1 MELBOURNE (3) 1-0

They needed their hard core of genius players to get them through against the Dragons. They don't have the depth of last year, but if they don't get hit too hard by injuries they are going to be in the mix again at the end of the season.

2 CRONULLA (2) 1-0

They won, as they should have, against Penrith, but, gee, they are hard to watch. Still, that's their ground-the- opposition-into-the-turf style, and while they don't have a lot of points in them they probably won't need a lot to win most games.

3 WARRIORS (4) 1-0
They took their foot off the pedal against Parramatta, which allowed the opposition to think they were back in with a chance, but while they were rolling to a big first-half lead they looked terrific. And now they get Stacey Jones back from injury.

4 BRISBANE (7) 1-0
It could have gone either way against North Queensland, but to Brisbane's credit they made sure it went theirs. It was a high-quality game and the Broncos looked strong in attack whenever Karmichael Hunt joined in alongside Darren Lockyer.

5 NORTH QUEENSLAND (5) 0-1
They deserve to stay thereabouts, since their game against Brisbane was the most intense, fast-paced contest of the weekend. Mistakes late in the game cost them, but they should win at home against the Tigers this weekend.
6 SOUTH SYDNEY (10) 1-0

The Rabbitohs are one of those teams people find it easy to get excited about when they win, so we have to be careful not to get caught up in the hype. But as someone who tipped them to make the finals, I readily admit I'm a believer.

7 BULLDOGS (12) 1-0
We must be careful not to sell the Bulldogs short, just because they were playing a Manly team that must have been distracted by their off-field problems. The Bulldogs looked fast in attack and furious in defence, and have rebuilt ideally.

8 MANLY (1) 0-1

Who knows what sort of ride we're going to go on with the Sea Eagles this season. They should find it a bit easier to prepare for their game against the Warriors, but they certainly won't find the Warriors easy. They badly miss Brett Stewart.
9 ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA (6) 0-1

There was plenty to like about the way they played against Melbourne. They are going to need to push the envelope a bit more in attack at some stage, but that will come. As long as they keep the error rate down, they will do well.
10 GOLD COAST (14) 1-0

Got into trouble early against Newcastle, but managed to get out of it just as easily. There is no doubt they have a first-choice team capable of making the finals - it's a matter of whether their questionable depth gets tested out by injuries.
11 WESTS TIGERS (15) 1-0
They did well in the second half against Canberra, when they dominated possession, but there must be concern about their red-zone defence in the first half. Still a lot to work on, but at least they have begun the season with a win.

12 PARRAMATTA (11) 0-1
They are a worry, the Eels. They couldn't adjust to the pace against the Warriors until the Warriors had established a strong lead and it was too late. Too early to write them off, but they need a bigger contribution from key players.

13 CANBERRA (9) 0-1

They finished the first half so well against the Tigers, but then couldn't score a point in the second half. They didn't have much possession after the break, but there's no point in blaming anyone else for that. Need to find their groove.
14 SYDNEY ROOSTERS (8) 0-1
Oh, what a worry they are. I saw them as being in trouble before round one and I see them as being in a lot more trouble now, after the Rabbitohs ripped them apart. It is shaping as a tough season for a team that lacks quality depth.

15 NEWCASTLE (13) 0-1
They began well against the Titans, but then got run over. They are going to be a work in progress, the Knights. Now that Danny Buderus is gone it would be handy if Kurt Gidley could be everywhere on the field, but he's only human.

16 PENRITH (16) 0-1
It's not really much of a positive to lose by only eight points to a highly-ranked team like Cronulla. The Sharks don't often win by big margins. The Panthers have a heap of work to do if they are going to avoid finishing well back this season.