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Queensland clubs fly as Storm sink: NRL power rankings, Round 11

Queensland clubs are on the march. 👇

Published by
Dan Nichols

Round 11 saw two sides continue to separate themselves from the pack. That said, the battle for the top eight is red-hot right now with ten sides battling for five spots behind the Panthers, Cowboys and Storm.

Where did your side land on this week's Power Rankings after yet another exciting round of rugby league?

1. Penrith Panthers (Last Week: 1)
Penrith are simply on another level right now. In back-to-back weeks they have dispatched of the Storm and Roosters with absolute ease.

Jarome Luai is in pristine form heading into Origin. This is brilliant for both the Blues and the Panthers. Penrith's left edge is frightening.

Jarome Luai, Viliame Kikau, Izack Tago and Taylan May are absolutely humming right now. Nathan Cleary, Stephen Crichton and Brian To'o aren't exactly playing badly either on that right edge. The middle is unmatched. Scary good!

2. North Queensland Cowboys (2)
Message sent and received! The Cowboys are for real! They played the mighty Melbourne Storm off the ground in front of a huge and vocal crowd on Saturday evening.

Scott Drinkwater is one of the form players of the competition right now yet is criminally underappreciated by the NRL community.

Valentine Holmes is set for an Origin spot, potentially in the centres while Reuben Cotter and Jeremiah Nanai are absolute must picks. They're on fire heading into a top of table clash with the Panthers.

3. Brisbane Broncos (4)
No Adam Reynolds, no worries. The Broncos are absolutely flying following their 36-12 win over Newcastle. Ezra Mam stepped up on debut with two try assists and 114 running metres.

Selwyn Cobbo set the Hunter alight on Thursday night. 224 metres, two tries and three line breaks has him headed toward an Origin debut.

There is so much to like about this side. They're far more than Reynolds and Haas. The Kevolution is in full swing.

MACKAY, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 26: Selwyn Cobbo of the Broncos runs the ball during the NRL Trial match between the North Queensland Cowboys and the Brisbane Broncos at BB Print Stadium on February 26, 2022 in Mackay, Australia. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

4. Parramatta Eels (5)
The great escape! The Eels got it done against old rivals the Sea Eagles in the final minutes on Friday night. Given the crowd and weather this made for a brilliant spectacle.

King Clint Gutherson rose to reign once again in a (in my opinion) best on ground performance. Ryan Matterson reminded everyone of his abilities in a monster performance.

Will Penisini's 77th minute try set up Mitch Moses to land the sideline conversion to see his side home. It was controversial but it was great fun.

5. Melbourne Storm (3)
Yuck! This is the worst fortnight for the Storm I can remember since the dark days. Yes they're missing some superstars but they offered nothing in their loss to the Cowboys.

Cameron Munster was awful in the absence of his halves partner. Nick Meaney certainly isn't Nicho Hynes in deputising for Ryan Papenhuyzen.

The depth just isn't there this year. The Storm will be more than fine when the cattle returns but when is the last time we saw the Storm lose two straight?

6. Cronulla Sharks (7)
The Sharks rebounded from a horror performance last week with a classy win over the Titans. Nicho Hynes returned to the halves and was the difference between the sides.

Lachie Miller had a dream debut and has surely put his name in consideration moving forward. A superb solo try and 294 metres on debut is story book stuff.

Mulitalo, Brailey and Graham were all brilliant following quiet weeks in Round 10. Good win by the Sharks but they need to back it up against the Roosters to hold onto their top four spot.

7. Sydney Roosters (6)
The Roosters, despite some brilliant performances, are a long way off the elite in 2022. The 32-12 loss to the Panthers proved as much.

Tedesco was at his brilliant best but every other Rooster lost their direct battle. The middle forwards were pushed around by the Panthers forwards.

The fact Roosters fans are calling for Luke Keary to be dropped says a lot about his form. The Chooks enter a huge contest with the Sharks on Saturday night with a chip on their shoulder.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JULY 05: Luke Keary of the Roosters looks on before the round 16 NRL match between the Wests Tigers and the Sydney Roosters at Bankwest Stadium on July 05, 2019 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

8. Canberra Raiders (11)
Here come the Green Machine! The Raiders proved that last week's win over the Sharks was no fluke by hammering the hapless Bunnies in Dubbo.

