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The battle for the minor premiership is going down to the wire with the Warriors, Panthers and Roosters level on 38 points and the Dolphins one win behind them in fourth spot. The Warriors climbed to the top of the ladder for the first time since Round 3 on the back of their 45-26 victory over South Sydney, with their points differential of +295 just one point better than the Panthers (+294). The Roosters, meanwhile, dropped from first to third on the back of their upset loss to Wests Tigers to bring down the curtain on Round 25. Trent Robinson's men will look to regroup against the Dolphins at Allianz Stadium in Round 26 while the Wahs face the Knights, who need to bounce back after a shock loss to Manly. The Panthers step out against the Bulldogs in Round 26 before finishing the regular season against giant killers Wests Tigers in Round 27. With a guaranteed two points to come from a Round 27 bye, the Knights have locked in their finals position - a stunning turnaround from last year's wooden spoon. The Rabbitohs remain vulnerable after their loss to the Warriors and must now travel to the Gold Coast for a danger game against the Titans. The Bulldogs sit just one win behind the Rabbitohs while Manly also kept their slim finals hopes alive by rolling the Knights. With two rounds remaining in the regular season, every match has taken on greater importance as clubs battle to keep their finals hopes alive. This is how every finals contender is shaping up in the final fortnight of the NRL season. Warriors v Knights: Round 26 1st Warriors - 38 points, +295 for and against The Warriors are within touching distance of their first minor premiership since 2002 after getting the job done against Souths and then cheering on Wests Tigers to an upset win over the Roosters. With James Fisher-Harris and Mitch Barnett controlling the middle and Leka Halasima running riot on the edge, the Wahs have the weapons to go all the way to their first ever title. With their final two matches on home soil in front of the Go Media Stadium faithful, the Warriors have a golden opportunity to claim the JJ Giltinan Shield and march into September on a high. This week: Warriors v Knights, Sunday 2.00pm (AEST) at Go Media Stadium Next week: Warriors v Sea Eagles, Saturday September 5, 3.00pm (AEST) at Go Media Stadium. Rabbitohs v Warriors – Round 25, 2026 2nd Panthers - 38 points, +294 The Panthers kept up their end of the bargain by taking down the Storm to open Round 25 but the Warriors' 19-point win over the Rabbitohs was enough to lift them to the top of the table. With the game's best player Nathan Cleary calling the shots and winger Brian To'o back to his absolute best, the Panthers look to be back on track after recent losses to the Roosters, Warriors and Broncos. Ivan Cleary's men can deliver a dagger to the Bulldogs' heart in Round 26 and then take aim at Wests Tigers in the final game of the regular season with a third minor premiership in five years well within grasp. This week: Panthers v Bulldogs, Friday 8.00pm at CommBank Stadium Next week: Panthers v Wests Tigers, Sunday September 6, 4.05pm at CommBank Stadium. To'o passes 100 NRL tries 3rd Roosters - 38 points, +162 A slip-up against Wests Tigers could well prove costly for the Roosters as they prepare for two tough games against the Dolphins and Rabbitohs to round out the regular season. Most expected the Roosters to ride roughshod over Wests Tigers and head into Round 26 in top spot but Benji's brave boys had other ideas as they conjured a 25-24 win. This weekend's clash against the fourth-placed Dolphins takes on even greater significance now and the Chooks will be sweating on skipper James Tedesco being able to take the field after a couple of false starts with an ankle injury. The Roosters' last minor premiership came in 2018 when they went on to win the title so they will be out to repeat that scenario in 2026. This week: Roosters v Dolphins, Saturday 5.30pm at Allianz Stadium Next week: Rabbitohs v Roosters, Friday September 4, 8.00pm at Allianz Stadium. Herbie hits high gear 4th Dolphins - 36 points, +138 The Dolphins got the job done against the Eels last Friday night to maintain their place on the ladder. Kristian Woolf's men will put their top-four hopes on the line this weekend when they travel south to face the Roosters in a Saturday evening blockbuster at Allianz Stadium. With Cronulla nipping at their heels, the Dolphins need a win to solidify their spot in the four before taking on the Titans in Round 27. A maiden finals berth is assured but a statement win over a powerhouse opponent on Friday would send confidence sky