The race to the finals is on, with several teams needing to win every remaining game, it makes for some desperate rugby league.
Read on as we take a look back over some of the biggest hits and misses.
HIT
How good were the Bulldogs? Not as good as they could have been
Just when you thought the Bulldogs were a one-dimensional, defence-orientated team that could tackle its way to victory against the lesser teams, but not score enough points to beat the better ones, they produce that performance against the Broncos. Credit must go to Cameron Ciraldo and his coaching staff for coming up with a game plan to rattle the Broncos at home, spreading the ball early and often to go around their compact defensive line. But their seven-tries-to-three demolition of last year's grand finalists could have been even better.
Jeral Skelton is a big unit who plays centre or on the wing for the Bulldogs. Against the Broncos, for whatever reason, he refused to back his size, strength and pace out wide. On several occasions in the first half he was put outside his man by expansive play, only to pull up and cut back into the defence. The worst example came in the shadows of halftime with some brilliant ball play inside the Broncos' half. Skelton found himself in the clear 15 metres out, but instead of backing his size and speed in a typical winger's charge to the corner, he again stopped and angled into the cover defence. It proved doubly costly as the Broncos spread the ball from the next possession and scored a try to take the halftime score to 16-10.
Early in the second half Skelton found himself in a similar situation near halfway. One of the coaches must have had a word, because he took off, used a big fend and found himself in the clear well into Broncos territory. With support and Broncos chasers inside, he drew the fullback and threw the worst inside pass in the history of rugby league. It went five metres forward, rolled along the ground and found its way into Broncos possession.
You can only imagine what the score might have been if Stephen Crichton was fit to play in the centres and Josh Addo-Carr and Jacob Kiraz were finishing off the breaks on the wings. The convincing victory will give the Bulldogs a lot of confidence heading into the big games ahead.
MISS
Sharks winger saved from the ultimate embarrassment
We saw a strange piece of play from Cronulla's Ronaldo Mulitalo just before halftime in Townsville. With the Cowboys on the attack, Scott Feldt put a grubber kick ahead as he skirted the sideline 15 metres out from the tryline. Running back towards his own line, Mulitalo easily scooped up the bouncing ball, but instead of facing the inevitable battle to carry the ball back into the field of play, he decided to put it dead.
Mulitalo could have run it dead, he could have thrown it dead, dived over the line to make it dead, but in the ultimate brain explosion he decided to stab kick it dead. He had a complete air-swing and the ball dribbled across the line. Mulitalo was saved from the ultimate embarrassment as Feldt was ruled to have interfered with a Sharks player as he scrambled to ground the ball. What was Mulitalo thinking? Not a lot I would suggest.
HIT
Champion five-eighth returns to super spine
With Cameron Munster looking decidedly uncomfortable sitting on the bench, Tyran Wishart lost the ball in a tackle in his own half, before going on to allow Dylan Brown enough time and space to set up the Eels' second try of the match. Munster continued shifting uneasily in his seat. Coach Craig Bellamy would have been twitching at whether the pre-conceived timing plans should be thrown out the window. Wishart, who has been very good for the Storm in the Queensland star's absence, is clearly no Munster, but only Bellamy and his staff would have been fully aware of the superstar five-eighth's readiness to re-enter the NRL battlefield.
With 13 minutes remaining in the first half, the Australia and Queensland star rose and started to loosen up, an unfamiliar process for the usual starter.
The Storm scored an opportune try through a Shaun Lane handling error and with 10 minutes left before the break Munster was greeted by a standard chorus of boos from the Parramatta crowd. Wishart might have been wearing Munster's No. 6 jersey, but he stayed on the field and went on to play a key role in the victory.
Within the last two minutes of the game Munster went to ground after scrambling his way out of the in-goal area. Reagan Campbell-Gillard decided to throw his full weight into the shoulder of Munster. It was an unnecessary fitness test, which Munster reluctantly survived.
Munster looked like he needed the run, shook off some rust and thankfully finished the game with no further damage to his groin. He should be back to his best in time for the big games ahead.
MISS
Rolling mauls have to be stopped
Five Warriors players dragged nuggety winger Luke Laulilii over the sideline seven minutes into the second half, as the Tigers pressed to score their first points of the game. The referee must have thought rugby's popularity across the ditch would ensure acceptance of this rolling maul. Any reasonable fan of the game would have expected a loud call of "held" well before he crossed the chalk. To say he was still moving is ridiculous. As soon as a player's forward movement ceases, a call of held should be made. There is more and more of this creeping into the game and it won't be long before we see a serious injury as the tackled player struggles against the weight of a pack of tacklers.
HIT
Titans weather early storm as Dolphins fade again
The Dolphins started unusually against the Titans with both front-row forwards crossing for tries in the first 15 minutes. Tevita Pangai Junior was the first to score, beating everyone to regather a grubber kick which had bounced up awkwardly for the defence near the Titans line.
Next up Jesse Bromwich crossed for a more typical forwards try, splitting the defence after running onto a well-timed pass. The Dolphins were in command, but the two early tries would prove to be their last.
At the halftime break Titans coach Des Hasler was seen ripping into his players with a classic verbal spray. It had the desired affect with the Titans turning a 14-6 deficit into a 20-14 victory. The Dolphins had once again thrown away a golden opportunity to solidify their place in the Top 8, by not playing a full 80 minutes of football.
MISS
Referee blows up a Storm early
Even the best defence will struggle under the pressure of the constant possession the Eels enjoyed early in their clash with the Storm. The Storm received the kick-off and after kicking it clear at the end of the first set, they were penalised early for being offside. The home side then received several six again calls and a tackle restart for a dubious Storm knock down. At the end of the onslaught the Eels crashed over for the opening try. The Storm wouldn't see the ball for a second time until the seventh minute.
Quite clearly the Storm push their luck at every opportunity when it comes to slowing the ruck and rushing up in defence. Each call was easily justified, but it is hard to believe that the referee couldn't have found many more opportunities throughout the game. It seemed that after the opening onslaught the referee felt his job was done as far as Storm infringements and the game was allowed to progress as per usual.