THE Rabbitohs and the Warriors have exceeded expectations, while the Cowboys and the Eels have made a mockery of their top four pre-season predictions in the worst possible way.

The Dragons have overcome their mid-season wobbles from previous years to remain on top of the table, while the Panthers have overcome a horror injury run to be serious premiership contenders.

We look at every team’s progress throughout the 2018 season to date and bring you what has gone right, what has gone wrong and what your team needs heading into the business end of the season.

Welcome to the foxsports.com.au NRL mid-year report card!

Round 20

LIVE Stream every game of every round of the 2018 NRL Telstra Premiership on FOX SPORTS. SIGN UP NOW >

DRAGONS

Ladder: 1st

Record: 11 wins, 3 losses

Byes: 1

What’s gone right: Defence. Dragons have leaked the second least amount of points (216) this season, behind only Melbourne (215). Coach Paul McGregor has based their game on a brick wall defensive style and it’s working.

What’s gone wrong: Jason Nightingale. The veteran winger could be on his way out of the game, but it would be a mighty shame if the Dragons were to play finals without him in the side. He’s been benched the past two weeks in favour of Kurt Mann.

What they need: A strong coffee. The Dragons can’t afford to fall asleep like they have done in previous seasons around this midway point of the year. The Red V has been known to fall in a hole after a good start to the season. If they can get through Origin unscathed then they have a good chance to finish top of the table and have a real crack at the finals.

Grade: A+

RABBITOHS

Ladder: 2nd

Record: 11 wins, 4 losses

Byes: 0

What’s gone right: Attack. The Rabbitohs have the best attack in the competition, scoring a whopping 380 points already in the 2018 season, which is 29 more than the next best Dragons. Anthony Seibold has the Bunnies attack playing eyes up footy and Damien Cook and the Burgess brothers are setting the platform for their backs to run riot.

What’s gone wrong: The Bunnies may be second on the ladder, but they only have the fifth best defence. While scoring more than your opponents has worked in the regular season, they will need to tighten their defence come the big games at the back end of the year.

What they need: Their spine to keep producing. The Rabbitohs have one of the most feared packs in the competition, with the Burgess boys and the rejuvenated John Sutton dominating teams. However Alex Johnston has had time on the sidelines and Adam Reynolds has a history of injuries. The Bunnies will need Damien Cook to stay fit, as most of their game plane revolves around his speed out of dummyhalf.

Grade: A

PANTHERS

Ladder: 3rd

Record: 10 wins, 4 losses

Byes: 1

What’s gone right: James Maloney has arguably been the buy of the year and has held the side together, after Nathan Cleary missed a number of rounds with a knee injury. Like their star No.6, The Panthers are a tough resilient footy team and off the back of an imposing forward pack the Penrith backs can score points against any side in the competition.

What’s gone wrong: Injuries. The Panthers have had one of the worst runs with injuries in the competition, making their success all the more impressive. Reagan Campbell Gillard, Tim Browne, Sam McKendry, Josh Mansour, Dylan Edwards, Moses Leota, Peter Wallace, Waqa Blake and Viliame Kikau have all spent time on the sidelines and if the trend continues, the Panthers may run out of puff come finals time.

What they need: Some of their cattle to return. Josh Mansour is due back in Round 19 and Moses Leota and Viliame Kikau in Rounds 18 and 20 respectively. However Reagan Campbell-Gillard sets the tone for this team and his return from a broken jaw can’t come soon enough for coach Anthony Griffin.

Grade: A-

WARRIORS

Ladder: 4th

Record: 10 wins, 4 losses

Byes: 1

What’s gone right: Attack. Issac Luke is back in the best form of his Warriors career and has helped his side return to their attacking best. In David Fusitua and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck the Warriors have two of the best finishers in the game, but it is Luke, Blake Green and Shaun Johnson’s inspiration in attack that has the Warriors proving all the pre-season predictions wrong.

What’s gone wrong: Defence in big games. The Warriors defence has been much improved for most of the season, but they have had some inexplicable lapses in some games, that have seen them treturn to the bad old days of Warriors teams. The Rabbioths beat them 30-10, the Roosters thrashed them 32-0 and the Storm blew them off the park 50-10 in the space of two months. They will need to tighten their defence against the top sides, to challenge the heavyweights come finals time.

What they need: Consistency. At their best the Warriors can match it with any team in the competition, but they have a nasty habit of not turning up in some games, which they can’t afford to do if they want to go deep into the finals. Shaun Johnson seems to be getting back to his best after injury hampered his early season form and he will need to be on deck if the Warriors are to maintain their top four position.

Grade: B+

STORM

Ladder: 5th

Record: 9 wins, 5 losses

Byes: 1

What’s gone right: Defence. It has been a case of the ‘same old Storm’ for the defending Premiers, at least where defence is concerned, as they sit first in that category, conceding only 215 points. Craig Bellamy has his team defending with the same purpose and staunch commitment and their attack is starting to click. If they can get themselves into the top four, they will be very hard to beat come September.

