The Roosters have gone from pre-season title contenders, to wooden spoon possibilities to now being well and firmly back in the hunt for the premiership.

Despite being without five Origin stars, their 42-16 caning of a Cronulla side on Saturday night proves that they have the depth to make a run at the top four after an up-and-down first couple of months of the season.

After winning just once in their first five outings they were only marginally ahead of Parramatta in last spot.

They’ve won three of their past four with their only loss to competition leaders Canterbury and even though they are in the middle of the 13-team logjam separated by five competition points from fifth to last, the 11th-placed Roosters are looking the most likely side in that group to jump out of the pack.

You can never have too much talent but the Roosters are now getting to a stage where they seriously need to ask whether signing Daly Cherry-Evans next year when he will be 37 is necessary when they have young playmakers Hugo Savala and Sandon Smith on the roster with Sam Walker just weeks away from returning from his ACL tear.

Here’s how the teams stack up after Round 12. 

1. Bulldogs (1): They get the benefit of a whole lot of doubt to remain in top spot because they were without nine first-graders for their 44-8 shellacking at the hands of the Dolphins. 

With the likely addition of Lachie Galvin before their next match, they are another step closer to ending the 21-year premiership drought.

2. Storm (2): Keep the second spot despite the Raiders winning and now being four points ahead of them on the actual ladder. 

Tom Starling celebrates with teammates. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

3. Raiders (3): Shout out to Joseph Tapine for his “refuse to lose” attitude against the Warriors. 

He got all alpha male on many of his Kiwi compatriots and although he may get in strife with the match review committee for a crusher tackle, his leadership paved the way for Canberra to be in a position where they had to declare two competition points as excess baggage on the way back through customs.

4. Warriors (4): Nothing to worry about after their loss to the Raiders, ending their five-game winning streak. 

They get Mitch Barnett back from Origin duty and James Fisher-Harris from suspension next round so they won’t be manhandled again like Tapine dominated them in the middle at Go Media Stadium.

5. Roosters (6): Smells like team spirit is strong at the club. Nevermind the fact that they were without five Origin reps and in-form prop Naufahu Whyte, they never looked like losing to a full-strength Cronulla side.

Their critics love to point out the Roosters’ lack of juniors but their cashed-up talent scouts get value for money from the young prospects they bring into the junior pathways with Trent Robinson getting plenty out of a host of rookies in 2025.

Daniel Tupou touches down in Gosford. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

6. Sharks (5): Only drop one spot because they had won five from six before their pathetic performance against a depleted Roosters outfit. 

But for a team which prides itself on consistency, Craig Fitzgibbon should be concerned that they’ve tossed up a few clunkers like this one in 2025

7. Sea Eagles (7): Lucky to stay seventh and only remain ahead of the Cowboys because they beat them in the previous round. 

They’ve alternated between wins and losses each week for the past five rounds which adds up to a team going nowhere fast, smack bang in ninth spot of 17 on the standings.

8. Cowboys (9): Up a spot but plenty of questions over this team as they try to negotiate the Origin period with Reuben Cotter, Tom Dearden and Reece Robson carrying an even heavier workload than usual.

9. Broncos (10): They get a minor rise during their bye only because Penrith have fallen off a cliff.

10. Rabbitohs (11): They get a mid-season litmus test of their playoff credentials when they host the Warriors at their unwanted Homebush home away from home on Sunday.

11. Tigers (12): Will the end of the Lachie Galvin give them closure and a chance to reset their inconsistent playoff campaign or is it yet another painful exit where a player changes their stripes to become a rep star at a rival club?

12. Dolphins (14): Are we being too impatient with the Dolphins by expecting performances like their 36-point pounding of Canterbury on a more regular basis?

Toby Sexton collides with Kurt Donoghoe. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Isaiah Katoa is still learning his craft at halfback and the club is also in just its third season in the big league – once they lower the massive gap between their best and worst performances they will be finals locks. 

13. Eels (15): They get a two-rank rise after following up their win over Newcastle with an even more impressive 30-10 triumph over Manly.

Dean Hawkins made the most of his rare chance to run the show with Mitchell Moses on Origin duty and the former Rabbitoh could end up the last playmaker standing to be the NSW star’s long-term halves partner with Dylan Brown off to the Knights and Galvin rejecting the Eels to become a Bulldog. 

Technically 15th but only one win outside the top eight, rookie coach Jason Ryles is not only exceeding expectations but getting plenty of game time into young prospects who will be the future of the club.

14. Dragons (13): They need to knock over Newcastle at Kogarah on Friday to be considered serious contenders for the finals.

15. Titans (16): Nothing to see here, move along.

Dylan Lucas. (Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images)

16. Knights (17): Two big wins in the past month after their 25-6 triumph over the Panthers. 

But it is the losses to the Titans and Parra which mean they remain a long way down in the rankings. 

17. Panthers (8): The time has come to concede that the premiers are not only not extending their four-year dynasty but they could end up near the bottom of the ladder at season’s end.

Granted, they had plenty of star power out on Saturday night against the Knights but there has always been a reason for their regular run of losses this season – excuses don’t count on the premiership standings and the fact of the matter is they’ve won just three times in 11 attempts.