NRL Power Rankings – Round 3
Round Three have come and gone, and the big question all want to know is ... who can stop the Knights and
Cowboys charge?
Both teams have stunned many with their unbeaten status after three starts, while the New Zealand Warriors
notched up their first win of the season as they fight to get back in amongst the pack of teams - many of whom are
still two games ahead of the Auckland based team.
The Sydney Roosters 30-minute blitz was a highlight of the round, though for all except Canberra fans who
were left to lament of what could have been, while Manly staged their own come-from-behind effort to down the
Sharks.
Below is another edition of the NRL Power Rankings.
| Power Rankings through Round 3 |
| Current | Team | Last Week |
| 1 | Newcastle Knights | 1 |
|
Star halfback Andrew Johns was at breath-taking best in the Knights 46-22 demolition of the Bulldogs last
Friday night, but both his coach and the Newcastle fans would have raised their eyebrows when he announced
his availability for the ANZAC test match after previously stating that he would retire from representative
football to concentrate on winning another premiership with the Novocastrians. |
| 2 | North Queensland Cowboys | 2 |
|
If Johns is currently the best player in the game then Cowboys five eighth Johnathan Thurston must rate a very
close second on his form over the first three rounds. On Saturday night he picked up his third straight man of
the match award to put him well clear on the Dally M player of the year standings, a title he his trying to
defend after taking out the crown last season. |
| 3 | Sydney Roosters | 7 |
|
The Roosters unwanted habit of starting slow continued in their game against the Raiders on Sunday afternoon,
but their trend of rattling finishes was also repeated as the Sydney based side peeled off 46 unanswered
points in an amazing 30 minute period in the second half to cruise home with a 36-point victory. |
| 4 | Brisbane Broncos | 6 |
|
With a media storm brewing over whether Darren Lockyer should be moved back to fullback the crafty five eighth
swept the controversy aside to produce his best effort of the season to lead the Broncos to a 30-10 hammering
of the Eels. |
| 5 | Penrith Panthers | 4 |
|
After two close wins to begin the season the Panthers got to kick back and relax in round three with the
knowledge that they would be on top of the ladder no matter what happened courtesy of the two points they
received for the bye. |
| 6 | St George-Illawarra Dragons | 11 |
|
It may have taken them three rounds but the Dragons finally breathed some fire on Sunday afternoon with a
30-point crushing of their long time rivals the South Sydney Rabbitohs. Rugby union target Mark Gasnier once
again showed why his signature is so coveted by both codes as he picked up his second hat-trick of the
season. |
| 7 | Melbourne Storm | 3 |
|
Melbourne’s bubble finally burst on Saturday night when they travelled North to Townsville to play the
Cowboys. The travel weary Storm side found out that life on the road is hard after being crushed 40-8 by
North Queensland and for the time being there is no light at the end of the tunnel for them as they don’t
play a home game until round seven. |
| 8 | Manly Sea Eagles | 12 |
|
Another slow start nearly cost the Sea Eagles yet again as they quickly fell behind the Sharks 10-0, but the
Brookvale Oval faithful were rewarded for sticking by their team as Manly came out a different side in the
second half to storm home and score a much needed 20-18 win. |
| 9 | Canterbury Bulldogs | 5 |
|
Canterbury felt the full force of one Andrew Johns in round three as he led the visiting Bulldogs on a merry
dance for the 65 minutes he was on the field. The Sydneysiders would have taken some solace in that scored
the final 16 points of the game, but with the bye looming in round four the momentum they built in the final
15 minutes will more than likely amount to nothing thanks to the week off. |
| 10 | New Zealand Warriors | 13 |
|
New Zealand picked up their first win of the season with a comfortable 26-10 victory over the injury riddled
Tigers, but for the time being they are still in the negative on the NRL competition table courtesy of the
four points deducted before the season kicked off for their well publicised salary cap breach. |
| 11 | Parramatta Eels | 6 |
|
After the success that Parramatta enjoyed last season many expected them to be in the running yet again this
year, but so far the Eels have been somewhat of a bust with poor form plaguing them through the first three
rounds of the competition. Coach Brian Smith has attempted to shake things up though by naming inspirational
second rower Nathan Hindmarsh as captain this week for their game with North Queensland on Friday night. |
| 12 | Cronulla Sharks | 14 |
|
For the second week in a row Cronulla blew a double digit first half lead and to make matters worse Coach
Stuart Raper told reporters after the game that his team’s dressing room looked more like a hospital ward
with Brett Kimmorley, Darren Albert and Greg Bird all struggling with leg injuries, while Ben Ross has a
badly broken nose. |
| 13 | Wests Tigers | 9 |
|
The Tigers are another side that has been hit with a whole host of injuries, but the news was much better for
the joint venture outfit when it was announced that star five eighth Benji Marshall would be returning three
weeks earlier than expected from his broken cheekbone to play this weekend against the Storm. |
| 14 | South Sydney Rabbitohs | 10 |
|
South Sydney may be under new ownership, but unfortunately for the hopeful fans it was still the same old
Rabbitohs on the park on Sunday afternoon. They should get some respite this round though as they visit fellow
strugglers the Cronulla Sharks on Saturday night. |
| 15 | Canberra Raiders | 15 |
|
After giving up 70 points to the Knights the Raiders looked to have turned things around when they led the
Roosters 20-10 early in the second half of their game, but their defensive woes that haunted them the week
before reared their ugly head in the final 30 minutes to see them concede an unbelievable 46 consecutive
points. |
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