With the Cowboys and Sharks crashing back to earth, the Bulldogs returning to Belmore and the Broncos extending their winning streak, there was plenty for fans to sink their fangs into for round.
Here's what we liked and disliked from each game.
Melbourne Storm 28-8 Manly Sea Eagles
What we liked: Cam Munster's steal
The match had settled into a rhythm with Manly 18-4 down and battling to get back into the contest. Melbourne were happy simply kicking them into the corners and forcing the Sea Eagles to work it off their own line.
Then, Jorge Taufua came in for a regulation hit-up and was met with three defenders, until they all dropped off bar Munster. You know what happened next.
“Call the police," Andrew Voss shouted in commentary.
"Brazen theft of the football. It’s like he owns the Steeden and only he can have it."
Munster reefed the ball out of the unsuspecting winger’s hands and then weaved through three tackles, before sliding in under the posts to make the game safe. It was the 24th one-on-one strip of his career, which is the most in the NRL.
The standout play capped a wonderful night for the five-eighth who utterly controlled the match. He finished with two tries, two steals, one linebreak and over 100 running metres.
What we disliked: Manly’s start to the second half
With Des Hasler's words still ringing in their ears, Manly came out in the second half with a point to prove. They had been starved of possession and territory but had done well to stay in the contest by only being 12-4 down.
At the break, the coach would have told his team to keep it tight in the second period and cut out the ill-discipline. After all, it seemed like each time they had Melbourne pinned in their own end, they gave away a relieving penalty.
Yet Manly never gave themselves a chance, as they conceded a try just three minutes into the second half.
Munster’s bomb to the corner saw Xavier Coates rise above everybody and plant the ball down. It was a sucker punch that the Sea Eagles never recovered from.
Penrith Panthers 22-0 North Queensland Cowboys
What we liked: Panthers get the job done despite being short of their best
The NRL leaders will head into the Origin period full of confidence after a win set up with a blistering start and a grind in the second half.
Penrith scored three tries in the first 26 minutes, with an avalanche of Panthers pressure breaking down the Cowboys defence, as Isaah Yeo, Dylan Edwards and Brian To'o crossed for scores.
Despite putting the pressure on a stubborn North Queensland defence for most of the second half, it took until the 71st minute for Taylan May to score their only try of the last 40.
It's positive signs for Penrith that they can encounter such resistance but still grind out the victory without letting their opponents hit the scoreboard.
What we disliked: Cowboys disappoint in blockbuster
In a Friday evening blockbuster with 1st (Panthers) hosting 3rd (Cowboys), the Queenslanders were totally outclassed, failing to score in the 80 minutes.
While North Queensland defended valiantly (more on that later), they struggled to create scoring opportunities as the Panthers flexed their defensive muscle at BlueBet Stadium.
However, the Cowboys did manage to make a mammoth 425 tackles, with Maroons hopeful Reuben Cotter making an incredible 63 of his own.
Brisbane Broncos 35-24 Gold Coast Titans
What we liked: Broncos hang tough to move top four
After two dismal years at the foot of the NRL ladder, the Broncos look set to play finals in 2022 after a scintillating comeback.
Although aided by Titans mistakes, the Broncos stormed back from from an 18-0 and 24-4 deficit to underline the credentials as a contender.
A blistering period of three tries in six minutes after half time saw the Broncos draw to within two points before they crossed for the final two scores to run out comfortable winners.
What we disliked: Titans brainfades cost victory
When you're a struggling 3-8 team who leads your state rivals 16-0 on the road in the first half, you can't afford to firstly give them a sniff to get back in the game and follow that up with a capitulation.
After scoring the first three tries, Gold Coast saw both Sam McIntyre and Estan Masters sinbinned within 90 seconds of each other, allowing Selwyn Cobbo the space shortly after to score an easy try and get the Broncos on the board.
While the Titans did respond through a David Fifita try, it only took until the second half for Gold Coast to melt down again.
After Te Maire Martin scored his first try for the Broncos, the Titans tried a bizarre short kick, which resulted in Jordan Riki streaking away to get Brisbane two tries in two minutes.
Gold Coast never recovered with the Broncos piling on the next three tries to secure a famous victory - leaving the Titans as the first team to give up two 20-point leads in the same season.
New Zealand Warriors 16-24 Newcastle Knights
What we liked: The Knights have learnt how to win again
It was far from a polished performance, but all that mattered for the Knights was that they walked away with two points.
Their fourth win of the season came against an equally-sloppy Warriors side, but it was a determined second-half display that separated Adam O'Brien's side from their opponents.
Kalyn Ponga was dangerous, Jake Clifford and Anthony Milford looked smooth in the halves, and Enari Tuala was clinical.
Sure, there were plenty of things to tidy up from this performance, but the Knights need to focus on the positives in their club at the moment and build on them.
What we disliked: The Warriors' inconsistency ... and kicking
There were flashes of brilliance from this Warriors team against the Knights, but a multitude of errors and poor-decision making ultimately let them down.
As Brown highlighted in his press conference, Reece Walsh and Marcelo Montoya continue to improve and impress every week, but well-rounded team performances are needed if they want to get back to winning ways.
Just to make things even more difficult for themselves, the Warriors kicked the ball out on the full four times throughout the match, cheaply handing possession over.
They could have won the game if they didn't put themselves under so much unnecessary pressure. Plenty of lessons for the young Warriors' core to take away.
