INJURY WARD
Ben Henry (Knee, Indefinite), Bodene Thompson (Ribs, Indefinite), Nathaniel Roache (Ankle, Indefinite), Manu Vatuvei (Hamstring, Indefinite).
WHO'S LURKING ON THE EDGE?
New recruit Shaun Lane could find himself in a Warriors jersey sooner rather than later. The former Bulldog wasted no time getting down to work for his new club, turning in big game for the Warriors' NSW Cup side in their win over North Sydney.
Meanwhile winger Ken Maumalo continues to find the line, grabbing his seventh try of the season in that 30-12 victory.
REPORT CARD
D: Given the talent that the Warriors possess, it's hard to be anything other than hugely disappointed with their output - two wins, four losses - so far this season. Brad Fittler certainly is. "If I was a Warriors fan, I wouldn't be going next week," he said on The Sunday Footy Show. The fans who do show up to Wellington's Westpac Stadium on Saturday night will be hoping for a much better effort against the Bulldogs.
- Dominic Burke
BRISBANE BRONCOS
HOW THEY FARED
Brisbane barely got out of second gear in a game they were never threatened in, winning 26-0 over the Dragons at Suncorp Stadium on Thursday.
Anthony Milford looked sharp and was once again the Broncos' most dangerous.
WHO STARRED, WHO STRUGGLED?
Ben Hunt pledged to improve his kicking game after a mediocre performance against the Cowboys and he certainly did so. While his halves partner Milford ran most of the show, Hunt was far more controlled, kept hitting his target and kicked through to both Alex Glenn and Milford for some fantastic four-pointers. Brisbane may be strongest down their left side in attack, but it is still their weakest side in defence. Centre Jack Reed led the missed tackle count with four, while Milford missed three and Glenn one. Against a better side, they would have been caught out.
INJURY WARD
No new injuries to report.
WHO'S LURKING ON THE EDGE?
The Broncos are pretty settled with their NRL side at present, with no new injuries to report. Would be a surprise to see any changes made this week. The Broncos host the Knights on Saturday.
REPORT CARD
B: The Broncos are marching towards their best start to a season in a decade after the Dragons lived up to expectations as the worst attacking team in NRL history. They have five wins from six games and will start favourites to win their next four until they meet the Cowboys in round 11. They realistically should be eight wins from 10 games, which would be their best start since 2005.
NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
HOW THEY FARED
Cowboys fullback Lachlan Coote kicked a field goal in the dying minutes to give North Queensland a lead before Kyle Felt stormed over on the bell to seal a 23-18 win in Penrith on Saturday.
WHO STARRED, WHO STRUGGLED?
Paul Green is adamant the Cowboys are doing all they can to keep Lachlan Coote after the
off-contract fullback showed his value with a game-winning field goal against Penrith. Green copped a lot of strange looks for using Jake Granville off the bench but against the Panthers the ploy worked. With Rory Kostjaysn starting, Granville was the most energetic player on the field in the final 20 minutes.
INJURY WARD
No new injuries to report.
WHO'S LURKING ON THE EDGE?
The Cowboys have a hard decision to make when Kane Linnett returns from injury as early as this week. Javid Bowen has been playing well in his absence.
REPORT CARD
B: The Cowboys showed plenty of heart in the face of a lopsided penalty count to fight back against the Panthers. The reigning premiers have a huge target on their backs and rival teams will continue to aim up. This was the Cowboys best win of the season and if they can keep producing gritty performances it will hold them in good stead. Things are not about to get any easier for North Queensland as they prepare to host the Rabbitohs on Friday night.
PARRAMATTA EELS
HOW THEY FARED
Brilliantly. Parramatta put any salary cap saga concerns aside to blitz the Raiders off the park, their dynamite defence matched by a brilliant attacking display.
Corey Norman ran riot, Michael Jennings bagged a double and Kieran Foran channelled Brad Fittler with a sensational solo try as the Eels raced to a 24-0 half-time lead.
