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 have a new leader at the top of the board after a bizarre Panthers victory over the Titans. The Bulldogs stepped on an enormous Tigers-shaped snake to tumble down the 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.
Panthers - ladder up 1
The reigning premiers flew to the Gold Coast to take on the Titans for what was expected to be a comfortable victory, and that's how things started. Thomas Jenkins scored the first of four first-half tries in the 18th minute. The Panthers backs were making short work of the Titans' defence with Dylan Edwards, Blaize Talagi and Casey McLean all crossing to give Penrith a dominant 24-0 halftime lead. Whatever the Panthers said or did during the break, the result was disastrous. The Titans scored their first try eight minutes into the second half, before running in four more in twenty minutes to take an astounding 26-24 lead to the delight of the home crowd. Then, Nathan Cleary happened. He kicked an audacious two-point field goal to level the scores with two minutes remaining and into golden point extra time set in motion the 60-metre match-winning try.
2.
Raiders - snake down 1
The ladder-topping Raiders turned up to play the Dragons at a WIN Stadium being battered by a ferocious southerly and driving rain. The conditions were always likely to stifle the free-flowing football that has been a highlight of the Green Machine's season. The Dragons were prepared to fight this one out in the trenches and they crossed first through Mathew Feagai after only 3 minutes. The Raiders replied with two Matthew Timoko tries, the first a typical bulldozing run from close range in the 31st minute, while the second saw him run onto a brilliant Jamal Fogarty pass to cross untouched 14 minutes later. The teams were locked at 10-10 thanks to a couple of penalty goals to the Dragons. Into the second half the conditions did not improve, with the Raiders unable to breach the Dragons' defence, while conceding another converted try and penalty goal.
3.
Storm - ladder up 1
Melbourne flew up to Parramatta to tackle the improving Eels. The early exchanges were dour as both teams jabbed and clinched. After failing to crack the Eels' defence with multiple attacking raids, a Cameron Munster bomb was taken by Eliesa Katoa for the first try of the game after 22 minutes. A Ryan Papenhuyzen error not long after led to an Eels try in the corner locking the scores at 4-4. Both teams were suffering from handling errors as halftime approached, before Harry Grant put Tui Kamikamica over untouched from 10 metres out. The Eels closed to 10-8 with a try just after halftime, before a penalty goal tied the game up. Papenhuyzen had a chance to regain the lead but his kicking was off all night. The winning play, a Munster bomb to a high-flying Xavier Coates, which Nick Meaney comfortably converted.
4.
Broncos - ladder up 1
The Broncos hosted the Rabbitohs on a dry track in Brisbane and looked to be in for a test with the Bunnies putting up a decent fight early on. Ezra Mam crossed for the first Broncos try after 15 minutes following a Reece Walsh break, before Jack Gosiewski pounced on an Adam Reynolds grubber to take the score to 12-0. A Kotoni Staggs try split two by the visitors and the game went to halftime poised at 18-8. After the break the Broncos unleashed their attacking brilliance, scoring seven tries, with Mam and Staggs notching up there doubles and Deine Mariner joining them with two. The Rabbitohs scored a late consolation try, but the score was already embarrassing by that point. Adam Reynolds, who the Rabbitohs released because they didn't want to give him a three-year deal, kicked 10 from 10 goals in what is his fourth season with the Broncos.
5.
Sharks - ladder up 1
Cronulla hosted the Cowboys at Shark Pool, as the rain tumbled down across Sydney on a miserable Sunday afternoon. With boot high surface water causing havoc, the Sharks went about proving their aquatic prowess, crossing for their first try in just the third minute with Braydon Trindall diving on a clever grubber kick from Blayke Brailey. Addin Fonua-Blake crossed for his usual four-pointer, before a Ronaldo Mulitalo double before the break saw the Sharks lead 26-0. The Cowboys scored two second-half tries, split by Cameron McInnes's 60th minute effort, as the Sharks eased to a convincing victory. Nicho Hynes was perfect with the boot in awful conditions, converting all five tries as well as one penalty goal.
6.
