In years gone by, the last couple of rounds of the NRL season have given coaches a chance to rest some stars before a finals run.

But, with just about every position in the top eight still up for grabs, no-one had that luxury heading into the penultimate round of the regular season.

That left a slew of stars in the firing line, and it's cost major contenders in a big way, although it's not all been bad luck. Some have brought it on themselves.

Here's where your team sits before the final round of the regular season:

Brisbane Broncos

Best finish: 1st

Worst finish: 2nd

Who are they playing next? Melbourne Storm at Lang Park on Thursday, 7:50pm AEST

The Thursday night game will go a long way towards deciding the final make-up of the top four.

Brisbane have won seven straight games and are in the box seat for their first minor premiership this century, but also haven't beaten the Storm since 2016.

The Broncos have lost 13 straight and 23 of past 25 games against Melbourne, but will win the JJ Giltinan Shield with a victory. If they lose, they'll be banking on Penrith losing to still claim top spot.

What happened on the weekend?

A 29-18 win in Canberra put the Broncos on top of the ladder and in control of their own minor premiership hopes.

Fullback Reece Walsh was once against instrumental with three try assists and a try and Selwyn Cobbo scored three down the right wing, but it wasn't all good news.

Already missing captain and halfback Adam Reynolds with a calf strain, Brisbane lost star lock Pat Carrigan to a foot injury on matchday eve.

He was flown back to Brisbane for scans and the suggestion is he will miss the Storm game and likely a couple of weeks after that.

Walsh also gave everyone a fright when he was hobbling on his knee in the final few minutes of the game, although he insists he's OK, but centre Kotoni Staggs will miss Thursday's game after copping a one-match ban for a forearm shiver on Jordan Rapana.

Penrith Panthers

Best finish: 1st

Worst finish: 2nd

Who are they playing next? North Queensland Cowboys at Penrith Stadium on Saturday, 5:30pm AEST

One of four games this weekend between two teams with finals aspirations, the Panthers have a top-two spot sewn up, but a win would give them top spot if the Broncos lose on Thursday.

They could also end the Cowboys' season with a victory.

What happened on the weekend?

Penrith wasn't ready for a Parramatta Eels team eager to end their season on a high.

The Eels, who have a bye this weekend and are out of finals contention, put on the sort of performance that took them all the way to last year's grand final against the team that beat them in the 2022 decider.

Not only did the Panthers lose 32-18, a scoreline that flattered them thanks to two consolation tries in the final five minutes, they also saw five-eighth Jarome Luai go off with a dislocated shoulder that caused "significant damage".

According to the club, he doesn't need immediate surgery, but will be a long shot to get back in the finals.

Warriors

Best finish: 3rd

Worst finish: 4th

Who are they playing next? Dolphins at Lang Park on Saturday, 3pm AEST

The long-maligned team from across the ditch will have a double chance regardless of what happens when they take on the Dolphins in Brisbane on Saturday afternoon.

They have a mathematical chance of finishing second if they win by a record margin and the Panthers lose by a record margin, but since that seems unlikely, let's say they're locked into an away game in week one of finals.

There has been talk of moving their second finals game to Eden Park to get in a bigger crowd, but a lot of diehard Warriors fans want the game to stay at Mt Smart, particularly considering they were deprived of any home games for two years at the height of the COVID pandemic and they haven't played a home final since 2008.

What happened on the weekend?

The Up the Wahs campaign that has made the Warriors a lot of fans' second team this year locked in their first top-four finish since 2007 with an 18-6 win over the Dragons.

It's the first time they've finished higher than eighth and just the second time they've made the finals since 2011, when they made the grand final.

One of three teams in the league without a premiership, the two-time runners-up are in sensational form under rookie coach Andrew Webster, but copped a huge blow like so many other finals teams in the penultimate round.

Five-eighth Luke Metcalf, who has locked up the number six jersey in the back half of the season, left the game early and miserably with a hamstring injury.

Melbourne Storm

Best finish: 3rd

Worst finish: 4th

Who are they playing next? Brisbane Broncos at Lang Park on Thursday, 7:50pm AEST

Melbourne have been relatively inconsistent within games heading into their huge clash against fellow top-four side Brisbane.

The Storm have only lost twice to the Broncos since 2010 and the Thursday night showdown in front of a big crowd at Lang Park will set the tone for the weekend going forward.

They need to win and hope the Warriors lose to jump up to third.

What happened on the weekend?

The Storm beat the Titans 37-16 but the bigger story was what happened in the 62nd minute.

Fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen made his return off the bench after 405 days sidelined with a shattered kneecap, but that was counterbalanced by a fresh knee injury to halfback Jahrome Hughes.

The club said he would miss the Broncos clash with a minor medial ligament sprain, but he is expected back for week one of the finals.

Newcastle Knights

Best finish: 5th

Worst finish: 6th

Who are they playing next? St George Illawarra Dragons at Jubilee Stadium on Saturday, 7:35pm AEST

With the top four set, the Knights have a golden opportunity to sew up fifth in their clash with the last-placed Dragons.

Only one of the Sharks or Raiders can leapfrog them, so they're locked into a home final in week one.

What happened on the weekend?

Kalyn Ponga copped a huge knock from Jesse Ramien while setting up a try in the Knights' eighth straight win, a 32-6 hammering of Cronulla.

Newcastle confirmed the captain, who has sparked their brilliant run home since returning to fullback, suffered a "high-grade" injury to the AC joint in his shoulder.

He'll miss the Dragons game and is up against the clock to play in the finals.

Cronulla Sharks

Best finish: 5th

Worst finish: 8th

Who are they playing next? Canberra Raiders at Shark Park on Sunday, 4:05pm AEST

The fifth- and sixth-placed teams face off in the final game of the weekend to lock the top eight into place.

If the Knights win, the Sharks can only go as high as their current sixth place, but could jump to fifth if Newcastle have lost.

What happened on the weekend?

The Sharks are playing down a quad injury that ruled star playmaker Nicho Hynes out of their round-26 loss to Newcastle, which continued their poor track record against other finals teams.

It put the Sharks at risk of dropping to the bottom, but not out, of the eight unless Souths and the Cowboys win, with the latter needing to bridge a for-and-against gap of more than 100 points.

Canberra Raiders

Best finish: 5th

Worst finish: 9th

Who are they playing next? Cronulla Sharks at Shark Park on Sunday, 4:05pm AEST