rocketing. This week: Roosters v Dolphins, Saturday 5.30pm at Allianz Stadium Next week: Titans v Dolphins, Friday September 4, 6.00pm at Cbus Super Stadium. Eels v Sharks: Round 26 5th Sharks - 34 points, +173 The Sharks are locked and loaded for a fifth consecutive finals appearance but it's the double chance they crave so a win over the 13th-placed Eels is absolutely imperative this weekend. Injuries have come at an inopportune time for Craig Fitzgibbon's squad with key backline stars Braydon Trindall and Jesse Ramien both sidelined but there is plenty of depth at the Sharks as they showed last Sunday when Niwhai Puru and Mawene Hiroti stepped up to do a job against the Titans. A decade has passed since the Sharks' emotion-charged premiership triumph and history suggest a top-four finish is a necessity if Cronulla are to add a second to the trophy cabinet. This week: Eels v Sharks, Sunday 4.05pm at CommBank Stadium Next week: Sharks v Storm, Saturday September 5, 7.35pm at Ocean Protect Stadium. Hunt's double not quite enough 6th Knights - 32 points, +56 Newcastle's top-four quest was dealt a major blow on Saturday when they suffered a shock loss to Manly. With a Round 27 bye, the Knights will finish their regular season on Sunday with an intimidating trip to Auckland to face the Warriors. A win will secure a home final in the opening week of the post-season, however a loss will leave the Knights at risk of slipping to seventh and into a sudden-death match on the road. The return of big-match specialist Dane Gagai is a bonus for the Knights as they look to tame the potent Wahs and silence their passionate fans. This week: Warriors v Knights, Sunday 2.00pm (AEST) at Go Media Stadium Next week: Bye Titans v Rabbitohs: Round 26 7th Rabbitohs - 30 points, +63 Last week's loss to the Warriors leaves the Rabbitohs sitting precariously in seventh with two weeks remaining in the season. Such is the tight nature of the ladder, South Sydney are just as likely to secure a home elimination final as they are to drop out of the eight altogether. Wayne Bennett's side travels north to face the Titans on Saturday before a Round 27 blockbuster against fierce rivals the Roosters at Allianz Stadium. Given what looms in two weeks' time, the Rabbitohs need a win on Saturday to secure their place in the eight. The return of Latrell Mitchell shapes as pivotal to South Sydney's chances, with the centre looking to provide an instant boost when he comes off the bench in the special Jai Arrow match on Saturday. This week: Titans v Rabbitohs, Saturday 3.00pm at Cbus Super Stadium Next week: Rabbitohs v Roosters, Friday September 4, 8.00pm at Allianz Stadium. 8th Cowboys - 30 points, -78 North Queensland enjoyed the chance to freshen up last weekend and they will now remain in Townsville for the final two weeks of the season. The Cowboys will host the Tigers and Raiders and two wins will secure their place in the eight. A loss this weekend will leave Todd Payten's side sitting precariously, with the Sea Eagles and Bulldogs nipping at their heels. This week: Cowboys v Wests Tigers, Saturday 7.35pm at Queensland Country Bank Stadium Next week: Cowboys v Raiders, Saturday September 5, 5.30pm at Queensland Country Bank Stadium. Panthers v Bulldogs: Round 26 9th Bulldogs - 28 points, -32 If the Bulldogs can sneak into the finals they will have plenty of rivals looking over their shoulder but there is little margin for error for Cameron Ciraldo's enigmatic outfit. They head into this week's blockbuster against Penrith safe in the knowledge that they downed Nathan Cleary and his troops 32-16 back in Round 6 and also buoyed by the form of Lachlan Galvin and Matt Burton in their drubbing of the Dragons. With a massive fan base and a swag of gamebreakers in their ranks, the Dogs can certainly do some damage in September should they get there. This week: Panthers v Bulldogs, Friday 8.00pm at CommBank Stadium Next week: Bulldogs v Broncos, Thursday September 3, 7.50pm at Accor Stadium. Knights v Sea Eagles – Round 25, 2026 10th Sea Eagles - 26 points, +66 Manly kept their slim finals hopes alive with a resounding victory over the Knights on Saturday afternoon. The return of star fullback Tom Trbojevic provided an instant boost and he shapes as their X-factor over the next couple of weeks. The Sea Eagles will host the Dragons on Friday night before a Round 27 trip to Auckland that could determine their finals fate. Manly still need other results to go their way but they remain in the fight with two games to play. This week: Sea Eagles v Dragons, Friday 6.00pm at 4 Pines Park Next week: Warriors v Sea Eagles, Saturday September 5, 3.00pm (AEST) at Go Media Stadium.