The blue and gold defensive wall held firm for all bar a freak Blake Austin try as Parramatta ran out 36-6 winners to jump into third place on the ladder.
WHO STARRED, WHO STRUGGLED?
Star halves Kieran Foran and Corey Norman have been building towards a breakout performance and it all finally clicked on a sunny Saturday afternoon at Pirtek Stadium.
Norman laid on four tries, while Foran set up one and scored a ripper of his own as the dynamic duo put on a playmaking masterclass.
It's hard to pick out any strugglers in such a dominant display, but in a 36-6 victory it was perhaps a surprise that try-scoring freak Semi Radradra didn't cross the stripe - especially given how much joy Parramatta had attacking the Raiders' right edge.
INJURY WARD
Kieran Foran (Concussion, Round 7), Matt Woods (Hamstring, Round 9), Luke Kelly (ACL, Season), Bevan French (Elbow, Round 10), Anthony Watmough (Knee, Indefinite), Tim Mannah (Shoulder, Round 8), John Folau (Foot, Round 7).
WHO'S LURKING ON THE EDGE?
The return of Nathan Peats saw Kaysa Pritchard drop back to the reserves, and while his path to the NRL looks blocked for now he'll put himself back in the frame for a recall with strong performances for Wentworthville. The youngster darted over for a try and his defence was a feature in the Magpies' 24-16 loss to Mounties. Michael Doolan stepped into the injured Bevan French's shoes at fullback for the under-20s and had a day out, scoring two tries and setting up two more in the Eels' 34-20 win over Canberra.
REPORT CARD
A: The Eels bounced back from the disappointment of a last-minute loss to Penrith to re-establish their top eight credentials with a convincing victory. They're tough, they defend stoutly - including six sets in a row at one stage - and now they have shown they can rack up a score.
- Dominic Burke
CRONULLA SHARKS
HOW THEY FARED
In a controversy-laden match, the Sharks held off the Titans to walk away with a 25-20 victory in front of their home crowd. Cronulla did look lost in attack at times without James Maloney to steer the ship. He was forced from the field with a concussion and didn't return. In the end they were able to hold off a resilient Gold Coast, who refused to give up, through a late try to winger Valentine Holmes.
WHO STARRED, WHO STRUGGLED?
Once again Andrew Fifita emerged as one of the best on field. The forward is in fine form and making opposition defences pay. He was a wrecking ball all game long; he busted a massive eight tackles, chewed up a game-high 160 metres, made a line break and crashed over for a well-deserved try.
Centre Jack Bird shifted into the halves when Maloney left the field and despite his playmaking capabilities he was unable to steer the attack in his absence. After really building some momentum in attack last week, any cohesion left the field when Maloney did on Sunday afternoon.
INJURY WARD
James Maloney (Concussion, Round 7), Luke Lewis (Concussion, Round 7), Jayson Bukuya (Thumb, Indefinite), Connor Tracey (ACL, Season), Andrew Fifita (Arm, TBA)
WHO'S LURKING ON THE EDGE?
Five-eighth Josh Cleeland inspired a Newtown comeback against the Bulldogs in the NSW Cup. A cool and calm Cleeland helped guide the Jets to a 28-22 victory. He scored two tries, had two others disallowed and make two linebreaks. His second try sealed the win at the death for Newtown.
REPORT CARD
B: At first glance it seemed as if James Maloney had made a slow start to the season, but it wasn't until he left the field and didn't return that the true impact he is having on this side became obvious. Without him they lacked direction in attack, it was confused and spluttered. To their credit, Cronulla still managed to walk away with the win to make it three wins on the trot.
- Fatima Kdouh
CANBERRA RAIDERS
HOW THEY FARED
Don't come around here with your talk of five-day turnarounds, the Raiders' performance against the Eels was sluggish, slow and lacking in intensity. The shortened rest undoubtedly played a role but for a team with finals aspirations excuses and crutches like that should not justify their 36-6 loss to Parramatta.
WHO STARRED, WHO STRUGGLED?