Josh Papalii, Joseph Tapine and Hudson Young all had massive afternoons in the forwards. They set a platform for the halves and backs to run riot.

Xavier Savage looks set for an extended run in the fullback jersey and I can't wait. Corey Horsburgh is in the form of his life. Jack Wighton looked incredible on return.

9. St George Illawarra Dragons (12)
The Dragons recorded a very, very important win on Saturday afternoon. They outlasted the Warriors in the rain to record two crucial competition points.

Cody Ramsey may have earned himself a long stint at fullback following a brilliant performance. Ben Hunt was once again very good.

Zac Lomax crossed for a double to remind Origin selectors he's there to be chosen. Talatau Amone may have had his best game in first grade to date. Moses Silu was a giant yet again.

10. Manly Sea Eagles (9)
The Sea Eagles endured a difficult night in the pouring rain on Friday night. They dropped two competition points to the Eels and lost their fullback for the season.

The neutral in me thought the Sea Eagles were a little hard done by but ultimately it was their lack of discipline that cost them late on.

Reuben Garrick was brilliant on the night and now looks set for a long stint in the number one jersey.

11. South Sydney Rabbitohs (8)
This Bunnies side is dire. Awful! Run off the park in the first half against the Raiders, they offered very little in the second half either.

Cody Walker looks devoid of ideas. People will obviously keep referencing the club's decision to let Adam Reynolds go but the issues go far beyond that.

Alex Johnston crossed for his 144th try in just 177 games. That was a massive highlight in an otherwise terrible afternoon for Souths.

CAIRNS, AUSTRALIA - JULY 01: Alex Johnston of the Rabbitohs attempts to get past Kyle Feldt of the Cowboys during the round 16 NRL match between the South Sydney Rabbitohs and the North Queensland Cowboys at Barlow Park on July 1, 2018 in Cairns, Australia. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

12. Wests Tigers (14)
The Tigers are back in the winners circle following a convincing win over the Dogs in horror conditions on Thursday night.

Nu Brown's two tries on return headlined a brilliant night in Tiger Town as they ran in seven tries to four. Ken Maumalo also crossed for a double.

Jackson Hastings is at the core of everything for the orange and black but was forced off through injury. The entire fanbase is holding their breathe for his quick return.

13. New Zealand Warriors (10)
The Warriors suffered a second half fade out to drop points to a side they're battling for a top eight spot. Not ideal to say the very least.

Shaun Johnson was electric in the first half but was barely sighted in the second stanza. Addin Fonua-Blake bossed the middle prior to his injury.

The Warriors need to find more than "throw to it Walsh" in tight games.

14. Gold Coast Titans (13)
A late comeback flattered the Titans on Sunday afternoon. They put in a huge effort in the first half but forgot to come out of the sheds for the second stanza.

Jarrod Wallace scored a double in a massive performance. Jayden Campbell has freakish talent. He's going to be an absolute superstar.

The Titans weren't out and out bad against the Sharks, they were just average. Unfortunately that sums up their 2022 to date; average.

15. Newcastle Knights (15)
Newcastle are in a world of trouble. They entered their Thursday night clash with the Broncos with Dane Gagai and Tyson Frizell back on deck yet were still blown off their home ground.

Both were very good on return, while Ponga and Klemmer ran themselves into the ground, but they were spectators en route to a huge defeat to a side missing their dominant half.

Milford showed signs that he will add plenty to this side but you have to believe Jake Clifford's return to the side is imminent.

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 04: Jake Clifford of the Knights passes the ball during the round 25 NRL match between the Brisbane Broncos and the Newcastle Knights at Suncorp Stadium, on September 04, 2021, in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Matt Roberts/Getty Images)

16. Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (16)
Oh dear! Ok the Dogs did suffer a disrupted week due to the flu going around the squad but ultimately they lost, in a big way, to an equally struggling side.

18-0 down at halftime, this game was largely over. Mick Potter seemed to deliver a beauty of a halftime speech as they did fight back, but conceding 36 points in horror conditions is tough to stomach.

Tevita Pangai Junior is one of the most damaging forwards in the game, on his day. The Dogs have to find a way to ensure that is every game as he's their only route of attack at the moment.

Published by
Dan Nichols