What’s gone wrong: Replacing Cooper Cronk. It was always going to be difficult to replace one third of the Storm’s big three. Not only was Cronk the team’s halfback, but he also made Billy Slater and Cameron Smith better. Slater and Smith have had to adjust their games without their longtime teammate.

What they need: A long term halfback to step up. Brodie Croft was used and discarded very early in the season and there are doubts about him being the long term replacement for Cronk. Ryley Jacks has done an excellent job since taking over from Croft, but it remains to be seen of he can lead a team deep into the finals.

Grade: B

ROOSTERS

Ladder: 6th

Record: 10 wins, 5 losses

Byes: 0

What’s gone right: They are winning games of footy. The Roosters have struggled at times this season, but only the Dragons and the Rabbitohs have won more games than the Tricolours. They may not have played their best football yet, but they are still well placed to finish in the top four.

What’s gone wrong: The Roosters have struggled to get their new look spine to click so far this season, but there are signs they are starting to get it right. Mitchell Pearce was replaced by Cooper Cronk in the off-season and James Tedesco joined from the Tigers, but both have been down on form in the opening half of the season. The Roosters were a lot of pundits’ premiership favourites at the start of the season and so far they have failed to live up to the hype.

What they need: Their spine and pack needs to find some consistency. The Roosters were bundled out of the finals last season, on the back of a poor showing by their forwards and they haven’t shown consistent improvement in 2018. Jake Friend, Tedesco, Cronk and in-form No.6 Luke Keary need to work on their combination, if they are to challenge the best defences in the competition.

Grade: B

SHARKS

Ladder: 7th

Record: 9 wins, 6 losses

Byes: 0

What’s gone right: Andrew Fifita has been a powerhouse in leading the Sharks, in the absence of some injured stars throughout the season. Fifita’s decision to play for Tonga has ruled him out of the Origin series and that has been a blessing for the Sharks, who have benefited from Fifita’s strong form.

What’s gone wrong: They lost James Maloney in the off-season and they have struggled to close out games in his absence. Josh Dugan has been in and out of the side with injury and Matt Moylan is still transitioning into a full-time five-eighth. His combination with Chad Townsend and Dugan at the back will need to improve.

What they need: Some more depth upfront. The Sharks have been hit by injuries to a number of key forwards including Paul Gallen, Wade Graham and Luke Lewis, while Matt Prior could be lost to Origin duty for Games II and III. Aaron Woods is reportedly set for a mid-season move and if the Dogs let him go, the Sharks will do everything in their power sign him.

Grade: B-

BRONCOS

Ladder: 8th

Record: 8 wins, 6 losses

Byes: 1

What’s gone right: They are still in the top eight. It hasn’t been pretty at times this season, but the Broncos will be happy they have managed to find themselves in finals contention with 11 rounds remaining. Their last start win over the Sharks showed the Broncos are a tough footy side and if they can scrape into the finals, they will cause some sides some problems.

What’s gone wrong: Jack Bird has had a tough first season at Red Hill, since switching from the Sharks in the off-season. Bird came to the club to play five-eighth, but has been shuffled from both centre positions, to halfback and No.6. Bird’s season could possibly be over after undergoing surgery on a sternum injury, which would make him one of the worst buys of the year in terms of value for money.

What they need: A halfback. Kodi Nikorima is a talented player, but he is more of a utility than a halfback at this stage of his career. Anthony Milford’s form has nosedived since Ben Hunt left the club, as he has tried to take on more of an organisational role.

Grade: C

RAIDERS

Ladder: 9th

Record: 6 wins, 8 losses

Byes: 1

What’s gone right: Josh Hoodgson is back. Many pundits gave the Raiders no chance of making the finals after their star hooker suffered an ACL injury, while playing for England at the World Cup. However Hodgson made a stunning early return in Round 15 and blitzed the Tigers, showing he has lost nothing in his time in the injury ward. With Hodgson back in the drivers seat, the Raiders can cause plenty of headaches for teams, as they aim to make a finals push.

What’s gone wrong: The Raiders inability to win close contests has been their Achilles heel in recent seasons and 2018 has been no different. Ricky Stuart’s men have lost four games by two points or less and if they had won those, they could be in the top four.

What they need: Better defence. Of the top 10 teams on the ladder the Raiders have the second worst defence, behind only the Broncos. We all know the Raiders can score points as they are third behind only the Rabbitohs and the Dragons, but if they want to mix it with the top sides, they need to address their leaky defence.

Grade: C

TIGERS

Ladder: 10th

Record: 7 wins, 8 losses

Byes: 0

What’s gone right: Defence. The Tigers under Ivan Cleary have brought a new starch to their defensive unit in 2018, particularly in the opening two months of the season. If it wasn’t for their thrashing at the hands of the Raiders in Round 15, the Tigers would be in the top four defensive sides in the competition.

What’s gone wrong: The Tigers have struggled to score points, with their 230 points from 15 games the 3rd worst attacking record in the competition. While their defence has improved dramatically, their attack is simply not producing enough points to win games consistently and their finishers and playmakers need to step up in the clutch moments.

