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 some movement at the bottom of the board with some major upsets by the Titans and Eels, which also resulted in some snakes for their opponents. The season is really getting interesting.
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.
Raiders - steady
The ladder-topping Raiders welcomed the Knights on Sunday afternoon. Kaeo Weekes finished off some sharp backline work to score the first try of the match in the 9th minute before the teams exchanged tries through until halftime. The Knights scored right on the bell to go to the break locked at 18-18. Into the second half, the Green Machine clicked into gear, with Tom Starling scoring the first of four unanswered Raiders tries after just six minutes. The comfortable win sees the Raiders maintain course towards the minor premiership.
2.
Panthers - steady
The Panthers hosted the Tigers looking to win a seventh-straight game and continue their charge towards a unbelievable fifth-straight premiership. The opening 20 minutes were heavily contested, while the Panthers set about doing what the Panthers do, wearing the opposition down with every run and every tackle made. The Tigers finally cracked in the 23rd minute when Lindsay Smith crashed over for the opening try off of a well-timed Isaah Yeo pass. From there it was a procession of black jerseys scoring tries. More impressive than the six Penrith tries was their dogged defence, denying the Tigers who put on some sparkling attacking play, particularly in the opening exchanges.
3.
Bulldogs - ladder up 1
The Bulldogs took their home game against the Sea Eagles to Allianz Stadium to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the 1995 grand final. Samuel Hughes crossed for the first try in the 13th minute, swooping on a bomb spilt by Jason Saab, before Jacob Kiraz dived over in the corner on the end of a well-worked backline movement. Just before the break they conceded Manly's only try to Jason Saab, after centre Bronson Xerri left the field with a badly broken nose thanks to the accidental boots of Viliame Kikau. The Dogs returned for the second half and proceeded to carve Manly up, scoring five further tries including doubles to Xerri, Kiraz and Hughes. Lachlan Galvin had his best game in blue and white, enabling Matt Burton and the rest of the backs to tear through the Manly defence.
4.
Storm - ladder up 2
Melbourne journeyed to Sydney to take on the Roosters and entered a try-for-try clash, with both teams leaking three four-pointers before the break. Three minutes into the second half and Storm star Jahrome Hughes was helped from the field with a dislocated shoulder, it looked bad for the Storm's hopes in this game and for the season. Down to one member of their star spine, the Storm faithful needn't have worried as Harry Grant threw the team across his shoulders, and set about single-handedly winning the game. He was responsible for setting up the three second-half tries, as the Storm went on to a narrow victory.
5.
Broncos - snake down 2
Brisbane hosted the Eels and were caught in an arm wrestle early. A penalty goal each and an Eels try saw the home side trail 8-2 after 20 minutes. With 15 minutes to go before the break, Adam Reynolds grabbed an intercept and took off from his own 30 metre line on his ailing 35-year-old legs and remarkably slid over the line despite the tackle of Will Penisini. They followed this with some clever interplay up the middle with Kobe Hetherington left with some work to do before scoring. Another mistake and the Eels were first to score after the break to lead 18-14. With 20 to go Reece Walsh made a break before sending Billy Walters over to regain the lead. A Josh Addo-Carr try saw the Eels hit the front, until with seconds remaining Walsh looked to have scored the match winner, but the bunker found he was inches in front of the kicker.
6.
Sharks - ladder up 3
Cronulla trekked to Gosford to take on the struggling Rabbitohs and found themselves caught in a genuine struggle. After a penalty goal each the teams looked set for a 2-2 first half until Tyrone Munro scored the first try for the Rabbitohs in the 40th minute. Two minutes into the second half, Ronaldo Mulitalo scored the Sharks' first try, taking an 8-6 lead following the conversion by Nicho Hynes. Eighteen minutes later, William Kennedy slipped a miracle offload while being bundled away from the line, with Blayke Brailey latching onto it before crossing for the Sharks' second try. Despite a late Souths try, the Sharks were able to hang on for the vital win.
7.
Warriors - snake down 2
New Zealand hosted the bottom-dwelling Gold Coast Titans with everyone expecting them to take the two competition points comfortably. With the first two tries on the board within eight minutes, it seemed like it was only a matter of seeing how big the margin would be. Then, as the Warriors have historically been prone to do, they drifted into a coma, allowing the Titans to take full advantage. The Titans crossed for the next two tries to take a 12-10 lead into the break. The Titans continued their momentum after the break, with two more tries before Roger Tuivasa-Sheck crossed after 61 minutes. By then the damage had been done and the Warriors' promising season looked in tatters.
8.
Dolphins - steady - bye
9.
