Berkeley_Eagle
Current Status: 24/7 Manly Fan
NRL Power Rankings - Round 5
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   1. Melbourne
   Position last ranking: Last week: 1 StormThey were the only unbeaten team left until the Titans edged them out. They have done well to top the table despite playing four away games in the first five rounds and missing half their forward pack. Big test against the Sea Eagles coming up.
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   2. St George Illawarra
   Position last ranking: Last week: 2 DragonsBounced back from their loss to the Storm by easily beating the Broncos, as you would expect a good team to do at home. Now they have to go on the road to face the Titans, who will be buoyant after knocking over the Storm.
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   3. Wests Tigers
   Position last ranking: Last week: 3 Wests TigersThey were already on top of the Cowboys by the time North Queensland superstar Johnathan Thurston got hurt. The season-ending injury to halfback Tim Moltzen is a big blow, but if they have reasonable luck with injuries from here on they will be OK.
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   4. Manly
   Position last ranking: Last week: 5 Sea EaglesTrailed 6-0 against the Sharks, but then clicked into gear to have the game won before halftime. Coach Des Hasler has done well to get them past losing Brett Stewart to injury and Matt Orford to England. But now they hit the road against the Storm.
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   5. Gold Coast
   Position last ranking: Last week: 7 TitansHandled being without Scott Prince much better against the Storm than they did against the Cowboys the week before. They produced a terrific last 20 minutes, forcing the Storm to play under enormous pressure coming off their own line.
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   6. South Sydney
   Position last ranking: Last week: 6 RabbitohsNot as good as in the previous round, when they smashed the Bulldogs, but they still got the job done against the Knights, and you'll take two points any way in this competition. Need to be on their guard in case the Eels come good on Sunday.
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   7. Penrith
   Position last ranking: Last week: 8 PanthersNever gave the Roosters a look-in. Their defence has improved dramatically since halftime of their round-four game against the Knights, with only 12 points conceded in their last game-and-a-half. They've certainly got ther attack to win on top of that.
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   8. New Zealand Warriors
   Position last ranking: Last week: 9 WarriorsThe most encouraging thing about them is how competitive they have been on the road this season. They had the Titans down 18-6 in round one before losing 24-18, and have since whipped the Broncos and shaded the Bulldogs. That is solid stuff.
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   9. Sydney Roosters
   Position last ranking: Last week: 4 RoostersThey have come back to the field after their dynamic start to the season. Against the Panthers, they made too many errors and took too many wrong options to expect to win. They need to knuckle down and get the basics right.
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   10. North Queensland
   Position last ranking: Last week: 10 CowboysThey could do it very tough while Johnathan Thurston is out injured. It's hard to see where else a reasonable amount of inspiration is going to come from in attack. They've got no Aaron Payne or Luke O'Donnell either.
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   11. Canterbury
   Position last ranking: Last week: 11 Bulldogs Could the Bulldogs miss the finals? It's way too early to write them off in a long competition like this, but the more even the NRL becomes the more we're going to see teams finish high one year and low the next, based on just a few variables.
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   12. Raiders
   Position last ranking: Last week: 15 Raiders They are not known as road warriors, and had won just two of 14 away games going back to the start of last season, but they stood solid in the second half against the Eels. Now they are straight back on to the road, against the Roosters.
  *
   13. Newcastle
   Position last ranking: Last week: 13 KnightsThey tried against the Rabbitohs, but simply weren't good enough. Now they get Kurt Gidley back for his first game of the season, and are at home against a Cowboys outfit missing Jonathan Thurston and other stars. Opportunity is knocking.
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   14. Cronulla
   Position last ranking: Last week: 12 SharksThe Sea Eagles put them in their place, racking up 40 points. The Sharks may have thought they had started something when they beat the Eels in the previous round, but it was clearly more an indication of just how bad the Eels are going.
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   15. Parramatta
   Position last ranking: Last week: 14 EelsCouldn't win at home against a Raiders outfit that usually can't win on the road. This week, they have taken their home game against the Rabbitohs to ANZ Stadium, which is the home ground of the Rabbitohs. That's a big challenge.
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   16. Broncos
   Position last ranking: Last week: 14 BroncosIt is so strange to see the Broncos at the bottom of the competition table, but that's where the 2010 version of them deserves to be. They get a shot at rising when they are at home to the 15th-placed Sharks on Sunday. Should be a ripper . . .
