NRL Finals: It’s A Guessing Game

With 2 rounds remaining in the NRL regular season just who’ll make the finals this year is as clear as mud. Manly, South Sydney, the Roosters and Penrith have already booked their tickets to the play-offs, while Melbourne, North Queensland and Canterbury are all under $1.10 to the make the 8 on Sportsbet’s finals market. Out of the reaming 4 teams that can still mathematically feature in the finals Sportsbet which offers up to $250 in bonus bets for new customers has Parramatta as under $2 favorites ahead of the Broncos, New Zealand and St George.

The Eels are currently eighth and have destiny in their own hands. If they win their remaining 2 games they’ll play finals footy. Parra face Newcastle this weekend before another away game in Canberra in the final round, but with both their opponents out of contention the Eels should have plenty more to play for. The Blue and Gold army are still singing after their side’s remarkable comeback against Manly but will they still be joyous in a fortnight.

If the Eels drop 1 game it brings the Broncos, Warriors and Dragons right back in the race. If the Warriors and Brisbane were to string back to back wins together they’d have the advantage, with St George and Parra both negative in for and against. Brisbane can end the Dragons season on Friday night if they win at Suncorp Stadium, before facing the in form Storm in their final match.

The hit and miss Warriors could rack up a score against the Titans at Mount Smart Stadium this weekend or could shoot themselves in the foot. Their fans know all too well to expect the unexpected. If they get past Gold Coast they’ll go into their last game against Penrtih still a chance of squeezing into the finals.

The short odds about the high flying Cowboys look right, they should secure their spot in the 8 with a win against the Sharks on Monday, but despite sitting sixth could the Bulldogs blow it from here? If they lose against Souths on Thursday they’ll remain on 30 points and be looking over their shoulder heading into another away match against the Titans. Could the Dogs dismal for and against prove costly?

We should be closer to finding out the 8 after this week’s matches but it’s likely we’ll still be speculating heading into round 26.