Jordan Rapana was the Raiders' best with the winger producing maximum effort every time he got involved. Rapana's hard work on exit sets and willingness to search for extra metres was a real feature on a difficult day for the Raiders and he set up their only try of the match with a great break down the right side before centre-kicking for Blake Austin.
Jack Wighton has been solid this season without being spectacular but it all fell apart on Saturday. Always a little loose with his hands, Wighton put down the ball four times, was found out of position on several occasions and was left behind by Kieran Foran when the Eels skipper scored in the first half.
INJURY WARD
Jeff Lima (Hand, Round 10), Frank Paul Nuuausala (Concussion, Round 7), Josh Hodgson (Thumb, Round 7), Shaun Fensom (Concussion, possible suspension, Indefinite), Paul Vaughan (Shoulder/ankle, Indefinite), Sia Soliola (Broken arm, Round 11)
WHO'S LURKING ON THE EDGE?
Mitch Barnett was the NSW Cup Player of the Year last season and is surely in the frame for a first grade start following another good performance in Mounties' win over Wentworthville. With the Raiders suffering a serious injury crisis in the forwards the rangy and tough Barnett will become a contender for a bench spot.
REPORT CARD
C-: Back-to-back away games is difficult enough and the short turnaround is there as an excuse but Canberra's lack of energy and poor attitude was unacceptable. They'll need to fix things quick smart before Sunday's tough match against Cronulla.
- Nick Campton
SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
HOW THEY FARED
The Rabbitohs were battered, bruised and beaten by the Roosters on Friday night. South Sydney went down 17-10 in a match lowlighted by their lack of direction in attack. Both teams looked to struggle as the physical nature of the match took its toll but the Rabbitohs' attacking sets seemed to go nowhere, with few people taking control.
WHO STARRED, WHO STRUGGLED?
Bryson Goodwin was one of the better players in a bashed and beaten side. It seemed like he was everywhere, trying to get his team going as they ran out of puff. Meanwhile, Luke Keary was rarely seen. He offered little direction in attack and is at real risk of being dropped upon Adam Reynold's return, with Cody Walker to retain a spot in the starting side.
INJURY WARD
John Sutton (pectoral, round 18), Adam Reynolds (broken jaw, round 7), Zane Musgrove (wrist, indefinite), Angus Crichton (groin, indefinite), Alex Johnston (hamstring, round 7), Kyle Turner (concussion, round 7).
WHO'S LURKING ON THE EDGE?
Tom Perrin continued to show his scoring ability, with the Rabbitohs NYC fullback bagging a try in a bid to spark his side to a comeback victory over the young Roosters. The Bunnies fell short in the end, but Perrin once again showed his class.
REPORT CARD
C: The Rabbitohs are drifting. A win here, a loss there. There is no consistency. They need desperately to find the intensity that saw them blitz through the first two rounds. Hopefully, the imminent return of Adam Reynolds will bring life back to the Bunnies.
- David Campbell
GOLD COAST TITANS
HOW THEY FARED
The gritty Titans were on the verge of causing a boilover, leading 18-14 in the second half and carrying all the momentum. Then the Sharks forwards found their second wind, sealing victory when Queenslander Valentine Holmes scored a great try to kick the Sharks ahead to a 25-20 victory.
WHO STARRED, WHO STRUGGLED
Cameron Cullen showed he had a bright NRL future, taking it to the Sharks' forwards
despite standing just 165cm tall. Gutsy and talented, Cullen was great in his NRL debut. Will Zillman was solid in his return from a calf injury, although he is yet to convince he's a better fullback than David Mead. Greg Bird was destructive against Cronulla but he also gave away needless penalties. He has to find the balance between bashing rival players and good discipline.
INJURY WARD
No new injuries to report.
WHO'S LURKING ON THE EDGE?
Centre Nathan Davis scored two tries in his return from injury for Burleigh in the Intrust Super Cup at the weekend. The hulking youngster won the initial race for the Gold Coast's right centre spot and was impressive before hurting his shoulder in Round 2 against Melbourne. Playmaker Tyrone Roberts (knee) should also be fit for selection.