What they need: Their halves to remain injury free. Benji Marshall had a superb start to the season covering for the injured Josh Reynolds, but he is out for up to six weeks. Josh Reynolds missed most of the opening two months of the season and while he is finally back, he needs to work on his game management and combination with Luke Brooks.

Grade: C

TITANS

Ladder: 11th

Record: 5 wins, 9 losses

Byes: 1

What’s gone right: Ash Taylor continues to be one of the best playmakers in the game and he has formed a good partnership with exciting youngster AJ Brimson. The Titans still know how to score points and a lot of that comes down to the influence of their young halves in clutch moments.

What’s gone wrong: Bryce Cartwright is arguably the worst buy of the season and has offered very little since joining the club from the Panthers in the off-season. Cartwright went from starter to bench player to out of the 17 altogether and some of his defensive displays have been pathetic, which hasn’t helped his side in their attempts to improve as a defensive unit.

What they need: More starch in their pack. The Titans have signed Raiders bohemeth Shannon Boyd for next year, but they could use his aggression in the middle right now. The Titans have the 3rd worst defence in the competition behind the Knights and the sea Eagles.

Grade: D

KNIGHTS

Ladder: 12th

Record: 6 wins, 9 losses

Byes: 0

What’s gone right: Kalyn Ponga has been arguably the buy of the season and has brought a buzz back to the Knights club. Ponga was leading the Daly M Medal count, when voting went behind closed doors and he is their lone Origin representative to date.

What’s gone wrong: Defence is still a real problem in Newcastle, with the Knights conceding a whopping 392 points, which is the most of any team in the competition.

What they need: Micthell Pearce’s injury has left the Knights lacking in the playmaking stocks, which has put more pressure on Ponga in attack. The Knights attacking philosophy has been ‘give it to Ponga’ and he needs more help if the Knights are to climb up the ladder in the back half of the year.

Grade: D

COWBOYS

Ladder: 13th

Record: 4 wins, 11 losses

Byes: 0

What’s gone right: They managed to re-sign premiership winning coach Paul Green, keeping him from a possible move to archrivals Brisbane, but that is about all that has gone right for the Cowboys this season. There is nothing on the field to write home about.

What’s gone wrong: Everything. Last year’s Grand Finalists saw Johnathan Thurston and Matt Scott return from injury, but somehow the team got worse with those two champions. Michael Morgan was one of the best players in the game last year, but his form nosedived in 2018 and he is now out for the year with a bicep injury. Lachlan Coote has also looked a shadow of the player that led the team to premiership glory in 2015. It is difficult to see how the Cowboys could have let Kalyn Ponga go in order to keep Coote, who is now in reserve grade.

What they need: The Cowboys need an overhaul of their attacking philosophy. Paul Green’s men have become predictable, which is a dangerous place to be in rugby league.

Grade: F

SEA EAGLES

Ladder: 14th

Record: 4 wins, 11 losses

Byes: 0

What’s gone right: When the Sea Eagles click, they’ve shown they can trouble even the best sides. In fact the four wins they’ve had this year have all been extremely impressive, including a 54-0 shutout of Parramatta, and back-to-back wins over Brisbane and Melbourne.

What’s gone wrong: What hasn’t gone wrong? From off-field dramas, salary cap restrictions and a hefty injury toll, which includes three ACL injuries, it’s been a rough year for the Sea Eagles.

What they need: A peace pipe and some luck. The Jackson Hastings-Daly Cherry-Evans saga certainly hasn’t helped the club, nor has the constant run of injuries.

Grade: C-

BULLDOGS

Ladder: 15th

Record: 3 wins, 11 losses

Byes: 1

What’s gone right: David Klemmer’s been a shining light in what has otherwise been a disappointing season. The barnstorming prop is currently averaging his career-best figures of 171 metres per game - and he’s playing less minutes than last season.

What’s gone wrong: Marquee signings Kieran Foran and Aaron Woods have largely failed to fire, but it’s the club’s ability to close out tight games, which has been their Achilles heel. Up until their heavy round 15 loss to Gold Coast, they had a run of seven games that were all decided by eight points or less. How many of those did they win? Just one.

What they need: A complete roster overhaul. The club’s salary cap issues have been well-documented with the club revealing they can’t make any major signings until 2021. They’ve tried to fast-track that situation by releasing Moses Mbye and shopping around Woods, but it remains to be seen how long they’ll be affected by the poor decisions of past management.

Grade: D-

EELS

Ladder: 16th

Record: 3 wins, 12 losses

Byes: 0

What’s gone right: Nothing. The Eels were many pundits tip for top four certainties in 2018, but they find themselves last on the table, with 11 rounds remaining. The Eels are last when it comes to points scored, with 218 and are 3rd last in points conceded, ahead of only the Knights and the Titans.

What’s gone wrong: The Eels have lost the finishing ability of Semi Radradra and their spine has failed to click this season. Corey Norman is being shopped around after a significant form slump and Mitchell Moses is yet to prove he is a first grade halfback. The tough Eels forward pack from last season looks outmatched this year and their finishers have been either injured or out of form for most of the season.

What they need: A lot. Firstly they need some of their injured players to return, but beyond that a total overhaul of the club’s roster is on the cards in the off-season

Grade: F