Tough, challenging, difficult. Call it what you want, and a lot of people have used much more colourful language, but it has been a demanding week for the Warriors after their humiliating capitulation against Penrith last weekend.
It's been nearly eight years since Manly last lost three consecutive matches at Brookvale Oval, and that record has the Sea Eagles ready for battle tonight.
The Warriors' pathetic capitulation against Penrith was one of those disasters that every sports club hopes never happens. Keen observers with an ear to the ground were hardly surprised though.
Queensland Origin flyer Brent Tate has re-signed with North Queensland for another season.
David Taylor's slim hopes of playing in this year's State of Origin series will hinge on an NRL judiciary hearing today.
The Dragons got their season back on track on a fairytale night for NRL bad boy Josh Dugan.
Matt Elliott's Warriors are on a road to nowhere, and tonight come up against Penrith who are coached by the man who had them on a road to somewhere.
He's been in the best form of his career, assured of his spot in the NSW side and playing in a red-hot NRL side - life's good for Mitchell Pearce.
Canberra have fired a shot across the bow of Cronulla's Todd Carney, with back-rowers Josh Papalii and Joel Edwards set to zero in under his ribs to take the sting out of the star playmaker's attack tomorrow.
It's something that afflicted All Blacks teams at World Cups for close to two decades and now the Warriors are experiencing their own performance anxiety that threatens to ruin their season.
Penrith produced the upset of the NRL season last night, ending an eight-year drought against defending premiers Melbourne with a stunning close victory.
The Gold Coast Titans have stepped up their pursuit of Sam Tomkins, rasing doubts that the Warriors will land their No1 target.
Josh Dugan's former captain David Shillington says Canberra holds no ill-feelings towards the controversial fullback for signing with St George Illawarra.
NRL clubs are continually searching for the latest innovation to give them the edge but I really think they also need to look back to understand what brings success.
The Warriors' main target for next season remains England fullback Sam Tomkins but they are on the verge of adding another player for 2014 with Cronulla back-rower Jayson Bukuya close to securing a two-year deal.
Jerome Ropati recently trawled through some footage of himself playing in the 2010 NRL season to see how he used to play.
Tim Mannah could be in line for a shock return for Parramatta's NRL clash with North Queensland tonight.
NRL players are more likely to be sent from the field for a shoulder charge after the NRL Competition Committee moved to launch a crackdown on foul play, and time wasting.
The deaths of two New Zealand-born players this season has raised questions around welfare and whether NRL clubs are doing enough to assimilate Pacific Island youngsters into their environment.
The side playing against the Titans on Sunday looks like one that can start winning games, writes Richie Barnett. It's a pretty solid team and one that can turn tight defeats into results.
The injury-hit Wests Tigers have been boosted by the return of Benji Marshall for tonight's NRL clash with Canterbury at ANZ Stadium.
Gold Coast sustained some serious damage on the scoreboard and in the injury department as Newcastle logged their first away win of the NRL season at Skilled Park yesterday.
Another rollicking weekend of NRL football already has clubs reaching for their calculators - and not even the struggling Warriors are out of top eight possibilities.
Despite neutral referees being non-negotiable in almost every other international sport, they are unlikely to be fixtures at this year's Rugby League World Cup.
It was far from their vintage best but the Cowboys got their campaign back on track with a workmanlike win over a flat Canberra side.
Brisbane coach Anthony Griffin says his forwards are starting to play the brand of football needed to beat the best teams in the NRL.
Penrith's halves crisis deepened yesterday with young five-eighth Blake Austin ruled out for six weeks with a foot injury.
Parramatta co-captain Tim Mannah yesterday expressed his family's disappointment at reports linking his late brother Jon's cancer battle with alleged peptide use at Cronulla NRL club.
The Kiwis experienced the familiar taste of defeat in the Anzac test, but they would do well to remember the unfamiliar taste of fear Australia might have experienced for 40 minutes.
Watch a replay of our live coverage of the Kiwis taking on Australia in the Anzac Test in Canberra.