The Race to the NRL Finals Heats Up

In what is turning into a showcase season (on the field) for the NRL, we are now only four weeks out from the finals with 12 teams still fighting it out for a spot in the eight. Is your club among them? Read on...

Positions one and two are all but sewn up. The Dragons have far and away been the competition's leading side in 2009. Sitting two wins clear and with a superior for-and-against differential than the second-placed Dogs, the red and whites would have to lose three from four to surrender the minor premiership, and will be the team to beat in September.

Despite a recent patch of worrying form the Bulldogs seem to have second place wrapped up, needing only two wins to stay put. But they will need to address some issues that have seen them lose to Parramatta and struggle against the Rabbitohs and Raiders in recent weeks if their finals campaign is to start on the right foot.

Three and four are where it starts to get interesting. Sitting on 30 points, the Gold Coast Titans have been doing the right things week in, week out and have everyone talking about how no one's talking about them. However the Melbourne Storm are only a point behind and still have plenty of firepower in their ranks to create something special.

Out of the top four there is a logjam for the remaining spots with only three points separating fifth from twelfth. Penrith are in at fifth on 25 points, the Cowboys, Tigers, Sea Eagles and Knights are all level on 24 while the Rabbitohs, resurgent Eels and the Brisbane Broncos are all on 22.

Alas eight into four goes not... so we can expect some fascinating footy over the next few weeks. The Panthers have surprised everyone with their form in 2009 but face up against four other teams all vying for a finals spot. North Queensland are starting to show glimpses of their potentially devastating attack potential with the Bowen-Thurston combination again the talk of Townsville. I expect them to be there come finals time.

The Tigers find themselves in finals contention at the right end of the year for the first time since their shock 2005 premiership win. However a difficult run home that includes matches against the Eels, Titans and Bulldogs means they have their work cut out for them.

Manly currently round out the eight and should account for the Roosters and Sharks in games against those teams, however also face the Storm and Titans in the next few weeks. The defending premiers' season will go down to the wire.

The Knights horror few weeks has seen them drop to ninth spot. The bad news is they face the Storm and Cowboys, plus the Raiders in Canberra over the next month. With their coach watching his calendar and the team lacking direction, I don't see them reinstating themselves in the top eight.

Nipping at the heels of the top eight, both South Sydney and Parramatta are playing good football at the right end of the year. The Eels have the potential to be a finals dark horse but have to get through the Tigers, Panthers and high flying Dragons first. The Bunnies have the Titans, Panthers and Dragons in their way and may have left their 2009 resurgence a little too late.

Lastly, the Broncos sit twelfth and are a mathematical chance, but face top eight sides in the Panthers, Dragons and Cowboys, followed by a rematch with the Canberra outfit that embarrassed them the other week. It would seem that for the first time in many years, Brisbane are not going to be playing September football.

Hence my top eight prediction is:

1. Dragons
2. Bulldogs
3. Storm
4. Titans
5. Cowboys
6. Sea Eagles
7. Tigers
8. Eels