The race to make the NRL top eight is on

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The NRL is entering the final third of the season, and the logjam in the middle of the table is creating quite the race for finals positions.

While the top six teams - being the Melbourne Storm, Penrith Panthers, South Sydney Rabbitohs, Parramatta Eels and Manly Sea Eagles - are all but locked into the finals, the next six teams on the ladder are only separated by four competition points, meaning a tight run to the finals is on the cards.

Eight games is a long time in rugby league, and with a bonus code for bet 365, there is serious value to be had on which teams are going to make the top eight out of the large group.

Here are the eight teams in contention for the final two spots:

St George Illawarra Dragons
The St George Illawarra Dragons are currently dealing with a litany of suspensions from a major COVID breach. That being said, the team are the highest-placed out of the group in seventh place and have the league's second-best attacking record of the bottom ten teams. 

Cronulla Sharks

The Sharks are desperately clinging onto a top eight spot, but after losing to the lowly Brisbane Broncos in Round 15 and scraping past the New Zealand Warriors in Round 16, their form and finals hopes are dangling by a thread.

Josh Hannay's side have also missed more tackles than any other team, which isn't likely to help their cause.

Newcastle Knights
The Knights have a major problem - it's called scoring points. They have the competition's third-worst attack and have struggled all season against the top sides.

They currently sit ninth and aren't out of the top eight picture, but they'll need to find a way to score points, although their run home is significantly easier than most with their last six games featuring only one top eight side in the Sharks.

Gold Coast Titans
It's been a season of what should have been for the Titans. Coming in with new signings and such hope, inconsistency as completely derailed the side, with their defence switching off more often than COVID lockdowns have been called around the country.

Their attack is such that they can't be written off, but the Titans have a lot of work to do if they want to play in the finals.

Canberra Raiders
The Raiders' may be the NRL's biggest disappointment this season. Coming into the season with genuine top-four hopes, Ricky Stuart's side were first rocked by the loss of George Williams, with things going from bad to worse since.

They are still in the hunt, but their defensive record will need significant improvement if they are to qualify for the finals.

North Queensland Cowboys
The Cowboys are a team in a tale of two worlds. At home, they have lost just a single game and are as close to unbeatable as it gets. Away from home, they have lost all but a single game and are close to unbackable as it gets.

If Todd Payten can't find a way to get his team winning away from home, even occasionally, they can kiss any hopes of making up the difference and playing finals goodbye. A run home featuring four away games plus three of their four home games against three of the top six teams should all but end their hopes.