  *
   1. Melbourne
   Position last ranking: Last week: 1 StormThey were the only unbeaten team left until the Titans edged them out. They have done well to top the table despite playing four away games in the first five rounds and missing half their forward pack. Big test against the Sea Eagles coming up.
  *
   2. St George Illawarra
   Position last ranking: Last week: 2 DragonsBounced back from their loss to the Storm by easily beating the Broncos, as you would expect a good team to do at home. Now they have to go on the road to face the Titans, who will be buoyant after knocking over the Storm.
  *
   3. Wests Tigers
   Position last ranking: Last week: 3 Wests TigersThey were already on top of the Cowboys by the time North Queensland superstar Johnathan Thurston got hurt. The season-ending injury to halfback Tim Moltzen is a big blow, but if they have reasonable luck with injuries from here on they will be OK.
  *
   4. Manly
   Position last ranking: Last week: 5 Sea EaglesTrailed 6-0 against the Sharks, but then clicked into gear to have the game won before halftime. Coach Des Hasler has done well to get them past losing Brett Stewart to injury and Matt Orford to England. But now they hit the road against the Storm.
  *
   5. Gold Coast
   Position last ranking: Last week: 7 TitansHandled being without Scott Prince much better against the Storm than they did against the Cowboys the week before. They produced a terrific last 20 minutes, forcing the Storm to play under enormous pressure coming off their own line.
  *
   6. South Sydney
   Position last ranking: Last week: 6 RabbitohsNot as good as in the previous round, when they smashed the Bulldogs, but they still got the job done against the Knights, and you'll take two points any way in this competition. Need to be on their guard in case the Eels come good on Sunday.
  *
   7. Penrith
   Position last ranking: Last week: 8 PanthersNever gave the Roosters a look-in. Their defence has improved dramatically since halftime of their round-four game against the Knights, with only 12 points conceded in their last game-and-a-half. They've certainly got ther attack to win on top of that.
  *
   8. New Zealand Warriors
   Position last ranking: Last week: 9 WarriorsThe most encouraging thing about them is how competitive they have been on the road this season. They had the Titans down 18-6 in round one before losing 24-18, and have since whipped the Broncos and shaded the Bulldogs. That is solid stuff.
  *
   9. Sydney Roosters
   Position last ranking: Last week: 4 RoostersThey have come back to the field after their dynamic start to the season. Against the Panthers, they made too many errors and took too many wrong options to expect to win. They need to knuckle down and get the basics right.
  *
   10. North Queensland
   Position last ranking: Last week: 10 CowboysThey could do it very tough while Johnathan Thurston is out injured. It's hard to see where else a reasonable amount of inspiration is going to come from in attack. They've got no Aaron Payne or Luke O'Donnell either.
  *
   11. Canterbury
   Position last ranking: Last week: 11 Bulldogs Could the Bulldogs miss the finals? It's way too early to write them off in a long competition like this, but the more even the NRL becomes the more we're going to see teams finish high one year and low the next, based on just a few variables.
  *
   12. Raiders
   Position last ranking: Last week: 15 Raiders They are not known as road warriors, and had won just two of 14 away games going back to the start of last season, but they stood solid in the second half against the Eels. Now they are straight back on to the road, against the Roosters.
  *
   13. Newcastle
   Position last ranking: Last week: 13 KnightsThey tried against the Rabbitohs, but simply weren't good enough. Now they get Kurt Gidley back for his first game of the season, and are at home against a Cowboys outfit missing Jonathan Thurston and other stars. Opportunity is knocking.
  *
   14. Cronulla
   Position last ranking: Last week: 12 SharksThe Sea Eagles put them in their place, racking up 40 points. The Sharks may have thought they had started something when they beat the Eels in the previous round, but it was clearly more an indication of just how bad the Eels are going.
  *
   15. Parramatta
   Position last ranking: Last week: 14 EelsCouldn't win at home against a Raiders outfit that usually can't win on the road. This week, they have taken their home game against the Rabbitohs to ANZ Stadium, which is the home ground of the Rabbitohs. That's a big challenge.
  *
   16. Broncos
   Position last ranking: Last week: 14 BroncosIt is so strange to see the Broncos at the bottom of the competition table, but that's where the 2010 version of them deserves to be. They get a shot at rising when they are at home to the 15th-placed Sharks on Sunday. Should be a ripper . . .