GET READY FOR ROUND 5 - All You Need to Know Before Kick-off

Another round has come and gone, but the news keeps pouring in! The BettingTop10 team have got you covered, breaking down some of the biggest stories to hit the NRL before Round 5. It was upset city in Round 4, and we can’t wait to see what Easter footy has in store for us. Most notably, the Melbourne Storm are in danger of falling out of the top eight.

The Wests Tigers served up the upset of the round last time out, beating the New Zealand Warriors in New Zealand, without Jarome Luai. Now the Tigers are sitting in third spot on the ladder. Tigers fans have been waiting for this kind of form for over a decade. Is it too good to be true?

One team that seems to be cemented in the top eight are the Penrith Panthers. They are a well-oiled machine, and the only team to have won all their games so far this season. Sitting on top of the ladder with a massive points differential of 110, who can stop them?

The Panthers are now the clear Premiership favourites, with NRL betting odds offering around $3.10 for the Penrith team to win the competition. It’s easy to see why, and they look like a fairly settled team to boot.

The Warriors did suffer a shock defeat to the Tigers last time out, but they are still sitting in second spot, which isn’t a bad place to be! However, it has just been reported that they will have to try to keep their top-two position without Mitch Barnett.

Two weeks after returning from an ACL injury, the co-captain suffered a broken right thumb in the Warriors’ game against the Tigers. He has reportedly already undergone surgery, but his return date is still unclear.

A team that’s on the rise is the Brisbane Broncos. After losing their first two games, the Broncos seem to be back on the right track with back-to-back wins over the Storm and Dolphins. They now play the Titans, and many are expecting a victory here. A win would likely see them move into the top eight for the first time this season.

A somewhat surprising loss to the North Queensland Cowboys, the Melbourne Storm sit in seventh spot on the ladder. They come up against the Penrith Panthers in Round 5, and they are the rank outsiders. So, is a potential slip outside the top eight on the cards for the once mighty Storm?

The Storm also have a few injuries and health concerns coming into this game. Most notably, both Nick Meaney and Jack Howarth are set to miss this game. On top of this, it was reported that Tui Kamikamica suffered a massive health scare on Monday.

Kamikamica is currently in hospital after suffering from a suspected stroke. It has since been reported that he is doing well; however, a timeline for his return to the field is understandably not on the table right now. 

Another team that is eyeing off a top-eight spot are the Cowboys. They have managed to string together back-to-back wins over the Titans and Storm. In Round 5, they take on the bottom-of-the-table Dragons. 

With their loss to the Gold Coast Titans last time out, the St. George Illawarra Dragons are now the only team in the competition yet to chalk up any points (the Sea Eagles have two points thanks to their bye, but also haven’t won a game). To make matters worse, Kyle Flanagan was stretchered out of the game and taken to hospital.

The Manly Sea Eagles are potentially another team that could continue falling down the ladder. They have started the year 0-3, and in a move that not many saw coming, they have already fired their head coach, Anthony Seibold.

We haven’t seen such an early sacking of a head coach since the Tigers gave their head coach, Jason Taylor, the boot after three games in 2017. It’s now up to Kieran Foran, who only retired from the game in 2025, to steer the Sea Eagles through this difficult time.

Now to the Canberra Raiders. I’m not really sure what they are doing down so low on the ladder, but I guess that’s what happens when you lose three games in a row. The one game they did win? A Golden Point victory over the Sea Eagles. That isn’t really good reading if you’re a Raiders fan.