REPORT CARD
B: The Titans have earned the respect of the NRL with their gutsy performances so far this season. The Coast continue to punch above their weight and fight on in the face of injury and adversity. The Titans had two rookies halves at Shark Park and both scored tries in impressive displays. The Titans face St George Illawarra this Saturday afternoon on the Gold Coast.
MANLY SEA EAGLES
HOW THEY FARED
After enduring the dreaded short turnaround, the Sea Eagles travelled to Mt Smart Stadium on the back of a nine day gap between games and it told. The Sea Eagles came out firing, with plenty of energy and dominated the Warriors for much of the first half. In the end, Manly out-muscled the Warriors 34-18 but despite being on top for most of the match, they only really put New Zealand to the sword in the final stages of the game.
WHO STARRED, WHO STRUGGLED?
Once again Api Koroisau rose to the occasion in the absence of star halfback Daly Cherry-Evans and continues to prove himself as a worthy replacement. Koroisau provided plenty in attack and had a hand in three tries. The previous weekend, Manly struggled with their last tackle options but Koroisau rectified that against the Warriors.
Jamie Lyon's boot deserves a mention, with the veteran centre kicking seven from seven.
After much talk about Brenton Lawrence's solid start to the season, the forward had one of his quietest games to date. Granted, he only saw 21 minutes of play but he had little impact while on the field.
INJURY WARD
Jayden Hodges (ACL, Season), Daly Cherry-Evans (Ankle, Round 9), Tom Symonds (Concussion, Round 7), Tim Moltzen (Knee, Indefinite), Isaac John (Pectoral, Round 16), Jamie Buhrer (Broken thumb, Round 9)
WHO'S LURKING ON THE EDGE?
With a slew of backrow forwards for coach Trent Barrett to pick from, Feleti Mateo is struggling to lock down a spot in the first grade side. He put a decent case for his inclusion to Barrett, albeit in the halves, with an impressive showing in the NSW Cup. He helped lead Manly to a 40-30 victory over Wyong, scoring a try, making two line breaks, four tackle busts and 170 metres.
REPORT CARD
B: Manly bounced back from last week's loss to register a solid win against the Warriors. They completed 82 per cent of their sets and played with patience in attack which proved to be the difference. In the halves, Walker is growing in confidence and Koroisau's performances are giving Barrett plenty to think about.
- Fatima Kdouh
WESTS TIGERS
HOW THEY FARED
The Knights played with a great deal of spirit but the Tigers should have had the ammunition to get the job done.
They've now lost four matches in a row and their bright start to the season seems a distant memory.
WHO STARRED, WHO STRUGGLED?
James Tedesco did what James Tedesco does and was all class throughout the match. Tim Grant had his best game for the club and Ava Seumanufagai showed why he is one of the more underrated players in the competition with a powerful effort from the bench.
Late replacement Nathan Milone had an unhappy day at centre and could be lucky to hold on to his spot despite the suspension of Tim Simona. Milone looked out of his depth on the left side and his combination with Jordan Rankin was exploited on several occasions.
INJURY WARD
Matt Ballin (ACL, Round 10), Justin Hunt (Back, Round 7), Tim Simona (Suspension, Round 9), Sauaso Sue (Concussion, Round 7), Aaron Woods (Knee, TBA)
WHO'S LURKING ON THE EDGE?
Mania Cherrington was dropped to NSW Cup and made the best of it, scoring a try in the Tigers 31-18 defeat to the Dragons. The impressive Cherrington can consider himself unlucky not to still be in first grade and will surely have eyes on Robbie Farah's starting hooker jersey.
REPORT CARD
D: Four losses in a row is a real concern, especially given that the Tigers were in a position to win all four matches. The growth of this team has seemingly stagnated after a strong opening fortnight.