Sea Eagles - snake down 2
Just when you thought the Sea Eagles were getting their act together for a charge at the finals, following their victory over the Storm, they turned up to face the Bulldogs at Allianz Stadium and were humiliated. The first half went relatively well, Jason Saab dropped a bomb which led to the first Bulldogs' try, but he made up for it with a brilliant diving effort in the corner in the 37th minute to see them go to the break trailing 12-4. The second half however was a disaster, with the Bulldogs running rampant and the Sea Eagles not even really threatening the blue-and-white wall of defence.
10.
Eels - ladder up 3
Parramatta took on the Broncos in Brisbane and soon showed they were in for the contest. After a tough opening 20 minutes which saw the scores locked at 2-2, an innocuous Mitchell Moses bomb was allowed to bounce by Reece Walsh, Sean Russell grabbed it, chipped ahead, regathered and scored the opening try. An intercept and a soft try up the middle saw the Eels trail 14-8 before a cleverly worked play which ended in a perfect chip kick to a diving Zac Lomax saw the score 14-12 just before halftime. Four minutes into the second half, Moses threw a brilliant pass to Will Penisini, who shovelled it onto Lomax for his second try. The Broncos regained the lead before some Josh Addo-Carr magic in the corner put the Eels in front. They were able to survive a last minute Reece Walsh try which was overruled after he was found to be offside.
11.
Tigers - snake down 1
The Tigers took on the Panthers in Parramatta and were looking good with the ball in the opening exchanges. No matter what they tried, however, the Panthers found a way to stop them from scoring. At 2-2 in the 23rd minute, the Tigers' defence finally ruptured and it was virtually all over from there. The Tigers kept throwing everything they had at the black wall but were unable to breach it. All the while they leaked a steady stream of tries to the reigning premiers.
12.
Cowboys - ladder up 2
The Cowboys hosted the Dragons hoping to resurrect their flailing finals hopes. They started well, running in tries to Zac Laybutt and Tom Dearden, before the Dragons scored their first. The home side crossed for three more before the break to lead 28-12 at halftime. They would have been disappointed with their second-half defence, as the Dragons stormed back into the game, crossing four times to open the game right up. Fortunately, the Cowboys were able to score two of their own through Dearden and Jaxon Purdue to hold on for a much-needed victory.
13.
Roosters - snake down 2
Desperate to stay within reach of the Top 8, the Roosters hosted the Storm who were down on troops and on the rebound from a loss to the Sea Eagles. They opened the scoring through some slick passing to the left where Daniel Tupou found plenty of space. The Storm struck back shortly after, levelling the scores at 6-6. The teams traded tries through the first 40 minutes for the Roosters to go to the break up 18-16. Lindsay Collins brought down a kick to score early in the second half, before the Storm scored two tries to take a 28-24 lead. The Roosters hit the front again in the 65th minute before their hearts were broken in the 72nd minute through a Stefano Utoikamanu try. It was a brave performance, but a game they really needed to win and should have won.
14.
Dragons - snake down 2
The Dragons journeyed north for some warmth in pursuit of vital competition points against the Cowboys. They were slow out of the blocks allowing two early tries in what would continue to be a game where defence took a back seat. Down 28-12 at halftime the Dragons mounted another fightback, running in four second-half tries, but ultimately lost the game through their inability to stop the Cowboys from scoring two more of their own. Jacob Liddle again proved to be the spark that lit the second half fire under the Dragons and must be close to claiming a starting position somewhere in the team.
15.
Titans - ladder up 2
The Titans hopped the ditch desperate to perform for coach Des Hasler's 500th first grade game. Things weren't looking too promising as the Warriors crossed for the first two tries within eight minutes, but the Titans kept turning up and scored their first after 11 minutes through Jojo Fifita. Phillip Sami scored a double before Fifita completed his for the Titans to take a comfortable 24-18 lead. The Warriors crossed for a consolation try, but the Titans collected the competition points, finally putting in a performance indicative of their strong roster.
16.
Knights - snake down 1
Newcastle made the long trip to Canberra to take on the formidable Raiders, and matched them try-for-try in the first half with three four-pointers, topped off by Fletcher Hunt's leveller right on halftime. Despite the gutsy first-half performance, the Knights could not maintain the effort for the full 80 minutes, run down by the Green Machine who ran in four further tries. The loss sees the Knights in real danger of picking up the wooden spoon, following the Titans' shock victory.
17.
Rabbitohs - snake down 1
South Sydney faced the Sharks in Gosford and quickly became engaged in torrid battle. Locked at 2-2 in the shadows of halftime, the Rabbitohs spread the ball 10 metres out from the Sharks line with Jye Gray working some magic with his feet and hands to send Tyrone Munro over in the corner. Into the second half, the Sharks appeared to take control through two converted tries and a penalty goal. But in the shadows of fulltime, Tevita Tatola ran through a gap and slammed the ball down, collecting the narrowest strip of chalk and badly damaging his shoulder. The clock wound down before the Rabbitohs could do any more.