The cream has risen to the top and, we have three clear standouts when it comes to likely premiership winners.

It's hard to see any team outside of the Broncos, Cowboys or Roosters winning this competition.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I hear you. Thanks for pointing out the bleeding obvious, scoop!

Well, it's worth pointing out because we keep hearing the mantra that this competition is the most closely fought  on record.

Every now and then our competition looks evenly balanced, but such periods are fleeting and come more as a coincidence rather than a reflection of long-term capabilities.

Most of the teams go through fluctuations in performance as the salary cap cycles take their course. Most clubs are either on the way up or on the way down.

Every now and then, the clubs may oscillate and meet on a common plane.  But it all shifts pretty quickly.

Injuries and depth of talent also play a huge part but, generally speaking, only a few clubs can maintain more than a couple of years at the pointy end of the competition. Over time, the usual suspects keep emerging as likely premiership contenders.

This season is one of the more lopsided competitions we've witnessed in recent times.

Why? Well, we shall get more into this subject another time but these days the position of teams on the premiership ladder has more to do with corporate capabilities and less to do with the luck of the draw and the bounce of the ball.

In fact, the financial stress and other factors affecting many of the lower-placed teams is a direct result of them trying to live beyond their means and push beyond their financial comfort zones in an attempt to remain competitive with the "big boys".

They may get themselves competitive from time to time, but sustaining that success comes with tremendous pressure and the inevitable downside within a couple of years.

I am still of the opinion that, as long as certain teams are going well, the NRL hierarchy believes rugby league is going well. The rest are just in the competition to make up the numbers.

When you see league officials cheering for certain results at finals time because they know it will lead to bigger crowds and bigger ratings, well, you soon realise that business is business. And we don't want the sport getting in the way of the business, do we?

Level competition? I think not.

Anyway, we are in for a cracker of a finals series because, along with the big three, I'm sure the Rabbits, Bulldogs and Storm will be out to make a challenge as well.

For mine though, the premiers will come from the top three teams on the ladder. 

BRONCOS:

The Broncos lost their first game of the season 36-6 against the Rabbitohs. They were blown off the park by the defending premiers and gave little or no indication of what was to follow.

It was a case of baby steps for the next couple of months as coach Wayne Bennett moulded the playing style and mentality of this team into shape. But their record since that first outing shows they have won 15 of 17 matches and amassed a points differential for the season at +175.

Since they lost their round one clash by 30 points, it means they have played their next 17 matches scoring 205 more points than they have conceded. That's highly impressive.

The Broncos seemingly have built their season on defence. They have the second-best defensive record in the league. But in recent times it has been their prolific scoring that has captured our attention. The Broncos have scored 447 points for the season, top of the league.

The big improvement has come in more recent times and I think coincides with the return of fullback Darius Boyd, who has added a new dimension to their attacking capabilities. Not only is Boyd dangerous in his own right, but his mere presence in the attacking structures has taken pressure and attention away from the halves Ben Hunt and Anthony Milford.

With opposition defences now acutely aware of Boyd's timely injections into attacking plays, the two little men have been given more room to move and they have taken full advantage.

Of course, no team builds an attacking game without a forward pack that is dominating the advantage line. The Broncos forwards don't attract a lot of comment, but this hard-working group of men have been tremendousthis year. Front rower Josh Maguire was outstanding before his unfortunate season-ending Achilles injury.

But you would not know he's been missing because of the way his teammates have lifted in his absence. Sam Thaiday, Adam Blair, Matt Gillett, Alex Glenn and the mercurial Corey Parker have been outstanding. Their work ethic and consistent intensity has given the Broncos the ideal platform on which to operate. Throw in the supporting roles played by youngsters such as Jarrod Wallace, Michael Dodds, Dale Copley, Corey Oates and we see a formidable group of men rarely beaten in the battle of the advantage line.

Sure, the backs are creating and scoring plenty of tries. But it's the work of this mobile and committed forward pack that has paved the way to consistent success.  

