Down to the last four rounds of the regular season and the make-up of the bottom half of the NRLs top eight is even murkier after last weekends round of matches. Photo: Photosport
The Sydney Roosters (36), South Sydney (34), Manly (31) and Melbourne (31) are well clear of the chasing pack, Canterbury-Bankstown and Cronulla a full five points back on 26 in fifth and sixth.
And thereafter the plot thickens with Newcastle on 25, Gold Coast and Canberra on 24 and the Vodafone Warriors on 22. Brisbane (21) and North Queensland (20) have found some form to mount a late charge.
The logjam means a sharp focus falls on a number of significant matches in this weekends 24th round. The Broncos will be heavily favoured to maintain their late surge at home to Parramatta, Canberra and Canterbury-Bankstown will be equally desperate when they meet in the Australian capital as will the Cowboys and the Titans in Townsville.
Cronulla, after stumbling against Newcastle, will need success away to St George Illawarra and both matches on Sunday have plenty hanging on them, the Vodafone Warriors hosting Penrith and Newcastle at home to Melbourne.
Heres how the final four rounds play out for each club (current points and points for and against differentials in brackets):
1 ROOSTERS (36, +279)
Tigers (a Allianz), Sharks (a), Titans (h), Rabbitohs (a)
2 RABBITOHS (34, +182)
Sea Eagles (h Gosford), Bulldogs (h ANZ Stadium), Tigers (a Allianz), Roosters (h)
3 SEA EAGLES (31, +212)
Rabbitohs (a Gosford), Raiders (a), Storm (h), Panthers (h)
4 STORM (31, +162)
Knights (a), Eels (h), Sea Eagles (a), Titans (h)
5 BULLDOGS (26, +47)
Raiders (a), Rabbitohs (a ANZ Stadium), Panthers (h), Broncos (a)
6 SHARKS (26, -13)
Dragons (a), Roosters (h), Cowboys (h), Raiders (a)
7 KNIGHTS (25, +83)
Storm (h), Cowboys (a), Broncos (a), Eels (h)
8 TITANS (24, -11)
Cowboys (a), Vodafone Warriors (h), Roosters (a), Storm (a)
9 RAIDERS (24, -110)
Bulldogs (h), Sea Eagles (h), Vodafone Warriors (a), Sharks (h)
10 VODAFONE WARRIORS (22, -82)
Panthers (h), Titans (a), Raiders (h), Dragons (a)
11 BRONCOS (21, -34)
Eels (h), Panthers (a), Knights (h), Bulldogs (h)
12 COWBOYS (20, +3)
Titans (h), Knights (h), Sharks (a), Tigers (h)
13 PANTHERS (20, -49)
Vodafone Warriors (a), Broncos (h), Bulldogs (a), Sea Eagles (a)
14 DRAGONS (16, -136)
Sharks (h), Tigers (h), Eels (a ANZ Stadium), Vodafone Warriors (h)
15 TIGERS (16, -233)
Roosters (h Allianz), Dragons (a), Rabbitohs (h Allianz), Cowboys (a)
16 EELS (12, -300)
Broncos (a), Storm (a), Dragons (h ANZ Stadium), Knights (a)
The Sydney Roosters (36), South Sydney (34), Manly (31) and Melbourne (31) are well clear of the chasing pack, Canterbury-Bankstown and Cronulla a full five points back on 26 in fifth and sixth.
And thereafter the plot thickens with Newcastle on 25, Gold Coast and Canberra on 24 and the Vodafone Warriors on 22. Brisbane (21) and North Queensland (20) have found some form to mount a late charge.
The logjam means a sharp focus falls on a number of significant matches in this weekends 24th round. The Broncos will be heavily favoured to maintain their late surge at home to Parramatta, Canberra and Canterbury-Bankstown will be equally desperate when they meet in the Australian capital as will the Cowboys and the Titans in Townsville.
Cronulla, after stumbling against Newcastle, will need success away to St George Illawarra and both matches on Sunday have plenty hanging on them, the Vodafone Warriors hosting Penrith and Newcastle at home to Melbourne.
Heres how the final four rounds play out for each club (current points and points for and against differentials in brackets):
1 ROOSTERS (36, +279)
Tigers (a Allianz), Sharks (a), Titans (h), Rabbitohs (a)
2 RABBITOHS (34, +182)
Sea Eagles (h Gosford), Bulldogs (h ANZ Stadium), Tigers (a Allianz), Roosters (h)
3 SEA EAGLES (31, +212)
Rabbitohs (a Gosford), Raiders (a), Storm (h), Panthers (h)
4 STORM (31, +162)
Knights (a), Eels (h), Sea Eagles (a), Titans (h)
5 BULLDOGS (26, +47)
Raiders (a), Rabbitohs (a ANZ Stadium), Panthers (h), Broncos (a)
6 SHARKS (26, -13)
Dragons (a), Roosters (h), Cowboys (h), Raiders (a)
7 KNIGHTS (25, +83)
Storm (h), Cowboys (a), Broncos (a), Eels (h)
8 TITANS (24, -11)
Cowboys (a), Vodafone Warriors (h), Roosters (a), Storm (a)
9 RAIDERS (24, -110)
Bulldogs (h), Sea Eagles (h), Vodafone Warriors (a), Sharks (h)
10 VODAFONE WARRIORS (22, -82)
Panthers (h), Titans (a), Raiders (h), Dragons (a)
11 BRONCOS (21, -34)
Eels (h), Panthers (a), Knights (h), Bulldogs (h)
12 COWBOYS (20, +3)
Titans (h), Knights (h), Sharks (a), Tigers (h)
13 PANTHERS (20, -49)
Vodafone Warriors (a), Broncos (h), Bulldogs (a), Sea Eagles (a)
14 DRAGONS (16, -136)
Sharks (h), Tigers (h), Eels (a ANZ Stadium), Vodafone Warriors (h)
15 TIGERS (16, -233)
Roosters (h Allianz), Dragons (a), Rabbitohs (h Allianz), Cowboys (a)
16 EELS (12, -300)
Broncos (a), Storm (a), Dragons (h ANZ Stadium), Knights (a)