- Nick Campton
PENRITH PANTHERS
HOW THEY FARED
After their last-gasp win against the Eels, the Panthers were sent crashing back to earth by the defending premiers as they went down at home 23-18.
The Panthers were resilient but in the end were outclassed by the Cowboys. There were positives to take from the game, including a star performance from winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak who had his best game of the season.
WHO STARRED, WHO STRUGGLED?
Marquee recruit Trent Merrin had his best game for the Panthers to date and was involved in everything. The lock scored a try and notched up 108 metres in 54 minutes of play to go with 39 tackles. He also proved a menace for the North Queensland defence making three offloads.
When on his game, Josh Mansour is one of the hardest wingers in the game to contain. But Cowboys fullback Lachlan Coote more than had Mansour's measure on two occasions and saved what looked to be certain tries. Against any other opposition Mansour probably would have bagged the points.
INJURY WARD
Dean Whare (Calf, Round 8), Viliame Kikau (Ankle, Indefinite), James Segeyaro (Broken arm, Round 8), Brendan Atwood (Arm, Indefinite).
WHO'S LURKING ON THE EDGE?
The Panthers beat the Knights 28-16 in the NSW Cup and there were a couple of notable performances. Tyrone Peachy, who was dropped to NSW Cup, sent coach Anthony Griffin a message with a strong which included a try. The brother of Dallin Watene Zelzniak, Malakai, was also impressive scoring a hat-trick from the wing.
REPORT CARD
B: Penrith are the heart attack specialists of 2016 with all of their games so far going down to the wire and decided in the final three minutes of the game. While the result didn't go their way this time, they'll be heartened by the fact they have pushed the two best sides in the comp - the Broncos and the Cowboys - right until the final whistle.
- Fatima Kdouh
ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
HOW THEY FARED
Scoreless. Again. Those two words tell you everything you need to know about the Dragons clash with the Broncos. The Red V went down 26-zip, meaning they have gone scoreless in 160 minutes of football and notched just 40 points in six outings. Say hello to the worst attacking side ever to grace the field in the NRL.
WHO STARRED, WHO STRUGGLED?
Josh Dugan worked hard for his team on Thursday night, trying to create opportunities out of nothing. For that reason he both starred and struggled. We see it all the time when teams are in trouble. One player puts their hand up to try and make things happen but, invariably, that leads to mistakes.
INJURY WARD
Dylan Farrell (back, indefinite), Mose Masoe (ACL, season), Yaw Kiti Glymin (hamstring, indefinite), Ben Creagh (knee, indefinite), Kurt Mann (ankle, indefinite), Sebastine Ikahihifo (ankle, round 7), Benji Marshall (hamstring, round 7).
WHO'S LURKING ON THE EDGE?
NYC Dragons fullback Matt Dufty and winger Reuben Garrick starred in their team's 38-12 win over the Broncos. Both players bagged doubles but for different reasons. Dufty's two tries came off the back of great field awareness when he twice caught opposition players slacking off in defence. Garrick made his mark with two tries down the wing, one a truly acrobatic display.
REPORT CARD
Z: What other mark is there? The Dragons attack is woeful - as it has been all season - and the team now bares the unwanted title of worst attacking unit ever. We all know where St George Illawarra need to improve. The question now: Can they do it?
- David Campbell
NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS
HOW THEY FARED
In front of a bumper home crowd the Knights managed to get their first win of the season over the Tigers in a performance that rewarded the effort they'd played with for several weeks.
WHO STARRED, WHO STRUGGLED?
Jeremy Smith had one of his finest games in a Knights jersey, leading from the front and earning the most metres of any Newcastle forward, while Dane Gagai was the best of the backs, churning out an incredible 218 metres from 16 carries.
Jaelen Feeney struggled again on his return to first grade at centre, especially defensively, and seems likely to give way for Sione Mata'utia next week.