Bulldogs - snake down 3
The Bulldogs took halfback Lachlan Galvin to Parramatta to face the Tigers in the slop of CommBank Stadium. Noted dry-trackers, the Bulldogs had a couple of early opportunities, but fell short, before making way too many defensive errors. The Tigers crossed for the first try after 13 minutes, with Viliame Kikau giving away a lazy penalty before racing off his line and bouncing off Adam Doueihi who combined with Jahream Bula to put Jeral Skelton over. The next Tigers try came after Doueihi took advantage of some sloppy marker work by Kikau and Bronson Xerri, to race downfield before sending Bula on his way to the line. The Bulldogs conceded two more first-half tries including another 80-metre effort after Matt Burton dropped the ball allowing Doueihi to swoop and cover the distance himself. Jacob Preston crashed over for a try to see the Bulldogs trail 20-4 at the break. In the second half the Bulldogs had to play catch-up football in the wet, after proving that they couldn't play wet-weather footy in the first half. They scored two tries, but allowed another in to end any thoughts of a fightback.
7.
Dolphins - ladder up 1
The Dolphins travelled to Auckland looking to upset the depleted Warriors and started well with Herbie Farnworth cutting through out wide after just six minutes. They allowed the Warriors to strike back in the corner shortly after. Farnworth then made a break and streaked away, preparing to draw the fullback with Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow looming in support, his hamstring gave way and his night and possibly season ended. Jeremy Marshall-King burrowed over from dummy-half for a try 14 minutes out from the break. Oryn Keeley swooped on a loose pass to score the Dolphins next try with nine minutes left in the half. The Warriors struck back before the break and again 20 minutes into the second half to put the home side ahead 18-16. The Dolphins blew a couple of try-scoring opportunities as the clock ran down and they generally looked lead footed. Down to 12 men with under two minutes remaining they threw it around from sideline to sideline before Jamayne Isaako dived over for the match winner.
8.
Warriors - snake down 1
The Warriors hosted the Dolphins hoping to avoid consecutive losses at home. They would have been disappointed with their goal line defence with the Dolphins crossing too easily after six minutes. Five minutes later the Warriors spread the ball to Dallin Watene-Zelezniak who skirted the sideline to dive over in the corner. The Dolphins bombed a couple of opportunities, while the Warriors lost the ball at vital times. Watene-Zelezniak crossed again before halftime to close the score to 16-12. Nineteen minutes into a tense second half, try-scoring machine Leka Halasima brought down a Tanah Boyd bomb to put the home team ahead 18-16. Despite some desperate defence, the Warriors were unable to prevent a last-minute try to the Dolphins.
9.
Tigers - ladder up 2
The Tigers hosted the Bulldogs on a surface the local councils would have closed on Friday. The Tigers defended their line gallantly early before working their way downfield for Adam Doueihi to bust a tackle, slip the ball to Jahream Bula who put Jeral Skelton over in the corner. The next try came after Doueihi jumped out of dummy half deep in his own half and caught the markers napping before drawing the fullback to send Bula to the line. A double to Skelton in the 29th minute was followed by another 80-metre try, this time Doueihi doing it all himself after pouncing on a dropped ball. Leading 20-4 at the break the Tigers knew the Bulldogs would come out firing in the second half, but they continued to play the better style of football for the conditions, forced plenty of mistakes with their defence and only conceded two tries. In reply Jarome Luai put Samuela Fainu over in the 70th minute to put the game out of reach. It was a victory of the heart for the Tigers, who had a big point to prove to anyone who might have thought they could find greener pastures elsewhere.
10.
Sea Eagles - snake down 1
Manly hosted the Roosters on a night when no one should have left the warm, dry, confines of their homes. The rain belted down throughout the game and both teams did well to complete at all. The Sea Eagles opened the scoring when Tolutau Koula bulldozed his way over in the sloppy conditions after 16 minutes. It was the last time the home side would trouble the scorer. Before the teams swam off for halftime the Roosters had crossed for two tries, both brilliantly converted by Sam Walker, to lead 12-4. With the wind in their face for the second half, the Sea Eagles struggled to make any impact upon the Roosters defence. The visitors crossed for another try to run away with the vital competition points, with the Sea Eagles season left in soggy tatters.
11.
