We have something new for the 2025 NRL season. With last season's final table acting as a starting order, each week we will move teams up, down or nowhere at all, depending on their performances on the weekend.
This week we saw one of the most remarkable rounds of rugby league ever. There were 20- and 14-point leads blown, 50-metre field goals kicked to break deadlocks, a match drawn after golden point extra time and the Storm ran up a cricket score against the poor Tigers. It all adds up to plenty of movement on this week's snakes and ladders board
The results won't match the 2025 NRL competition ladder, but will give an alternative indication of how well each team is travelling.
Last year's finishing order: 1. Storm, 2. Panthers, 3. Roosters, 4. Sharks, 5. Cowboys, 6. Bulldogs, 7. Sea Eagles, 8. Knights, 9. Raiders, 10. Dolphins, 11. Dragons, 12. Broncos, 13. Warriors, 14. Titans, 15. Eels, 16. Rabbitohs, 17. Tigers
1.
Bulldogs - ladder up 1
The depleted Bulldogs travelled to Canberra to take on the Raiders and really struggled to compete in the first half. Their much vaunted defence conceded four tries, while their handling kept presenting the Raiders with more opportunities. Down 20-0 at the break, the Bulldogs fans who made the journey were wondering why they had bothered. But in a weekend of fightback victories, the Bulldogs weren't going to miss out. Captain Stephen Crichton got the ball rolling with a magnificent solo try from 30 metres out, before setting up the next try to Jaeman Salmon. He almost set up another but Connor Tracey was remarkably held up over the line, before Marcelo Montoya crossed on the left off Viliame Kikau. It was a remarkable performance by the captain, as the Bulldogs rattled home for an incredible victory.
2.
Storm - ladder up 1
Melbourne Storm were on a horror run of two losses from three games as they looked to regather some form at home against the Tigers. Ryan Papenhuyzen started the scoring with a remarkable pursuit of a grubber kick in just the third minute, he was over again five minutes later as the floodgates began to spring leaks, before completing his hat trick within 16 minutes. By the time the siren mercifully rang out after 40 minutes the Storm were up 34-0 and the Tigers were in tatters. Papenhuyzen went on to score four tries as well as kicking 10 of 11 conversion attempts. It was complete domination from the Storm.
3.
Sharks - ladder up 1
The Sharks headed to Brookvale to take on the Sea Eagles after beating them in Perth in Round 6. The Sharks started the game very sharply, with good ball movement and withering defence. The Sea Eagles were forced into errors and the Sharks took advantage, scoring two unanswered tries in the first half to take a 14-0 lead. The second try to Addin Fonua-Blake embarrassed the home team, as he charged through a gaping gap from five metres out, completely untouched. In a weekend of fightbacks, the Sea Eagles scored the first two tries after the break, before the Sharks took control again to run away with a convincing victory.
4.
Warriors - ladder up 1
New Zealand visited Wollongong to take on the Dragons and scored two tries in the first 15 minutes to help themselves to a 14-0 halftime lead. As we saw all weekend that is far from a match-winning margin. The Warriors clocked off after the break to allow the Dragons to score three tries to level the scores at 14-14. With eleven minutes remaining in the game, Luke Metcalf calmly stepped up for New Zealand with a field goal to put them back in front.
5.
Raiders - snake down 4
For just the second time ever the Raiders hosted a first versus second clash in glorious Canberra weather, in front of their biggest home crowd in decades. Within five minutes Zac Hosking crashed through the middle of the Bulldogs for the Green Machine's first try. The Raiders continued to carve the Bulldogs up, building a healthy 20-0 lead at halftime. They very nearly extended that lead three minutes into the second half, but instead conceded for the first time shortly after. The momentum swung sharply in the visitor's favour and the Raiders had no answer to the slashing running game of Bulldogs' captain Stephen Crichton.
6.
Cowboys - steady - draw
The weekend of thrilling contests continued into Saturday night as the Cowboys hosted the Panthers in a see-sawing clash. The Cowboys scored two first-half tries, but conceded three to trail 18-12 in an excitingly open game. The Panthers kicked two tries clear in the second half, but to continue the weekend trend, the Cowboys crossed for two late tries to level the scores at 30-30. Golden-point extra time couldn't split the teams, as field goal attempts sprayed all over the place.
7.
Dolphins - ladder up 6
The Dolphins started well against the Eels, working hard in defence, completing well and scoring the first try of the match. They were copping a hiding with the whistle and a dubious escort call saw them eventually crack with the Eels scoring their first try in the 27th minute. Into the second half the Eels took a 12-6 lead on the scoreboard and an 8-1 lead in the penalties. With a bit more ball the Dolphins managed back-to-back tries to take a 18-12 lead. The Eels closed in to be 20-16 down and looked like scoring a match-levelling try only to have Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow brilliantly cut Dylan Brown down.
