Round 10 saw the Panthers continue on their winning way, the Bulldogs collect another loss, the Storm finally break their losing streak and the Sharks have a complete shocker.
Here's whose stocks are up and down after Round 10.
Our footy experts cast their eye over the week's action to find out whose stocks are up -- whether it's a coaching masterstroke or a player having a blinder -- and whose are down.
Brisbane Broncos
Stocks up: Antonio Verhoeven's early try was a nice moment, and Brisbane did briefly threaten to make it a contest when Manly went down to 12 men.
Stocks down: After that, it was grim. Their attack kept breaking down, errors killed momentum, and once Manly found rhythm the Broncos looked flat and frustrated. For a side with premiership expectations, a 32-4 loss at Brookvale is the type of performance that raises proper questions.
- Isaac Issa
Canberra Raiders
Stocks up: This isn't meant to sound patronising, but sometimes two teams play a game at a really high standard and one of them has to lose. That's the reality. The first half of this game was absolutely excellent and while it petered off a little bit in the second, it was still one of the best games of the year. Penrith are the benchmark of the NRL right now and there's no shame in being beaten by the best.
Stocks down: Another brutal injury for a team that really can't take a trick right now. Simi Sasagi has been THE success story of the NRL season so far and Canberra's best player, but didn't play the second half of this one thanks to an AC joint issue. Just brutal stuff, but at least they have a bye next week.
- Matt Bungard
Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs
Stocks up: The Bulldogs started well and looked more organised in attack with Sean O'Sullivan at halfback, at least when he was given the ball at first receiver. A tough sin bin call against Jacob Preston just before halftime saw the momentum turn the Dolphins way.
Stocks down: The Dogs lost Matt Burton to illness before the game, allowing a change many had been calling for, a genuine halfback in Sean O'Sullivan to step in, with Lachlan Galvin moving to five-eighth. Problem is, the Bulldogs game plan doesn't include classic halfback positional play. O'Sullivan only touched the ball a couple of times in each set, with Jaemen Salmon, Lachlan Galvin and a cast of thousands getting in the way. Their ability to score points certainly didn't improve, only managing 12 for the third straight week.
- Darren Arthur
Cronulla Sharks
Stocks up: In a well-beaten side, Jesse Colquhoun continues to be a bright spot. He very nearly got the opening try if not for some superb cover defending from Jye Gray, and carried the ball really well in a second half where the Sharks couldn't get anything going until the final few minutes.
Stocks down: A brutal loss for Cronulla; coming off a half-century win at home, against a Souths team without all of those aforementioned big names should have been a great chance to really kickstart what's been an inconsistent season. Instead, it was a first half filled with ill-discipline backed up by a second where they couldn't move the ball at all. The yardage sets were still there before the interval, at least, but even that dried up when the weight of possession and the scoreline finally caught up with them.
- Matt Bungard
Dolphins
Stocks up: The Dolphins weathered the early Bulldogs storm, before pulling away to completely dominate the second half. Their halves Isaiya Katoa and Kodi Nikorima create plenty of opportunities and the rest of their highly talented backline cash in. Storm-bound winger Jamayne Isaako picked up a hat trick in the convincing victory.
Stocks down: The Dolphins' discipline was awful early, going to 1-6 down in the penalty count after kicking out on the full following a Bulldogs penalty goal almost 20 minutes into the game. From that point however the tide and the whistle turned, with the Dolphins enjoying their share of possession, territory and the resulting momentum.
- Darren Arthur
Gold Coast Titans
Stocks up: This was better than the scoreline probably suggests. The Titans defended bravely early, Chris Randall gave them the first try, Keano Kini had some big moments, and debutant Zane Harrison showed flashes with the ball.
Stocks down: But, the issue was sustaining it. They were right in the fight at 10-6 at halftime, then couldn't go with the Roosters once the tempo lifted, with a couple of missed chances and late errors turning a competitive game into a 28-12 loss.
- Isaac Issa
Manly Sea Eagles
Stocks up: Manly look well and truly alive under Kieran Foran. Joey Walsh played well beyond his years, Luke Brooks had one of his best games for the club, and the Sea Eagles controlled the night with energy, speed and confidence in a 32-4 win.
Stocks down: The sour note was Siosiua Taukeiaho's serious leg injury, which took some shine off an otherwise dominant night.
- Isaac Issa
Melbourne Storm
Stocks up: A win! It's been a while but parts of the Storm looked back to their best. Harry Grant was a handful out of dummy half all afternoon, Jahrome Hughes' support play was on full display, and Cameron Munster had his best game of the season. Great stuff.