INJURY WARD
David Bhana (Ankle, Round 10), Chanel Mata'utia (Knee, Round 8), James McManus (Concussion, Season), Sione Mata'utia (Concussion, Round 7), Kade Snowden (Various, Round 7), Jake Mamo (Ankle, Round 7), Danny Levi (Back, Round 7), Robbie Rochow (Broken arm, Round 13), Jack Stockwell (Shoulder, TBA), Jeremy Smith (Concussion, Round 7).
REPORT CARD
C+: After weeks of bad luck and letting matches slip through their fingers the Knights did well to hang on against a feisty Tigers side. They'll always be a threat to spring an upset at home.
- Nick Campton
ROOSTERS
HOW THEY FARED
Still a long way from their best performance and against a South Sydney team that struggled to string things together, the Roosters showed a determination and hunger to win that has been missing most matches this season. The much-talked about effort of Dylan Napa shows what can happen when there's strong leadership from the front and bodes well for the Bondi side once their bigger name troops start to return.
WHO STARRED, WHO STRUGGLED?
Dylan Napa was an absolute powerhouse who from start to finish was not willing to relent or give the Rabbitohs one centimetre of space. His attitude filtered through the rest of the team and they played with a refreshing energy that kept them in the hunt for the win.
Jake Friend was also a forward leader, while Aiden Guerra ran strong lines and finished with 130 metres gained when playing five-eighth.
Jayden Nikorima is struggling to have any bearing in the game. He played 54 minutes on Friday night and touched the ball 17 times, but only took three runs from those.
INJURY WARD
Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (ACL, indefinite), Boyd Cordner (pectoral, round 8), Dale Copley (pec, indefinite), Ian Henderson (broken leg, indefinite), Vincent Leuluai (knee, indefinite), Mitchell Pearce (suspended, Rd 9), Sio Siua Taukeiaho (knee, indefinite)
WHO'S LURKING ON THE EDGE?
Wyong lost to Manly but the 20s had a strong win over the Rabbitohs. Centre Dominic Reardon was strong in the reserve grade loss and Connor Watson dominated for Holden Cup with a three-try effort.
REPORT CARD
B: It wasn't a dominant effort but a step in the right direction. Thirty-two missed tackles are far too many and it has been the downfall of the Roosters this season; against an opposition on their game it would make it hard to get the win. The lift in output by the forwards helped put them on the front foot giving the playmakers a bit more to work with. Latrell Mitchell, at the back, benefited from that. Panthers and Dragons up next. Two teams in similar positions so a good chance to put together more wins and lift themselves from last spot.
MELBOURNE STORM
HOW THEY FARED
Its hard to get a read on the Storm so far this year. They're 4-2 and equal second on the ladder but have not beaten a single quality team and none of their four wins have been convincing. They put in perhaps their best performance of the season against Canterbury but crashed to their second loss in their last three matches.
WHO STARRED, WHO STRUGGLED
Jesse Bromwich was superb in the middle of the field and led the Storm pack in a bumper battle against the big Bulldog forwards. He's currently in second place on the Dally M points tally and has regained his best form after a subpar finish to last year. Young Tonumaipea, perhaps the club's most improved player this season, was also in fine touch, scoring a remarkable try midway through the second half and carrying the ball well.
Cooper Cronk and Cameron Smith again looked out of sorts, taking a litany of poor options and lacking much of their usual class. Smith nailed an early 40/20 and Cronk put in a good kick for the Tonumaipea try but on the whole they continued their sluggish start to the year.
INJURY WARD
Billy Slater (shoulder, season), Curtis Scott (leg, Round 11)
WHO'S LURKING ON THE EDGE
Matt White was man of the match for Easts Tigers in their 30-18 win over Wynnum Manly last weekend with the veteran prop churning through a mountain of work and crashing over for a rare try. White was a low key ourchase from the Gold Coast Titans but would let nobody down if called into first grade.
REPORT CARD
C-. There is something wrong at the Storm and at the heart of it is the struggles of Cameron Smith and Cooper Cronk. Cronk in particular has not looked anywhere near his normal self in the first six weeks of the season and must correct things if the Storm are to contend for the title.
