With the Bulldogs losing and the Rabbitohs and Cowboys winning, the eight teams advancing to the finals are settled. There is still a minor premiership to be decided as well as some adjustments to the positions of teams, but there are now nine teams who can book their end of season trips from next week.
Here's whose stocks are up and down after Round 26.
Our footy experts cast their eye over the week's action to find out whose stocks are up -- whether it's a coaching masterstroke or a player having a blinder -- and whose are down.
Brisbane Broncos
Stocks up: The reigning premiers hosted the grand final re-match with both teams 160 minutes of football away from the end of their miserable seasons. The Broncos started with a couple of half breaks before letting the Storm take a tap 10 metres out and waltz through the heart of their defence. It was a sorry sign of what was to come. If you were searching for a positive, they only lost the second half 16-10.
Stocks down: How the mighty have fallen. They say that good defence is an attitude and the Broncos further proved that they have completely given up caring. Scoring tries against the reigning premiers should never be as simple as running hard at some of their best defenders.
-- Darren Arthur
Canberra Raiders
BYE
Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs
Stocks up: The effort was there. Canterbury stayed within touching distance for most of the night, Jacob Preston worked himself into the ground and Lachlan Galvin kept trying to manufacture opportunities despite Penrith giving him almost no time or space.
Stocks down: Ultimately, this showed the gap between competing with Penrith and actually beating them. The Bulldogs had enough possession and field position to make things interesting, but could never consistently crack the Panthers' defensive line, and the 24-10 defeat effectively ended their finals hopes once the weekend's other results fell into place. After fighting their way back into the race, that's a pretty brutal way for the season to close out.
-- Isaac Issa
Cronulla Sharks
Stocks up: Ronaldo Mulitalo had plenty of great carries, and while it was disallowed, Sione Katoa had one of the coolest put-down attempts you'll ever see. There really wasn't much else to be positive about, although Addin Fonua-Blake did go off with an injury, but returned to the game - which is massive for their finals hopes.
Stocks down: Everything else? Another disappointingly flat showing from a Sharks team that has massively hit the wall since Braydon Trindall went down. A top four spot was up for grabs should they have won their last two games against teams with nothing to play for, but that's gone now. Instead, they're locked into fifth and we get another week of tedious discourse about whether or not they should be allowed to play that finals game at Shark Park.
-- Matt Bungard
Dolphins
Stocks up: This might be their most convincing statement yet. The Dolphins didn't just beat another top-four side - they controlled long stretches of the game and then showed serious resilience when things got messy, surviving periods with 12 and even 11 men on the field. Isaiya Katoa and Kodi Nikorima were excellent in steering them around, Selwyn Cobbo's double gave the Roosters nightmares on the edge and their scramble defence late was outstanding. A 26-12 win moves them above the Roosters and gives them a genuine shot at a home final in their first ever September campaign.
Stocks down: The discipline is the obvious one. Tom Flegler and Morgan Knowles both spending time in the bin could have completely changed the game against a side that executed better with the extra numbers. They survived it this time, but that's not something you want to be testing in finals football.
-- Isaac Issa
Gold Coast Titans
Stocks up: Keano Kini was lightning every time he got half a chance, and Siale Faeamani had some nice carries in his first game in the top grade since round nine. Other than that, it was a pretty by-the-numbers showing from a team that's not offered much in the final month of the season.
Stocks down: It just doesn't feel like anything ever changes with the Titans. They've done enough to avoid the spoon this year, but it's only due to the Dragons being so bad. They're going to finish with the same number of wins as last season and look nowhere near being a finals team in 2027 or beyond. They haven't won more than half their games in a year since 2010.
-- Matt Bungard
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Stocks up: From the opening kick-off Manly showed that they meant business. Determined charges into the heart of the Dragons' defence coupled with slick ball movement had the Dragons on their heels. The Sea Eagle had all the ball and ran the Big Red V into the ground, with Saab cashing in on the deft short kicking game of Jamal Fogarty.
Stocks down: It was all for nothing. After such a promising turn around after changing head coach earlier in the year, the Sea Eagles fell agonisingly short of a finals appearance.
-- Darren Arthur
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Melbourne Storm
Stocks up: The Storm always turn up with the right attitude, regardless of how insignificant the game may be. In the first half they scored some beautifully executed tries against the disinterested Broncos defence. As usual Siulagi Tuimalatu-Brown was dangerous every time he touched the ball on the way to a hat trick.
Stocks down: The win does little to change the fact that they wont be playing finals this tear after appearing in the grand final just under 12 months ago. After going into the break with a healthy lead, they did concede tries in the second half, as the referee awarded multiple set restarts to the Broncos.
-- Darren Arthur
Newcastle Knights
Stocks up: In some ways, this might have been one of Newcastle's more impressive losses. They came flying out of the blocks, then played 67 minutes with 12 men after Saifiti's send-off and somehow continued trading punches with the competition leaders. Fletcher Hunt and Greg Marzhew both finished with doubles, and even after the Warriors took control, Newcastle refused to disappear. With finals already secured, that sort of fight should give Justin Holbrook plenty of confidence heading into September.