Stocks down: It wasn't all good news for the Storm with Sua Faalogo, who has been their best player this season, going off just before the half hour mark after a head clash with his teammate Hughes. It was later revealed to be a broken cheekbone, which is manageable, but we'll see if he plays next week.
- Matt Bungard
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Newcastle Knights
Stocks up: This was Newcastle at their most fun. Greg Marzhew was unstoppable with five tries, Kalyn Ponga looked sharp and involved everywhere, and their outside backs feasted once the Dragons started cracking on the edges. It was the kind of performance that reminds you how dangerous this team can be when their attack gets rolling.
Stocks down: Not much to be too harsh about, though they did ease off slightly after halftime and leaked two tries when the contest was already well and truly done.
- Isaac Issa
New Zealand Warriors
BYE
North Queensland Cowboys
Stocks up: The Cowboys' attack remains amongst the competition's sharpest. Two Origin halves combining with Scott Drinkwater and a host of difficult edge runners and speedy outside backs. They are a very difficult team to contain and only seem to beat themselves through errors.
Stocks down: The Cowboys were their own worse enemy throughout the game. Simple mistakes deep in their own half followed by the mandatory wave of "six again" calls saw them help the Eels stay in the game, when they really should have wrapped it up several times. Tom Dearden's injury will keep him out of football right through the Origin period.
- Darren Arthur
Parramatta Eels
Stocks up: Despite a lengthy injury list and a subsequently inferior lineup, the Eels give their fans something to cheer about most weeks. They run the forwards hard up the middle to earn the space Mitchell Moses needs to operate. Apart from a couple of notable losses, they fight right through to the end and thoroughly deserved this victory.
Stocks down: The Eels just lack a bit of class, whether through injury or roster management, to be a real threat to the top teams. Their tenacity shone through in this victory and they are bound to cause headaches for a lot of clubs.
- Darren Arthur
Penrith Panthers
Stocks up: Their best performance of the year, and that's a high bar. What's great about the Panthers is they've adjusted to the rule changes and the new dynamics at play almost effortlessly, and are winning games in ways we're not used to. Gone are the 16-6 arm wrestle scorelines that were a trademark of their run from 2020 to 2024, and instead they're playing some scintillating attacking football.
Stocks down: Still nothing. Penrith are awesome. Nobody is going to stop them unless nine of their star players suffer nine separate misfortunes.
- Matt Bungard
St George Illawarra Dragons
Stocks up: The second half at least had some fight. Hamish Stewart and Setu Tu got them on the board, and they didn't completely fold after halftime despite being buried early.
Stocks down: The first half was ugly. Newcastle led 32-0 at the break, the Dragons' edges were torn apart, and too many attacking chances either broke down or turned into Knights' points the other way. At 44-10, it was another afternoon where the game was gone before they could settle.
- Isaac Issa
South Sydney Rabbitohs
Stocks up: Souths went into this game without Latrell Mitchell, Brandon Smith, David Fifita, Jye Arrow, Jamie Humphreys, and Jack Wighton. They still had a Latrell, of course, and he was part of an excellent team performance which was won by a dominant and disciplined opening 20 minutes before gradually wearing down the Shark after that. Coach Wayne Bennett said afterwards that Mitchell would likely return for Magic Round, so it's all looking rosy for the Pride of the League.
Stocks down: I'm not entirely sure what's going on with Peter Mamouzelos at the moment. He seems to come on every week and turn the game with his quick ball-playing and speed around the ruck, but for the second time this year he was left sitting on the bench for 80 minutes. The first was in Melbourne and made sense due to the early injury to Brandon Smith prompting a reshuffle, but it's unclear why Adam Elliott was preferred in that role for 25 minutes to spell Bronson Garlick.
- Matt Bungard
Sydney Roosters
Stocks up: The Roosters just know how to turn the screw at the moment. Gold Coast made them work early and even led after half an hour, but once the Roosters lifted after halftime, the class gap opened up quickly. James Tedesco was everywhere, Rob Toia grabbed a double, and their second-half polish made it six straight wins.
Stocks down: The only slight concern is that they were a bit clunky early and needed time to wrestle control back, but right now they have enough strike to cover those slow starts.
- Isaac Issa
Wests Tigers
Stocks up: Despite the result, Jarome Luai was out there trying his best to make something happen and even when things were beyond doubt, never stopped his efforts. There was some concern that the big money move to PNG would have their star's mind elsewhere, but that hasn't been the case.
Stocks down: What a comedown from a fortnight ago, when they ran up a cricket score at Leichhardt and rose as high as second on the ladder. It's mainly due to injuries and the suspension of Api Koroisau, but they've now conceded just shy of 100 points in the past two weeks after a season in which even when they lost, they looked pretty sharp. It's simply not good enough regardless of who is and isn't playing.
- Matt Bungard