South Sydney Rabbitohs 44-18 Wests Tigers
What we liked: South Sydney’s blistering attack
Down 18-12 at half time - after being sucker-punched by a late Ken Maumalo try - the Rabbitohs turned on the style in the second period. The Bunnies piled on 32 unanswered points against a Wests Tigers side who simply could not contain them.
Firstly, they targeted the middle of the park with strong carries from the likes of Thomas Burgess and Siliva Havili. The former Raider proved impossible to handle at times, as finished with 135m, eight tackle busts and one try.
Cody Walker got a double, with his second off the back of a spellbinding run where he ripped back against the grain and danced through a number of tackles. Meanwhile, Campbell Graham pressed his claims for a Blues jersey with an exceptional performance which saw him register three try assists.
However, the major story was Alex Johnston who registered the 10th hattrick of his career. This saw him go ahead of Nathan Merritt to become the club’s greatest ever try-scorer with 147. Some feat for a guy who was reportedly heading for the exit only a few years ago.
What we disliked: Yet another slow start for the Rabbitohs
Before kick-off, Jason Demetriou underlined how important it was to make a strong start. In the week before, they’d been blown away early by Canberra and never managed to recover.
The coach highlighted how a number of their errors in that match came from the resulting scoreboard pressure, as they sought to cut their deficits with pushed passes and risky offloads.
However, the Bunnies did it again against the Tigers.
After only ten minutes they had already conceded two tries and were back into the all-too-familiar position of chasing the game.
They were able to turn the match around with an aforementioned dominant attacking display in the second half, but there’s no doubt Demetriou will be worried about his side's continued sloppiness in the opening stages of games.
Cronulla Sharks 16-36 Sydney Roosters
What we liked: Red-hot Teddy
Throughout the opening 12 rounds, the Roosters attack has come under plenty of scrutiny. As an extension of this, so too has their fullback and captain James Tedesco.
At times, he has looked devoid of ideas and has been guilty of constantly running down dead-ends, as he sought to spark the Tricolours into form off his own back.
However, against Cronulla, Teddy was outstanding.
His dominant carries produced 100m in the first half alone, while he also terrorised the Sharks with his passing game.
The Blues star was involved in everything good that the Roosters did in attack. But it was his hand in Nat Butcher’s try that was perhaps the pick of the bunch.
After finding an offload in his own half, he backed up the break down field with a sweeping run in the next tackle. He raced to the short side and played a simple pass to Butcher to go over untouched. Repeat efforts are what Teddy has built his game on.
What we disliked: Cronulla's inconsistencies
The Sharks started the season on fire, with their attack causing havoc due to a spine that flawlessly worked in tandem. Yet, that has struggled somewhat recently, either through suspension (Will Kennedy) or a lack of form.
Since winning four games in a row at the start of the year, Craig Fitzgibbon's men have been a picture of inconsistency. Their most recent record reads; win, loss, win, loss.
In their game against the Roosters they were truly dreadful in the first half, before coming alive briefly in the second. It's hard to explain how a side with such attacking potency could struggle so much, before clicking into gear and piling on three tries in 14 minutes.
However, it will be Cronulla's defence that is most worrying to Fitzgibbon.
He's a coach who famously prides himself on that side of the game, so to have conceded 94 points in their last month of action will be concerning.
Canterbury Bulldogs 24 - 34 St George Illawarra Dragons
What we liked: Big men getting it done at Belmore
Back at their spiritual homeland, the Bulldogs - at times - played their best footy of the season. If you closed your eyes just after half-time, with the Dogs scoring twice in four minutes, it almost felt like the Dogs of War wasn't shy of 40 years ago.
Despite their team's ordinary form in 2022, the Bulldogs fans packed out their suburban ground and even gave big man Blake Lawrie a rousing reception when the prop finally broke his 91-game drought to cross for the Dragons.
Suburban grounds on a Sunday: it just makes sense.
What we disliked: You're hot and you're cold
Even as impartial fans, Matt Dufty's form can be frustrating. Five tackle breaks. One line break. Two line break assists and three try assists. The former Dragons fullback was pure electricity with ball in hand.
However, in defence it was a completely different story with some poor defensive reads and a generous stat line of four tackles, two missed and two errors.
Dufty's peak is immense but the chasm between the best and worst parts of his game is a tough sell for prospective buyers.
Canberra Raiders 20 Parramatta Eels 28
What we liked: Dylan Brown
The headline says it all. Dylan Brown was in a dangerous mood on Sunday afternoon. 153 running metres, six tackle busts, three linebreaks and two tries tell a dominant story yet, somehow, Brown was more than that.
Defenders were on their heels, unsure what to do.
“This guy is hot at the moment. Jeez he’s run the football well,” Cooper Cronk said during the coverage.
“He’s such a well-balanced runner of the footy,” Greg Alexander added.
A dominant performance in any year, it was especially highlighted by Brown underwhelming 2021.
“This has been a real bounce back from a very underwhelming season from Brown last year by the numbers," Andrew Voss revealed on the Fox League call. "He had three try assists for the season last year and he’s already bettered those numbers.”
What we disliked: Raiders unable to capitalise
If the Raiders were looking for a platform Josh Papalii and Joe Tapine delivered it early, both passing 10-hit ups within the first 12 minutes.
“That’s where the Raiders, in their last two wins, that’s what’s been getting them on the front foot — their two front-rowers," Alexander said.
Tapine finished with 234 metres and Papalii 150 in his 62 minutes of work.
Yet it wasn't enough. It'll need to be
(If you were expecting Corey Horsburgh's 65th minute attempted bomb, you're in the wrong place. We're all about some ill-advised big men putting boot to ball).
