1 ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA (1) 10-4
Coming off a bye and entering a big three-week period in which they could pick up plenty more points - against the Tigers, Roosters and a potentially more State of Origin-weakened Sea Eagles - before having another bye.

2 BULLDOGS (2) 10-3
Scrappy win over the Panthers, but there is plenty of truth in the old saying that it is the sign of a good team when you can play well below your best and still win. Big game at home this week against one of the form teams in the Cowboys.

3 MELBOURNE (3) 9-1-4
They were missing a lot of thrust because of the absence of several attacking stars due to State of Origin duty, but still managed to squeeze out a win against a Tigers side that was also missing a few players. Pushing the leaders hard now.

4 NORTH QUEENSLAND (4) 8-6
The draw was kind to them when, missing a quartet of stars due to Origin duty and injury, they found themselves at home against the struggling Roosters last weekend. They will gladly accept any win minus superstar Johnathan Thurston.

5 GOLD COAST (5) 9-4
Will be hoping that having two byes relatively close together doesn't upset their rhythm, but it must feel good to be able to resume at home, where they have won six from six this season - with the Bulldogs and Dragons among their victims.

6 MANLY (6) 7-7
Made it into the top eight for the first time this season with a home win over the Raiders. Were running out of gas towards the end, but when you lead 20-0 that's a lot of gas to run out of. Five wins from their last six starts has built plenty of confidence.

7 PENRITH (7) 7-7
Coach Matthew Elliott's disappointment after the loss to the Bulldogs was understandable. The Panthers had several stars out, but were still competitive enough to win and the way the round went that result saw them drop out of the top eight.

8 NEWCASTLE (8) 8-6
They really needed last weekend's bye to try to get over a few injuries and re-focus after losing two in a row and three of their last four. Now they get a great chance to bounce back to the winning list with a home game against the Rabbitohs.

9 CRONULLA (10) 5-9
The first of only two movers on an otherwise very stable rankings list this week. If someone had told you a month ago that the Sharks would be ranked ahead of the Broncos by now, you would have said they were mad. But the form backs it up.

10 BRISBANE (9) 8-6
Sure, they were missing their Origin stars and the injured Justin Hodges against the Sharks, but the Sharks had even more regular first-graders out and still managed to win 46-12. The Broncos have conceded 138 points in their last three games.

11 WARRIORS (11) 5-1-7
They have consistently been home winners and away losers recently, and if they are to repeat last year's feat of coming from back in the field to make the finals they must improve on their away record of one win, one draw and four losses.

12 CANBERRA (12) 5-9
There is no sugar-coating it with the Raiders - they have been a huge disappointment this season. Every time it looks like they are on the way back, they embark on another losing run. Gave the Sea Eagles much too big a start last weekend.

13 WESTS TIGERS (13) 5-9
Their record in the close games just keeps getting worse. Four of their games have been decided by two points and another by just the one, and they have only won one of the five. The Storm became the latest team to edge them out.

14 SOUTH SYDNEY (14) 5-1-7
Hopefully, during the break they have had from playing due to the bye, they have gone some distance towards working out why they haven't performed as well on the field as they look on paper. Need to start stringing wins together.

15 PARRAMATTA (15) 4-1-8
Haven't strung two wins together since the second and third rounds, when they knocked over the Rabbitohs and Raiders. Their record since then is two wins, seven losses and a draw. Hopefully, they will come out of the bye with a bit of zing.

16 SYDNEY ROOSTERS (16) 3-11
They could have rescued that game against the Cowboys in the dying minutes last weekend, but off went their heads and on went pumpkins. And now they have lost injured playmaker Braith Anasta for the rest of the season. Oh, mama..