While the top seven teams remain all but unchanged this week – other than the Bulldogs and Roosters swapping spots – there has been some movement among the next five teams on the NRL ladder.
With just five rounds left Manly is on 32 points, still four clear of second-placed South Sydney as it sets out to secure the minor premiership.
The Rabbitohs and Penrith are on 28 points with the Roosters, Bulldogs and Storm all on 26.
The next three teams – the Cowboys, the Vodafone Warriors and the Eels – all follow in that order on 24 with the Broncos, Dragons and Tigers two points back on 22.
The competition is still tight with only four points covering the nines teams from fourth to 13th but the entire field is now spreading out.
Just a few weeks ago after 17 rounds there was just four points covering the top eight and only 12 points separated first and 16th; now there is eight points between first and eighth and 18 points from first to 16th.
The Vodafone Warriors’ position hasn’t changed much in that time. They were seventh on 20 points after 17 rounds and now they’re eighth after 21 rounds.
Here’s how the 16 teams line up after 21 rounds and a look at their run-ins to the finals (positions on the table last week are in brackets):
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1 (1) SEA EAGLES (32, +142)
Last four games | Tigers (h) W 40-8, Dragons (a) W 21-12, Vodafone Warriors (a) W 22-12, Broncos (h) W 16-4
Last five rounds | Rabbitohs (a – SCG), Titans (a), Eels (a), Panthers (h), Cowboys (a)
2 (2) RABBITOHS (28, +188)
Last four games | Bye, Eels (a) W 32-12, Raiders (a) W 34-18, Knights (h – Barlow Park, Cairns) W 50-10
Last five rounds | Sea Eagles (h - SCG), Broncos (h), Cowboys (h), Bulldogs (a), Roosters (a)
3 (3) PANTHERS (28, +66)
Last four games | Broncos (h) W 35-34, Roosters (a) L 12-32, Cronulla (h – Bathurst) L 12-16, Bulldogs (a) W 22-16
Last five rounds | Dragons (a), Cowboys (h), Storm (h), Sea Eagles (a), Vodafone Warriors (h)
4 (5) ROOSTERS (26, +128)
Last four games | Bye, Panthers (a) W 32-12, Knights (a) L 12-16, Dragons (h) W 30-22
Last five rounds | Titans (h), Tigers (a), Vodafone Warriors (a), Storm (h), Rabbitohs (h)
5 (4) BULLDOGS (26, +24)
Last four games | Storm (a) W 6-4, Tigers (a) L 18-46, Cowboys (h) L 12-20, Panthers (h) L 16-22
Last five rounds | Broncos (a), Eels (a – ANZ Stadium), Tigers (h), Rabbitohs (h), Titans (a)
6 (6) STORM (26, +24)
Last four games | Bulldogs (h) L 4-6, Raiders (h) W 28-14, Broncos (a) W 30-8, Tigers (a) W 28-6
Last five rounds | Knights (a), Sharks (h), Panthers (a), Roosters (a), Broncos (h)
7 (7) COWBOYS (24, +106)
Last four games | Bye, Sharks (a) W 36-18, Bulldogs (a) W 20-12, Titans (h) W 28-8
Last five rounds | Tigers (h), Panthers (a), Rabbitohs (a), Sharks (h), Sea Eagles (h)
8 (9) VODAFONE WARRIORS (24, +90)
Last four games | Eels (h) W 48-0, Broncos (a) W 22-28, Sea Eagles (h) L 12-22, Raiders (a) W 54-18
Last five rounds | Sharks (h), Knights (a), Roosters (h), Titans (h), Panthers (a)
9 (12) EELS (24, -76)
Last four games | Vodafone Warriors (a) L 0-48, Rabbitohs (h) L 12-32, Titans (a) W 24-18, Sharks (a) L 12-32
Last five rounds | Raiders (h – TIO Stadium, Darwin), Bulldogs (h – ANZ Stadium), Sea Eagles (h), Knights (a), Raiders (a)
10 (8) BRONCOS (22, +48)
Last four games | Panthers (a) L 34-35, Vodafone Warriors (h) W 28-22, Storm (h) L 8-30, Sea Eagles (a) L 4-16
Last five rounds | Bulldogs (h), Rabbitohs (a), Knights (h), Dragons (h), Storm (a)
11 (10) DRAGONS (22, -55)
Last four games | Bye, Sea Eagles (h) W 21-12, Tigers (a) W 28-12, Roosters (a) L 22-30
Last five rounds | Panthers (h), Raiders (a), Titans (h), Broncos (a), Knights (a)
12 (11) WESTS TIGERS (22, -90)
Last four games | Sea Eagles (a) L 8-40, Bulldogs (h) W 46-18, Dragons (h) L 12-28, Storm (h) L 6-28
Last five rounds | Cowboys (a), Roosters (h), Bulldogs (a), Raiders (a), Sharks (h)
13 (13) TITANS (20, -86)
Last four games | Raiders (h) L 20-36, Knights (a) W 22-8, Eels (h) L 18-24, Cowboys (a) L 8-28
Last five rounds | Roosters (a), Sea Eagles (h), Dragons (a), Vodafone Warriors (a), Bulldogs (h)
14 (14) KNIGHTS (16, -134)
Last four games | Sharks (a) W 31-18, Titans (h) L 8-22, Roosters (h) W 16-12, Rabbitohs (a – Barlow Park, Cairns) L 10-50
Last five rounds| Storm (h), Vodafone Warriors (h), Broncos (a), Eels (h), Dragons (h)
15 (15) RAIDERS (14, -169)
Last four games | Titans (a) W 36-20, Storm (a) L 14-28, Rabbitohs (h) L 18-34, Vodafone Warriors (h) L 18-54
Last five rounds | Eels (a – TIO Stadium, Darwin), Dragons (h), Sharks (a), Tigers (h), Eels (h)
16 (16) SHARKS (14, -206)
Last four games | Knights (h) L 18-31, Cowboys (h) L 18-36, Panthers (a) W 18-16, Eels (h) L 12-32
Last five rounds | Vodafone Warriors (a), Storm (a), Raiders (h), Cowboys (a), Tigers (a)
VODAFONE WARRIORS v SHARKS
4pm, Sunday 10 August