COWBOYS:

Well, like the Broncos, their opening game was nothing to brag about. Despite playing at home in favourable conditions, the Cowboys were thumped 28-4 by the Roosters in a performance that gave little indication of the year that was to unfold.

In fact, the Cowboys lost their first three matches and won in round four with a lucky one-point victory over the Melbourne Storm. Since the first three rounds, the Cowboys have won 13 of 14 games, many in nail-biting finishes. Before this round, the Cowboys' points differential for the season for attack over defence was just +55, a long way short of the Broncos and Roosters.

Defensively, the Cowboys have been markedly inferior when compared with the other two leading contenders. But their attacking game has come through under pressure so many times it may give them an edge over their rivals on the score of being able to produce points in tight finishes when they are needed most.

It's one thing to be able to score a lot of points. It's another thing to be able to create points under pressure when the result is in the balance. The Cowboys have won a number of closely fought games and it has been their ability to excel when under the pump that has impressed most. The reason? Well, obviously having Johnathan Thurston in your team is a tremendous start. The miracle man has been at his brilliant best this year. But I think even JT will say it's been the emergence and good form of the other three playmakers that has added reliability and potency to the Cowboys'  attacking capabilities.

Young hooker Jake Glanville is shaping into one of the buys of the season. He has been outstanding out of dummy half. Five-eighth Michael Morgan has gone to a new level with his football, Origin level, in fact.

The big bonus has been the form of fullback Lachlan Coote who has been able to rise to his best after several frustrating and injury-riddled seasons. He has added a dimension to the Cowboys' attacking game from the back of the field.

North Queensland have had no luck in recent finals campaigns. I think they are going better now than ever. Whether they can match it with the other two sides in the big end of season matches remains to be seen. 

ROOSTERS:

On paper the Roosters have the best roster in the NRL. The addition of a player such as Blake Ferguson to an already star-studded line-up had given this team a new X-factor when it comes to winning big matches.

The improvement of fullback Roger Tuivasa-Sheck since his full-time switch to replace Anthony Minichiello has also been a huge boost for the tricolours. The thing about the Roosters is I don't think we have seen them at their best. They show glimpses from time to time. But they are not always playing with the intensity or level of excellence I anticipate.

Or maybe it's an illusion. Maybe we look at the names and expect more, but in reality they are flat out. Maybe this is as good as it gets. But I don't think so.

The Roosters are capable of far better and have a higher level of performance they can reach that will be beyond the capabilities of the other contenders.

The Roosters have the best defensive record in the NRL. Historically, the best defensive teams usually win the title. In 18 matches this season, they have conceded only 212 points. That's less that two converted tries a game. Amazing. Your attack is not under any real pressure when you are only chasing 12 points a game.

The Roosters first 13 boasts representative-class players in every position. But it is the strength of their bench that gives them the biggest advantage over their rivals.

Regardless of how Trent Robinson names his 17 each week, he can always rely on tremendous impact from his bench. He also has great versatility in his players, which covers all possible scenarios when injuries or setbacks occur.

Their  pack can dominate the advantage line like no other in the competition. They are also becoming more adept at passing the football among each other, which adds impetus to their go-forward game.

This allows halfback Mitchell Pearce more time and space to kick and pass. They are now getting early ball to the strike centres Ferguson and Michael Jennings, which is putting immense pressure on opposition defensive lines.

To top it all they have this young sensation in RTS chiming in from the back and creating havoc with his powerful charges and lightning-fast footwork.

This team is the complete package.

Or is it?

There just seems to be something missing at the moment. I'm sure it's mental more than physical. It's just a gut feeling. I don't like how often they go through flat patches.

Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe perfection is unattainable. But it shouldn't stop you from trying to achieve it, especially when you have the ability to do so.

If all teams get to September fit and healthy, I expect the Roosters to prevail and lift the trophy.

But there is still a long way to go and anything is possible.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. Thanks, scoop.