Soward: Roosters, Rabbitohs run hot; Eels, Sea Eagles make statements

The weekend confirmed my thoughts on the three tiers of teams.

There's the upper echelon of the Roosters, Rabbitohs and Storm, then there's a bunch of teams playing well chasing that top tier of teams and a third tier of teams that will struggle to get out of the bottom half of the ladder.

Check out where your team sits in this week's Power Rankings.

1. Sydney Roosters (last week: 1)

When you don't get out of first gear and win by 30 you're a special team. Like I've said every week, the other 15 teams are chasing the Roosters and that continues to be the storyline. Latrell Mitchell's performance was a 10 out of 10 - probably the most dominant individual performance I've seen in a long, long while. He was on another level.

2. South Sydney Rabbitohs (2)

What an outstanding job by Wayne Bennett. He took the pressure off his players and allowed them to concentrate on nothing but the game. All we heard about all week was the Brisbane players and the coaches, and Wayne just absorbed it all and his players went out and put on a masterclass against the Broncos.

3. Canberra Raiders (4)

It was important they bounced back after a disappointing loss to Manly and I like the way they went about their business. The Raiders went to Wagga Wagga with a defensive mindset and that's how they're going to win games this year. When they get away from that they become the old Raiders and lose tight games, but they were fantastic against the Panthers.

4. Parramatta Eels (5)

If they don't make the top six it'll be nothing short of a disappointment. When the Eels play at that new stadium the place is rocking and a finals atmosphere there would be something to see. The back three are outstanding and this team could surprise a couple of the real heavyweights if they make the eight. I like the look of Parramatta.

5. Melbourne Storm (3)

This is probably the lowest the Storm have been in the Power Rankings for a long time. They were disappointing and continue to find themselves in tight games. They turn over possession cheaply and invite other teams into the contest, and the Sharks punished them. Are we seeing signs of the juggernaut slowing down?

6. Manly Warringah Sea Eagles (6)

Another great win without a couple of their stars and they continue to get the best out of their fringe guys. Des Hasler put the Manly back in Manly. I had no idea what that meant but I understand now and it's working. There's a real steel about them and that game against the Dragons set the tone for their year defensively.

7. Cronulla Sharks (9)

I love the Sharks. I still think when they get their full squad back they can be a genuine threat to the big three. They've got young guys learning on the run at the moment and they're playing fantastic football. I don't see the Sharks having any real losing slumps and with a full deck they'll be a contender come the end of the year.

8. St George Illawarra Dragons (7)

Had a golden opportunity against Parramatta to cement their position in the eight and a win would've been huge, but they fell away and they've got injuries galore. I'm in a holding pattern with the Dragons. This a massive week for them in terms of where they want to go.

9. Newcastle Knights (12)

This is the side I thought I was going to see this year. They were under the pump but they've rattled off two wins in a row and need to continue that momentum. The switch of Ponga to fullback is working and Connor Watson deserves a special mention, but Mitchell Pearce is the catalyst for this team. They're hard to beat when he plays like he has the last two weeks.

10. Brisbane Broncos (8)

I could've easily had them lower. There was a lot of hype around this team in the pre-season and I had them to make the top four, but they haven't delivered. The forwards don't lay a platform for the halves and the halves don't have any composure or polish inside the opposition's 20. They got out-muscled by an experienced Souths pack.

11. Canterbury Bulldogs (13)

They go up simply because most of the other bottom-eight teams have been disappointing. The Dogs' effort has been fairly solid and consistent, and they're learning on the run how to be first-graders. They probably should've done better against Manly but I'll be patient with them.

12. North Queensland Cowboys (15)

A good win against the Titans and is this the Cowboys we might start seeing a bit more of? They weren't great but Jason Taumalolo's injury return made a difference and they showed a bit of desperation they wanted to keep their season alive. The teams below them are playing worse, so they get a reprieve and move up a few spots.

13. Penrith Panthers (11)

Their season has a faint heartbeat but they're not showing any signs of going on a run and rattling off 10 or 12 wins. They've picked up more injuries, suspension and ill-discipline aren't helping, and it's looking more and more like the Panthers are going to miss the top eight.

14. Wests Tigers (10)

Competed well for the first 20 minutes and put themselves in a contest, and just refused to go on with the job. They looked slow and lacked energy in some of their efforts, and Latrell Mitchell just tore them to shreds. To concede 40 points when the Roosters didn't get out of first gear is concerning for Michael Maguire. They've given up over 100 points in the last three weeks.

15. Gold Coast Titans (14)

This team is in for one and out for three - a bit like the Warriors. I just don't understand how they can be in a winnable game against the Cowboys and play the way they did. They lost Tyrone Roberts and Ash Taylor didn't step up and take control of the team. It was a situation where the Titans really needed him to come up with the goods and they looked directionless.

16. New Zealand Warriors (16)

I don't know where this team goes. They've got so much talent and they refuse to win home games and refuse to pay back those fans in New Zealand. They've got Kodi Nikorima coming over and that pushes back the development of the young guys, so I'm confused as to what their game plan is and don't like their habit of getting in messy games.

The views in this article do not necessarily express the opinions of the NRL, ARLC, NRL clubs or state associations.