Stocks down: Saifiti's tackle changed everything. His forceful high shot knocked Laulilii out of the game and left Newcastle a man short for almost the entire afternoon, while he now faces the prospect of missing finals through suspension. Francis Manuleleua also suffered what appears to be a serious elbow injury, adding another potentially costly blow ahead of September. The Knights showed enormous character, but ultimately they were left paying for one disastrous moment.
-- Isaac Issa
New Zealand Warriors
Stocks up: Talk about passing a depth test. With Te Maire Martin and Chanel Harris-Tavita rested, Jett Cleary walked into halfback on NRL debut and looked completely at home, laying on three try assists as the Warriors fought back from a chaotic start to win 46-32. Newcastle had them 10-0 down inside 10 minutes, but once the game swung, the Warriors found points everywhere, with Jacob Laban grabbing a double and their attack eventually overwhelming a brave 12-man Knights outfit. The win guarantees a home final and sends them back to the top of the ladder - remarkably, still just one point of differential ahead of Penrith.
Stocks down: The circumstances mean Andrew Webster won't be completely thrilled with conceding 32. Even after Jacob Saifiti was sent off in the 13th minute, Newcastle kept finding points and actually went into halftime only two behind. Luke Laulilii also suffered a category-one concussion from the Saifiti shot and will miss next week.
-- Isaac Issa
North Queensland Cowboys
Stocks up: Finals secured, and now playing for placement next week. There's not really a huge difference for them finishing seventh or eighth, so we'll likely see a few players rested next week, which is very valuable heading into a sudden death game on the road. Most importantly, Tom Dearden got through 80 minutes and looked pretty good.
Stocks down: Despite the win it was a pretty error-ridden night, which the Cowboys have had on a few occasions this year. It didn't matter on Saturday, but if they show up to Newcastle or Cronulla with a bad case of the dropsies it will get very ugly for them, very quickly.
-- Matt Bungard
Parramatta Eels
Stocks up: We aren't going to do the 'dark horse for next year' thing with the Eels again, but they have been very competitive in recent weeks and deserved a big win like the one they got today. The back five was superb and Junior Paulo led from the front in a win that few would have seen coming.
Stocks down: What are they going to do with Ronald Volkman next year? I didn't like the Jarome Luai signing because I don't like these one-year deals as a concept (especially for Parra who already did one this year!!) but Volkman has probably been the Eels' best player in this little run to end the season. Where does he fit in the squad in 2027?
-- Matt Bungard
Penrith Panthers
Stocks up: This was classic late-season Penrith - not spectacular for 80 minutes, just relentlessly professional. They completed 38 of 41 sets, Dylan Edwards was immense out the back and Liam Martin's early double helped establish control before Casey McLean put the result beyond doubt late. Nathan Cleary kept them organised throughout, and the 24-10 win sent Penrith back to the top of the ladder, at least momentarily, while guaranteeing them a home final. They just have that familiar look again: calm, clinical and very difficult to drag into a bad game.
Stocks down: Izack Tago leaving the field late after landing awkwardly is something they'll monitor, but otherwise there isn't much here Ivan Cleary will lose sleep over.
-- Isaac Issa
St George Illawarra Dragons
Stocks up: The only real positive out of this performance was that it carried the Dragons a game closer to finishing their miserable season. They can now look forward to using their wooden spoon to mix in the batch of star players they have signed for next year and bake up a much-needed finals appearance.
Stocks down: Eight errors with only 10 completions in the first half told the story of the Dragons' night as they conceded five tries before the break. Things didn't improve into the second half, with the Sea Eagles crossing for another four tries.
-- Darren Arthur
South Sydney Rabbitohs
Stocks up: There was plenty of stuff on the field to like -- David Fifita's solo try against his old team, Latrell Mitchell being back from injury and being better for the run -- but all of that pales in comparison to Jai Arrow's return to the field to a rapturous reception in front of well over 20,000 people on the Gold Coast. It'll be an honour to be there next Friday for game 100.
Stocks down: I feel like I've written this in this exact column a dozen times this year, but once again what was a comfortable lead for Souths got a little bit too close for comfort, as they allowed their opposition to score multiple tries in quick succession. And once again, it coincided with both Brandon Smith and Cam Murray going off the field. Those two came back on and the Bunnies cruised to the finish line, and into their first finals series since 2022.
-- Matt Bungard
Sydney Roosters
Stocks up: James Tedesco's return was a boost and there were still patches when the Roosters threatened to open the Dolphins up, particularly once they had the numerical advantage late.
Stocks down: This was a pretty sobering result for a side that had been pushing for the minor premiership only a week ago. Their attack never really settled, the Dolphins repeatedly won the big moments and, worst of all, Sam Walker left with what has been revealed to be a season-ending syndesmosis injury. After back-to-back defeats and with Walker now gone, the Roosters suddenly have far more to worry about than where they finish inside the top four.
-- Isaac Issa
Wests Tigers
Stocks Up: There was always going to be a comedown after last week's incredible upset win, and this was a pretty respectable performance away from home considering they'd shipped over 140 points in their last three trips to Townsville before this one.
Stocks down: I would really like to have seen a team with nothing to play for show a bit more endeavour in attack - it was a relatively flat showing from the Tigers, and a game we'll all quickly forget - why not chance your arm a bit more?
-- Matt Bungard
