We are officially a quarter of the way through the 2026 NRL season, and the run to the State of Origin window is underway.
There have been surprises a plenty - both positive and negative.
Two coaches being sacked by this stage of the season has been the biggest shock, but with only one winless team left and three wins separating 2nd and 16th place on the table, the season feels as wide open as any in recent times.
The Penrith Panthers might be back to their dominant ways, but with a shake up of the rugby league landscape, and all of last year's top four sitting outside the top eight, there are plenty of opportunities for the season to continue shaking out in the coming months.
Here is every team's grade for the opening quarter of the season.
Penrith Panthers
Grade: A+
Current record: 1st place, 6 wins, 1 loss, 12 points, + 135
The Panthers have been about as good as it gets to start 2026, and anything other than an A+ would simply feel unfair.
They haven't been rocked by injuries, although will now need to do things without Mitch Kenny in the coming weeks.
With the exception of a single slip up against the Bulldogs though, they have been the NRL's best team by miles. They have conceded just 94 points in 7 games in an era where points are scored for fun, and also have the NRL's best attack.
They are the clear-cut premiership favourites at this point.
Best player: Nathan Cleary
Zero Tackle MVP leader: Nathan Cleary (1st)
Prediction: 1st
