The Panthers have reminded everyone they are the team to beat as they hunt a three-peat after handing out back-to-back thrashings, while the Storm are not far behind them.
Meanwhile, the Dragons’ Jekyll and Hyde season continued as they threw away a near certain victory to heap more pressure on coach Anthony Griffin.
Read on for the Power Rankings after Round 6.
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Knights fullback Lachie Miller reveals the big risk he took when he rejected a Rugby 7s contract extension to chase his NRL dream.
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17. WESTS TIGERS
Last week’s rank: 17th (no movement)
Analysis: It was arguably their best performance of the year, particularly in the second half, but the Tigers’ 28-22 loss to the Eels sees them as the only winless side after six rounds.
Charlie Staines was impressive at fullback, but his starring display was offset by a long-term knee injury to five-eighth Adam Doueihi.
The good news is that the Tigers will finally get two competition points from the bye in Round 7 and they can rest some injured troops as they get ready for the Sea Eagles in Round 8.
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16. DRAGONS
Last week’s rank: 12th (down four spots)
Analysis: Ben Hunt’s try should have sealed a memorable win for the Dragons, but their 20-18 loss has heaped further pressure on under fire coach Anthony Griffin.
Hunt has been in red hot form for two years, but the Dragons often leave their skipper with just too much to do on his own and that was again the case against the Titans.
Griffin faces nearly a do or die clash against the Raiders in Canberra in Round 7, with his future becoming almost untenable with every loss, given he is clearly not in the club’s long-term plans.
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15. COWBOYS
Last week’s rank: 14th (down one spot)
Analysis: The Cowboys are clearly not the team that lit up the 2022 season after they slumped to another home loss to the Dolphins 32-22.
Scott Drinkwater was solid in his comeback after suspension, but it was impossible to ignore the former Cowboys Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Tom Gilbert that returned to haunt their old team.
The Cowboys need more from their defence and star halves Tom Dearden and Chad Townsend when they face the Warriors in Auckland on Saturday afternoon.
14. BULLDOGS
Last week’s rank: 9th (down five spots)
Analysis: Some bad old habits returned for the Bulldogs in their 50-16 thrashing by the Rabbitohs, albeit with a number of their forward pack out of the side.
The loss of Josh Addo-Carr to a long-term knee injury will hurt their ability to score points, but it is their defence that needs argent addressing after they were pulled apart by Latrell Mitchell and Cody Walker.
A clash with arch rivals the Eels in Round 7 is the perfect opportunity to get their season back on track, with both sides desperate for a win to keep in touch with the top eight.
13. SEA EAGLES
Last week’s rank: 7th (down six spots)
Analysis: After some promising early signs under Anthony Seibold, the Sea Eagles slipped into some bad old habits in their 44-12 thrashing by the Panthers.
Injuries to Tom Trbojevic and Josh Schuster are preventing Manly from realising their potential in attack, but their worrying defence against the Panthers was of much greater concern.
Manly next face a real acid test of where they are at against arch rivals the Storm, who have been in red hot form of late.
12. EELS
Last week’s rank: 11th (down one spot)
Analysis: It wasn’t convincing, but the Eels got over the line 28-22 against the Tigers to notch their second win of the season and keep in touch with the top eight.
In a positive sign, big money re-signing Mitchell Moses is starting to find some consistency after starring with four try assists against the Tigers.
Parramatta can push for back-to-back wins for the first time this season when they take on former hooker Reed Mahoney and the Bulldogs in Round 7.
11. TITANS
Last week’s rank: 15th (up four spots)
Analysis: The Titans secured a big comeback win on the back of Toby Sexton’s late heroics at the death to beat the Dragons 20-18.
Sexton and Jayden Campbell were two of the best players on the field after filling in for injured pair Kieran Foran and AJ Brimson with aplomb.
Foran is back in the driver’s seat this weekend when the Titans host arch rivals the Broncos in a clash that will show where Justin Holbrook’s team is at.
10. RAIDERS
Last week’s rank: 16th (up six spots)
Analysis: Just when we were ready to put a red pen through the Raiders’ season they produce the upset of the year to hand the Broncos their first loss in a 20-14 result at Suncorp.
The fact they did it without star playmaker Jack Wighton and the still injured Xavier Savage was impressive enough, but to hold the Broncos to 14 points shows there is hope for Canberra’s leaky defence yet.
The challenge now is to back it up against the Dragons heading into the bye, so they can keep in touch with the top eight, who are starting to get away.