Eels - snake down 1
Parramatta hosted the Storm on a cold night following a very wet Sydney day. An early scare down the left was extinguished as the Eels tried to get into the grind with Melbourne. Errors put an end to most early Eels attacking raids. Their defence was managing to repel the Storm, until a bomb in the 22nd minute resulted in a try to Eliesa Katoa. Josh Addo-Carr did well to finish off a backline movement after 26 minutes to level the scores. The Eels were doing well to control the Storm until Tui Kamikamica crashed through a huge hole in the middle of the line just before the break. Five minutes after the break Charlie Guymer and a ton of luck saw the Eels narrow the score to 10-8, before a penalty goal took them to 10-10. With ten minutes remaining Zac Lomax was out-jumped by Xavier Coates for a Storm try, which was converted for a 16-10 victory.
12.
Roosters - ladder up 1
The Bondi boys headed to the northern beaches to take on the Sea Eagles in weather that would drown a duck. The Roosters conceded the first try in the 16th minute, but their defensive line would not be breached again all night. Billy Smith scored the Roosters' first try after half-an-hour, pouncing on a Sam Walker grubber kick. The Roosters next try was one of the year's best, with James Tedesco making a break from an offload before finding Walker in support. Walker was hit by a defender, spun around, fell to the ground, bounced to his feet and put in a cross-field kick all in the one motion. Daniel Tupou had to hit his knees to take the kick, before shovelling it up to Angus Crichton who ran ten metres through shocked defenders to score. The Roosters taking a 12-4 lead to the break despite running into a gale. After the break the Roosters advanced through an Egan Butcher try and a penalty goal to Walker while holding Manly scoreless. It was a gutsy win in appalling conditions with Tedesco and Walker starring.
13.
Dragons - ladder up 1
The Dragons hosted the Raiders at a WIN Stadium which was wearing its most hostile face, with a southerly roaring down the field driving in the rain and stunting the crowd numbers. Mathew Fegai opened the scoring for the Dragons after just nine minutes as both teams struggled in the conditions. Two Raiders tries saw the teams trudge off locked at 10-10 thanks to a couple of penalty goals to the home side. Into the second half the Dragons scored again through Corey Allen to take the lead, while the Raiders were completely frustrated by the quality of the Dragons scrambling defence and the near impossible conditions. Dragons halfback Kyle Flanagan's goal kicking was ridiculous considering the wind and rain. He converted both Dragons tries and kicked three penalties from three attempts to prove the difference on the scoreboard.
14.
Cowboys - snake down 2
The Cowboys made the long journey to Cronulla to tackle the Sharks in awful conditions. It soon became clear that they were going to struggle to contain the hosts, who crossed after just three minutes through a grubber kick, which pulled up nicely in the wet. The Cowboys conceded three more tries before the break to trail 26-0. The Cowboys came out in the second half and scored first with Griffin Neame crossing in the 46th minute. They then conceded another to the Sharks, before winning the second half with a try to Braidon Burns. It was a soggy afternoon which only added to the misery of what has been a very disappointing season for the Cowboys.
15.
Titans - steady
The Titans hosted the Panthers with local hopes raised slightly by an upset victory over the Warriors a week earlier. The Panthers proceeded to administer a first-half dose of reality, running in four tries to take a comfortable 24-0 halftime lead. Titans coach Des Hasler must have produced the halftime speech of his life because the Titans emerged a completely different team. Brian Kelly crossed for the first of their tries eight minutes after the break, before Jayden Campbell had his turn five minutes later. A Sam Verills try was followed by a Phillip Sami double and the Titans hit the lead 26-24 and looked like pulling off a miracle victory with just over five minutes remaining. With the home crowd hanging off their seats, Panthers' maestro Nathan Cleary kicked a two-point field goal to level the scores with two minutes to go. Into golden point extra time, the Titans defence could hold on no longer, and the Panthers scored a match-winning try to put an end to what would have been an incredible upset.
16.
Knights - steady - bye
17.
Rabbitohs - steady
The heavily depleted Rabbitohs left wet Sydney and headed to dry Brisbane to take on the Broncos. They put everything into their first-half defence, managing to hold the Broncos to just the three tries, while scoring a couple themselves. Bayleigh Bentley-Hape brought down a perfectly placed Lewis Dodd cross-field bomb in the 31st minute to open the scoring for the Bunnies, before Tallis Duncan barged over out wide eight minutes later. There was little joy for Souths after the break however as the Broncos flicked the switch to run in seven tries, The Rabbitohs only reply came in the 70th minute with a try to Lachlan Hubner after some slick dummy-half work from Isaiah Tass. The end of the season can't come soon enough for the Rabbitohs who are struggling to name a 17-man squad each week.