions to come up with big plays and no-one has bigger match-winners than the Roosters.

2. Melbourne Storm (2)
I'm seeing a replay of last year's grand final. Melbourne just stick to their plan so well and don't fuss or get anxious if things aren't going their way. To get back to 20-all after being down 20-nil just showed that poise in their game. The Storm are like the New England Patriots in that players just do their job and they're always in the game.

3. Canberra Raiders (4)
I don't know what's in the Canberra milk down there but they were outstanding again and are building nicely. They defend really hard for each other, they grind away and complete sets. Sam Williams has been a revelation after not starting earlier in the year and takes the pressure off Jack Wighton. The English contingent has been outstanding and John Bateman is my favourite player to watch.

4. South Sydney Rabbitohs (3)
They had some tough games in that first month and scraped through a few games lately, but it's been an emotional time for the Rabbitohs with GI's sudden retirement and I expect them to settle down this week. It's a sign of a good side when you're winning when you're not at your best and I think Souths are building towards a big performance against Penrith.

5. Parramatta Eels (6)
A very impressive performance at their new stadium. They all turned up for the occasion and you could sense pre-game that they wanted to put on a show and the simplicity with which they did it was tremendous. They didn't overplay their hand, they rolled through and played a possession game, and took their chances. Have to back it up this weekend against a desperate Knights.

6. Cronulla Sharks (7)
A fantastic, gutsy display. They hung in there and could've easily packed up shop when they were down by 14 on two occasions. They stuck to the plan and never showed any negative body language when they were being out-played. Chad Townsend was terrific and I still believe the Sharks are a competition threat when they get their best 17 on the park.

7. St George Illawarra Dragons (5)
Drop a couple of spots but I just think the teams above them are playing a little better. It looked like the Dragons didn't respect the opposition on Saturday night and being able to adapt their attack when they see a different defence concerns me. They need to let Corey Norman go a bit more off the cuff to vary their attack.

8. Manly Warringah Sea Eagles (8)
An outstanding effort, probably the best performance we've seen from a Manly side in terms of defensive energy and enthusiasm. They really took it to the Dragons and deserved more out of that game. I'm liking what I'm seeing from Manly if they can consistently stay at that level.

9. Brisbane Broncos (10)
A better effort in Canberra than they've put in recently and there were positive signs. They were right in that game and I like what I saw, but the bottom line is time is starting to run out for the Broncos and this week's game against the Sharks is almost a grand final for them.

10. Wests Tigers (9)
It was a big occasion at Parramatta's new home and they just had a bad day. They kick the ball dead for Parra's first try and then don't see the ball again for another 15 minutes. I'm chalking it down to two tough games previously that went down to the last minute so they've been up for a while. I see them bouncing back next week.

11. Gold Coast Titans (15)
Two wins in a row and they did it the hard way after losing two key men like Proctor and James. They had a slow start to the year but this is the team I thought I'd see in 2019. When Taylor and Roberts are on they're a hard team to beat, so we can expect them to get some more wins.

12. Penrith Panthers (12)
Ill-disciplined and when a team gets them into a grind there's no control or much thought going into how they can get that momentum back. Started well but a disappointing performance overall. They're not young anymore and they need to start getting it right.

13. Newcastle Knights (11)
I did not see this coming. They haven't turned up and they're pretty much playing under 16 footy where they pass the ball to Ponga and hope that he does something. They continue to make errors week after week and get punished and don't seem to be learning anything from their losses.

14. North Queensland Cowboys (16)
A massive win over the Warriors in Auckland. Not pretty to watch but they needed to win so badly that it should help their confidence a bit. It was crucial that they turn up and play for each other. They had to get that win if they're to have any chance of making the eight.

15. Canterbury Bulldogs (14)
I watched this game out at ANZ and Bulldogs fans have to be patient because this team is young, and they're going to be in games and sometimes they'll get blown out. I'm liking the effort they're putting in but the fact they're young and still learning means there will be games they get blown out.

16. New Zealand Warriors (13)
This form from the Warriors is why I said hold on to your horses after round one. A disappointing effort against the Cowboys and no spark about how they went about their business. They're easily the worst team in the competition when it comes to getting up week after week.

https://www.nrl.com/news/2019/04/23/roosters-remain-on-top-eels-the-real-deal/
 
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