9. SHARKS
Last week’s rank: 10th (up one spot)
Analysis: The Sharks’ bye in Round 6 gave them time to digest their 32-30 loss to the Warriors after they led 20-0 at home.
No doubt defence would have been a huge focus for Craig Fitzgibbon as he looks for some consistency from his team.
With Nicho Hynes running the show, they can match any team in the NRL for points, but they need to get their leaky defence in order next up against the Roosters.
8. WARRIORS
Last week’s rank: 4th (down four spots)
Analysis: One always got the feeling a let down was coming from the Warriors after being up for so many weeks to start the season and it came in a 34-24 loss to an undermanned Knights side.
Injuries to five-eighth Te Maire Martin and hooker Wayde Egan will put real pressure on the Warriors’ depth as they look to bounce back from their poor defensive showing against Newcastle.
Under Andrew Webster the Warriors have shown real resolve, but they will need it coming up against the Cowboys, Storm, Roosters and Panthers in the next month.
7. KNIGHTS
Last week’s rank: 13th (up six spots)
Analysis: The Knights continued to impress without skipper Kalyn Ponga with a 34-24 victory over the Warriors moving them into the top eight.
Jackson Hastings is steering the ship at halfback and the Knights’ wingers Dominic Young and Greg Marzhew are scoring plenty of tries.
However, a clash with the sizzling Panthers in Round 7 will show just how far this team has come under Adam O’Brien, especially with another key leader Jayden Brailey now sidelined with injury.
6. ROOSTERS
Last week’s rank: 3rd (down three spots)
Analysis: The Roosters were right in the contest against their arch rivals, before another Victor Radley sin bin saw the Storm turn the match on its head and run out 28-8 winners.
All the talk was around Joey Manu and Joseph Suaalii, but James Tedesco’s absence showed just how much he means to this side.
Discipline has been an issue for Radley and the Roosters for some time and that will be a clear focus ahead of their clash with the Sharks in Round 7.
5. DOLPHINS
Last week’s rank: 8th (up three spots)
Analysis: It was a case of two former Cowboys stars returning to haunt their old team as the Dolphins bounced back from two straight losses with a 32-22 victory in Townsville.
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Tom Gilbert were both exceptional, with the Hammer vying with teammate Jeremy Marshall-King for NRL buy of the year honours.
Depth could be an issue later in the season, but if Wayne Bennett’s side can knock off one of the title favourites in his former team Souths, the Dolphins are the real deal in their inaugural season.
4. RABBITOHS
Last week’s rank: 6th (up two spots)
Analysis: Granted it was against an undermanned Bulldogs, but the Rabbitohs finally awoke from their slumber in an ominous warning to their rivals with a 50-16 victory over the Bulldogs.
Latrell Mitchell brought up his 150th milestone match in style with three tries and 26 points, while Cody Walker and Campbell Graham were also on fire for the Bunnies.
With their attack starting to click, Souths face their old coach Wayne Bennett and the Dolphins next before clashes with the Panthers, Broncos and Storm and they need to start beating the best if they want to win the title this year.
3. BRONCOS
Last week’s rank: 1st (down two spots)
Analysis: After five straight wins to start the season, the Broncos were on the wrong end of a massive upset in their 20-14 loss to the Raiders at home.
The Broncos were still solid in defence, but their attack looked clunky at times with Adam Reynolds and Ezra Mam having a mixed night at the office in attack.
It won’t be panic stations for the Broncos yet, but they will be looking to get back on track against the Titans at Cbus, before a tough run of fixtures into the Origin period.
2. STORM
Last week’s rank: 5th (up three spots)
Analysis: The Storm’s early season slump looks a distant memory after their 28-8 result against the Roosters for their third straight victory.
Cameron Munster is at the peak of his powers and shouldn’t miss a beat switching to fullback this week, while Harry Grant and Jahrome Hughes are also in ominous form.
A clash with arch rivals the Sea Eagles is next, but when their troops are all on deck this Storm side is very tough to beat and they are on track to send Craig Bellamy out a winner should he hang up the boots.
1. PANTHERS
Last week’s rank: 2nd (up one spot)
Analysis: All the Panthers doomsayers have gone quiet after they beat the Sea Eagles 44-12 to climb to the top of the power rankings for the first time this season after back-to-back thrashings.
Nathan Cleary is on track to win the Dally M medal and Dylan Edwards’ four tries showed just how important he is to this new look Panthers team.
Penrith next face the Knights as they bid to move to outright first on the premiership ladder and they still look like the team to beat as they hunt a rare hat-trick of titles.
