The National Rugby League is six weeks into the season. Otago Daily Times correspondent Michael Minty looks at what we have learned.
Snakes and ladders
Watch out for some major shifts on the ladder in the coming weeks.
The Knights are the first of the movers and shakers to slide - they are down to fifth, dropping the last two games after leading the competition.
The Cowboys and Sharks are arguably the form teams, but both sit in the bottom eight.
However, the Cowboys are emerging as genuine contenders after drubbing last year's premiers on Monday night away from home.
The Dragons, like last year, sit inside the eight early in competition but have been aided by a soft draw.
Their credentials go on the line over the next three weeks, taking on the Broncos, Roosters and Rabbitohs.
The construction continues
Twenty years after inception, it appears the Warriors are ''still building'' towards something resembling a decent side.
The eyes may roll among the sceptics, but the club is adamant it is on track for a successful campaign, despite slowly recovering from a horror injury list.
Injuries to Sam Tomkins and Konrad Hurrell have forced numerous re-shuffles in the backline, which has taken an obvious toll on the form of Shaun Johnson, who's had different men inside and outside of him each week.
However, Hurrell is back and was damaging last week against the Tigers, so look for some more spark on attack while the experienced back row holds the side together on defence.
Porcelain halves
Penrith coach Ivan Cleary would have been in seventh heaven at the beginning of the season.
After punching above their weight in last year's finals series with a stack of injuries, the Panthers had the luxury of a fit roster minus Josh Mansour to start the season.
However, the sniper has once again struck with Peter Wallace succumbing to injury, joining Jamie Soward in the casualty ward.
Adding salt to the wound, Cleary will have his work cut out leading into the pre-Origin period after losing giant centre Jamal Idris to an ACL injury for the season.
Tights lips build ships
The whispers of Roosters fullback Roger Tuivasa-Sheck being targeted by the Warriors began in January, but never really gathered any momentum until last week, when reported by the Sydney Morning Herald.
Within 24 hours of news that ''RTS'' was set to jump ship, Warriors boss Jim Doyle and coach Andrew McFadden swiftly announced a three-year deal - reportedly about $850,000 a season - had been done with the young star.
It was refreshing to see the club avoid one of those player negotiation sagas that drag on for weeks, a credit to the way Doyle operates.
There's no place like . . . Wigan?
While Auckland may appear glamorous for some, the rumours of Warriors fullback Sam Tomkins suffering from homesickness became a reality last week.
After signing a three-year contract with the Warriors, the Englishman is on his way back to the motherland a year early.
Tomkins has shown class at times, but needed to, on his salary. He is best described as a failed signing, but one with a silver lining, as our boy Roger is coming home.
Coote is No 1
The injury-plagued Lachlan Coote is back (touch wood) and the early signs look promising for the North Queenslanders.
The former Panther has had a wretched couple of years marred by injury since arriving in Townsville, but since his inclusion in his preferred position at fullback in round four, the Cowboys attack has looked formidable.
A standout performance against the Storm culminated in the Cowboys ending their four-game losing streak in a golden-point thriller.
The punching debate
Anyone would think the NRL and various sectors of the media are at loggerheads as the league stands firm on the no-punching rule.
The Australian media are a fickle bunch - one minute they don't want little Johnny replicating famous Origin stoushes, and the next they want to see two teams down to 12 men for the sake of a couple of punches.
What is bemusing is the number of commentators, former players and journalists that still bemoan the ban on punching.
The worst offender is the eighth immortal, Andrew Johns, who is constantly baying for blood.
Are they seeing what we're seeing?
It would be rude not to address the refereeing.
It's still puzzling to see the number of camera angles in situations when a try has obviously been scored.
Even cricket seems to have cut down the time deciding on run outs, and from a more distant view.
It appears the video officials are more determined to find a reason not to award a try.
No wonder the referees are wary when using the video for tries that under-20 competition referees would have no hesitation awarding.
Captain's challenge, anyone?