8.
Tigers - snake down 1
The Tigers were supposed to travel to Melbourne to test their finals credentials against the ever-imposing Storm, but for some reason they never turned up. Within 15 minutes they had conceded three tries to Ryan Papenhuyzen, and it was all downhill from there. The paper Tiger defence opened up and the Storm poured through for 11 tries. The 64-0 scoreline of course means that the Tigers can not win the competition now. They would have ridden a much larger snake down the board, only the lower levels are already crammed with strugglers.
9.
Panthers - steady - draw
The improving Panthers headed north to Townsville to take on the Cowboys. It was an entertaining game with plenty of ball movement, slick plays and desperate, if leaky, defence. The Panthers managed to build match-winning 12-point leads on two occasions, but the 2025 version of the team lacks the brick wall defence of previous years. They let the Cowboys cross for two late tries to level the scores at 30-30 and only had the one charged-down shot a field goal by Nathan Cleary. Time ran out leaving them with a disappointing draw.
10.
Roosters - steady - bye
11.
Broncos - snake down 3
Although enjoying a fair share of possession, completing well and having a clear advantage in available talent, the Broncos only amassed 14 points in the first half. The Rabbitohs were scrambling in defence and limiting the damage done. After the break, with the rain tumbling down, the Broncos' defence let them down early, the Bunnies scoring two tries to get to 14-12 down with 26 minutes remaining. A penalty in front and a miracle 48-metre drop goal from Latrell Mitchell and we had a second incredible fightback victory for the night.
12.
Sea Eagles - snake down 1
The slumping Sea Eagles hosted the Sharks looking to get their season back on track. They made countless errors in the first half and everything they tried in attack looked to be out of step. The Sharks swarmed around Tom Trbojevic, snuffing out any chance he had to create havoc. Still the Sea Eagles' opening try of the second half was an incredible length of the field effort, which set the crowd alight and looked to swing momentum towards the home team. They scored the next try and a penalty goal to level the scores at 14-14, but couldn't hold out the dangerous Sharks backs who cut them up late in the game.
13.
Rabbitohs - ladder up 2
The undermanned Bunnies hosted the Broncos and struggled to contain the fast-moving visitors. Latrell Mitchell was doing his best to carry Souths and his scrambling in defence helped keep the deficit to 14-0 at halftime. Into the second half the rain came down and the Bunnies opened their account through a try to Siliva Havili. They crossed again to draw within two points in the pouring rain. A penalty goal from in front levelled the scores at 14-14 before Mitchell produced an incredible moment, snapping a two-point field goal from halfway, before wrapping up the come from behind victory with a sneaky dummy-half try on fulltime.
14.
Dragons - snake down 2
The Dragons were another team to fight back from a 14-0 deficit, leveling the scores with the Warriors in the 51st minute of the game. They showed a distinct lack of desperation as Luke Metcalf calmly slotted the go-ahead and ultimately game-winning field goal in the 69th minute. They managed to score three tries to two against the Warriors, but once again, the goal kicking of Valentine Holmes let them down.
15.
Titans - ladder up 2
Gold Coast travelled to Newcastle wondering where their next win was going to come from. After 27 minutes, they were trailing 20-0 and coach Des Hasler was busy updating his LinkedIn page. A double to Phillip Sami on either side of halftime turned momentum in their favour in what became the textbook case of a game of two halves. There were two more tries to AJ Brimson as the Titans scored all the points after the break to end their painful drought and finally find a ladder off the bottom of this board.
16.
Knights - snake down 2
Newcastle hosted the Titans and set about adding to Des Hasler's misery, piling on a 20-0 lead in the opening 27 minutes. Completely in control, they would have been disappointed to allow Phillip Sami in just before halftime. After the break the Knights could not control the ball, the defence lost its intensity and the Titans stepped up. With three minutes remaining they were unable to contain the Titans who threw the ball around and had AJ Brimson dive on a centering kick for the match winner. Coach Adam O'Brien was apoplectic in the sheds after the collapse.
17.
Eels - snake down 1
The Eels were set for a big performance at home against the Dolphins, but mistakes cost them early. They bombed a couple of good chances and although gifted with plenty of possession, struggled to breach the Dolphins' defence. They finally crossed in the corner through Bailey Simonsson after 27 minutes. Locked at 6-6 at halftime the Eels hit the front early in the second half when they split the Dolphins up the middle. They then let the Dolphins score the next two tries and their late fightback fell agonisingly short.