League: Clear top-8 contenders in playoffs race

The weekend's results did a little to determine who will or won't make the playoffs, the bottom three sides - Newcastle, Souths and Penrith - each taking two points to unsettle teams above them and a clear top-eight left.

Big losers were the Warriors and Roosters, who still sit level on 20 competition points, four outside the current finals cut-off of 24. But three teams have 24 and nine are above the Auckland club and the Roosters.

If the Warriors continue their schizophrenic behaviour, losing to the teams they should beat and beating the teams they are expected to lose to, their season may well come down to the result of their last outing in round 25 against the Manly Sea Eagles, plus points differential.

The only things for sure are that they get two points in the last round of 26 for sitting at home on the bye - and that if they are still in with a chance they will be chewing their nails on the last weekend of the NRL, hoping others fail.

In so far are the Broncos on 34 points with the Eels likely on 28 and the cut-off likely to be 30. Then come the Dragons, Cowboys and Tigers, who won at the weekend, all on 26, followed by the Storm, Sharks and Eagles, who lost, on 24.

You have to wonder how much prior incidents and pre-judgment determine things: after Stacey Jones was laid out by Penrith prop Ben Ross on Saturday night in an incident that sparked a brawl, the touch judges ran on quickly yesterday when Sea Eagles fullback Brett Stewart was similarly flattened during the game against the Cowboys. The difference yesterday was that the Eagles got the penalty and two plays later they scored, contributing to a half-time lead of 14-6.

They lost 26-24 in one of the most remarkable finishes of the season so far. With 16 minutes to go, Manly halfback Michael Monaghan's kick to the Cowboys' in-goal was fielded by Matt Bowen and shovelled to Ty Williams, who ran the length of the field to score. Cowboys 22-18.

Then with three minutes left Eagles fullback Brett Stewart made a big break and Chris Hicks scored and converted. Eagles 24-22. The Cowboys regathered the ball from a short kick-off and Williams scored again: 26-24.

At Cronulla, the Wests Tigers turned a 12-6 lead into a 46-6 rout, definite encouragement for the Tigers for next year given the youth in the squad. Kiwi Benji Marshall was man of the match.

Souths got up 37-24, six tries to four over the injury-depleted Bulldogs with Ben Walker securing a 73rd minute field goal, then converting a late try by Todd Polglase after the teams had swapped the lead.

Andrew Johns signed with the Newcastle Knights through to the end of the 2008 season on Saturday, news that sparked them to a 37-18 demolition job on the Melbourne Storm on Saturday night.

The deal is reportedly worth A$500,000 ($555,854) from the Knights and a guaranteed A$500,000 extra from other sources for endorsements. And the Knights have allowed him to go to play for Warrington Wolves in the Super League this year, as soon as their season is over in September.

The Broncos won by the skin of their teeth. Video referee Craig Ward ruled out a touchdown by Raiders wing Craig Frawley two minutes before time which, if converted, would have levelled the scores at 24-all and sent it to overtime.

Raiders coach Matt Elliot said he still believed his team would make the playoffs given the tough football they were producing. But 2003 Kiwi Andrew Lomu will not be playing, after tearing his knee ligament to aggravate an earlier injury.

The Roosters look all out of crow after they held St George Illawarra to 6-6 at the break then slumped to a 44-6 defeat. Effort and commitment were there - Kiwi prop Jason Cayless had played with a torn ankle and painkilling injections - but they were not gelling as they should.

The Roosters look likely to miss the playoffs for the first time since 1995.