Four straight losses means Brisbane are rapidly losing pace with the top four and they are staring down the barrel of a fifth this Friday against Penrith.
No team has won the premiership from outside the top four in nearly 30 seasons and even if they get Adam Reynolds back before the end of the regular season, it could be too late for Kevin Walters’ side by then.
Walters took a short-term gamble by resting Origin trio Reece Walsh, Patrick Carrigan and Payne Haas in the hope it would pay dividends at the end of the year.
They lost to a Warriors team coming off a 60-point hiding and the Broncos could be on the receiving end of a thumping this week against the premiers unless they dramatically turn their form around.
Canterbury are heading the other way – the NRL’s home-ground specialists improved to 7-0 as hosts this season with their golden-point win over Cronulla.
It’s taken a painfully long time for Bulldogs fans but they finally have solid foundations after their rebuild and will be a tough out for any opponent for the rest of the season and likely in the finals too.
Hands up if you think North Queensland are the hardest team to predict week to week in the NRL.
They have more Origin players than any club, beat teams like the Roosters and Penrith in Sydney when their rep stars are out then lose to teams like the Titans and Eels that they should demolish.
Team by team, here’s how the Power Rankings stack up after Round 17.
1 Panthers (last week 1): Didn’t get out of first gear against the Cowboys without the majority of their Origin stars.
You get the feeling that they just want Nathan Cleary to be back, have a month or so of regular-season action then get stuck into the finals.
2 Storm (2): They had just one of their first-choice spine on AAMI Park against Canberra and while they were nowhere near their best, they continued their season-long trend of winning ugly.
The Melbourne machine was too much for the Green Machine with Jahrome Hughes manning the controls.
(Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)
3 Roosters (3): The cogs are all starting to fall into place – with everyone on deck, they are a force to be reckoned with.
They were a couple of classes above the Wests Tigers on Sunday night and with a pretty soft schedule for the run home, they look top-four certainties.
4 Bulldogs (7): Matt Burton’s left boot is becoming the most feared weapon in the NRL. He kept the Dogs in the game with his kicking in general play and then won it for them with his golden-point field goal.
There has not been someone who strikes the ball as sweetly, and seemingly effortlessly, since dual international Andrew Walker burst onto the scene 30 years ago.
5 Sharks (4): They shouldn’t be too disheartened by the loss to Canterbury, it was a good one if there is such a thing.
Nicho Hynes is clearly down on confidence, which is to be expected given he has been dumped from Origin after one game in back-to-back years. If he gets his groove back, they’ll finish in the top four but if he can’t come through in the clutch like Friday night’s performance against the Dogs, then the Sharks will again be making up the numbers in the finals.
6 Dolphins (5): Their loss to the Dragons is the reason why they can’t be taken seriously in the top tier of NRL teams.
They’re well ahead of schedule in year two but they still aren’t at a point where they can be slightly off their game and grind out victories against lesser opponents.
Parramatta Eels
v
South Sydney Rabbitohs
NRL : Head To Head
Thu, 4 Jul 2024, 19:50
Cronulla Sharks
v
Gold Coast Titans
NRL : Head To Head
Fri, 5 Jul 2024, 18:00
Brisbane Broncos
v
Penrith Panthers
NRL : Head To Head
Fri, 5 Jul 2024, 20:00
Canterbury Bulldogs
v
New Zealand Warriors
NRL : Head To Head
Sat, 6 Jul 2024, 15:00
Wests Tigers
v
Melbourne Storm
NRL : Head To Head
Sat, 6 Jul 2024, 17:30
Canberra Raiders
v
Newcastle Knights
NRL : Head To Head
Sun, 7 Jul 2024, 16:05
* Odds Correct At Time Of Posting. Check PlayUp Website For Latest Odds
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7 Broncos (7): They don’t drop any further despite the loss to the Warriors purely for the fact that Reece Walsh, Payne Haas and Patrick Carrigan were rested.
Brisbane’s four straight losses have them stuck in the logjam of teams in the middle of the table and they are falling off the pace for any shot at an all-important top-four spot.
They have to make a statement at home this Friday against Penrith.
8 Rabbitohs (8): They had the bye after four straight wins which could halt their momentum or give them a much-needed freshen-up.
9 Cowboys (9): It looked like Todd Payten was waving the white flag when he announced ahead of time that he would rest his Origin stars for the trip to Penrith and when the Panthers did likewise, it turned out to be a masterstroke.
The Cowboys are consistently confounding this season – they’re 9-7, the fifth-best record overall and have the firepower to make a deep playoff run but also capable of putting in a stinker any given round.
10 Sea Eagles (10): Had the bye. Getting players back from injury, including Tom Trbojevic. Crunch time awaits with the Cowboys, Knights and Titans over the next three weeks presenting a chance to rise up the ladder.
11 Warriors (12): A 76-point turnaround in the space of a week is not a bad effort but they can’t get too carried away with a win at home in front of a sellout crowd over a Broncos side missing their four best players.
Te Maire Martin is one of the under-rated players of the NRL and he cut the Broncos to ribbons.
12 Raiders (10): As tough as nails but they lack firepower. Apart from a long-range kick-return try to Kaeo Weekes, given a whirl at fullback, they pressed the Storm line on several occasions but lacked the touch of class to get around or through them.
13 Dragons (14): Their win over the Dolphins lifted them into the top eight but if the earlier rounds are any guide, they will lay a duck egg just when it looks like they could be finals bound.
This Sunday’s showdown with the Roosters will be an accurate gauge on whether they are in fact the real deal in 2024.
14 Knights (17): They looked like they had many more points in them with Will Pryce slotting in at five-eighth.
Adam O’Brien was coy about Kalyn Ponga’s return date in the post-match media conference and it sounds like he could only be a couple of weeks away from a return.
15 Eels (13): They are a one-man team. Mitchell Moses is having the impact of three or four players while many of his teammates are passengers, doing their job but having little bearing on the outcome of Parra’s matches.
16 Titans (16): Had the bye, that’s a win on the ladder but they remain stationary on the rankings despite the Tigers losing because the Knights won.
17 Wests (15): Got a reality check from the Roosters after two straight wins, which is known as a streak in TigerTown these days.
Discipline is still an issue for Benji’s boys, especially when they are under the pump in games.