The third week of the NRL finals is in the books with just two teams left to battle it out for the premiership.
Melbourne booked their spot in the grand final, with Penrith joining them in the decider.
The Storm took care of the Sydney Roosters, before the Panthers advanced through to their fifth straight grand final with a win over the Sharks.
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NRL finals Week 1 fixtures, results
| Date | Time (AEST) | Match | Format | Venue |
| Fri. Sep. 13 | 7:50 pm | Panthers 30 def. Roosters 10 | Qualifying final | BlueBet Stadium |
| Sat. Sep. 14 | 4:05 pm | Storm 37 def. Sharks 10 | Qualifying final | AAMI Park |
| Sat. Sep. 14 | 7:50 pm | Cowboys 28 def. Knights 16 | Elimination final | Queensland Country Bank Stadium |
| Sun. Sep. 15 | 4:05 pm | Bulldogs 22 def. by Sea Eagles 24 | Elimination final | Accor Stadium |
NRL finals Week 2 fixtures, results
| Date | Time (AEST) | Match | Venue |
| Fri. Sep. 20 | 7:50 pm | Cronulla Sharks 26 def. North Queensland Cowboys 18 | Allianz Stadium |
| Sat. Sep. 21 | 7:50 pm | Sydney Roosters 40 def. Manly Sea Eagles 16 | Allianz Stadium |
NRL prelim finals fixtures, results
| Date | Time (AEST) | Match | Venue |
| Fri. Sep. 27 | 7.50 pm | Melbourne Storm 48 def. Sydney Roosters 18 | AAMI Park |
| Sat. Sep. 28 | 7.50 pm | Penrith Panthers 26 def. Cronulla Sharks 6 | Accor Stadium |
NRL final ladder: Confirmed top-eight
Melbourne Storm - 1st
Record - Played: 24 | Differential: +243 | Points: 44
Melbourne sits alone at the top of the ladder after bagging 19 wins as they sealed the minor premiership with two weeks to spare in the regular season.
Despite regularly missing some of their most important players due to injury, the Storm have been firing on all cylinders in attack.
They have posted 30 points or more in 12 of their matches, with Jahrome Hughes guiding his team to the summit with some stellar showings at halfback.
Following their rout of the Dolphins to secure first place, Craig Bellamy rested the majority of his side for their narrow loss against the Cowboys before bouncing back against the Broncos.
| Date | Round | Fixtures and Results | Venue |
| Sat. July 20 | 20 | Storm 24 def. Roosters 8 | AAMI Park |
| Fri. July 26 | 21 | Eels 14 def. by Storm 32 | CommBank Stadium |
| Sat. August 3 | 22 | Storm 16 def. by Dragons 18 | AAMI Park |
| Thurs. August 8 | 23 | Rabbitohs 16 def. by Storm 28 | Accor Stadium |
| Thurs. August 15 | 24 | Panthers 22 def. by Storm 24 | BlueBet Stadium |
| Sat. August 24 | 25 | Storm 48 def. Dolphins 6 | AAMI Park |
| Thurs. August 29 | 26 | Cowboys 38 def. Storm 30 | Queensland Country Bank Stadium |
| Thurs. September 5 | 27 | Broncos 12 def. by Storm 50 | Suncorp Stadium |
Penrith Panthers - 2nd
Record - Played: 24 | Differential: +186 | Points: 40
Penrith lost back-to-back games for the first time this season with their defeat against the Raiders in Round 25 handing the minor premiership over to the Storm.
And to make matters worse, they finished the regular season without Nathan Cleary.
The halfback initially returned in Round 20 and booted the winner against the Dolphins, bagged a hat-trick against the Dragons, crossed for the match-winner against the Knights and orchestrated a stirring late comeback against the Eels before suffering a shoulder injury against the Storm.
Ivan Cleary's men responded to the adversity though with two wins to round out the season and book a home final.
| Date | Round | Fixtures and Results | Venue |
| Sun. July 21 | 20 | Panthers 28 def. Dolphins 26 | BlueBet Stadium |
| Sun. July 28 | 21 | Dragons 10 def. by Panthers 46 | WIN Stadium |
| Sun. August 4 | 22 | Panthers 22 def. Knights 4 | BlueBet Stadium |
| Fri. August 9 | 23 | Eels 34 def. by Panthers 36 | CommBank Stadium |
| Thurs. August 15 | 24 | Panthers 22 def. by Storm 24 | BlueBet Stadium |
| Sat. August 24 | 25 | Raiders 22 def. Panthers 18 | GIO Stadium |
| Fri. August 30 | 26 | Panthers 34 def. Rabbitohs 12 | BlueBet Stadium |
| Sat. September 7 | 27 | Panthers 18 def. Titans 12 | BlueBet Stadium |
Sydney Roosters - 3rd
Record - Played: 24 | Differential: +275 | Points: 38
The Roosters suffered a surprise loss to the Raiders in Round 26 but bounced back with a win over the Rabbitohs in the last round of the regular season.
However, they will enter the finals under a cloud after suffering horror injury blows in the closing weeks.
Sam Walker and Brandon Smith have been ruled out for the rest of the year with knee injuries, while Victor Radley also isn't expected to return.
| Date | Round | Fixtures and Results | Venue |
| Sat. July 20 | 20 | Storm 24 def. Roosters 8 | AAMI Park |
| Sat. July 27 | 21 | Roosters 34 def. Sea Eagles 30 | Allianz Stadium |
| Fri. August 2 | 22 | Dolphins 34 def. by Roosters 40 | HBF Park |
| - | 23 | Bye | - |
| Fri. August 16 | 24 | Roosters 38 def. Eels 14 | Allianz Stadium |
| Sun. August 25 | 25 | Titans 22 def. by Roosters 48 | Cbus Super Stadium |
| Sun. September 1 | 26 | Roosters 12 def. by Raiders 14 | Allianz Stadium |
| Fri. September 6 | 27 | Rabbitohs 28 def. by Roosters 36 | Accor Stadium |
Cronulla Sharks - 4th
Record - Played: 24 | Differential: +222 | Points: 38
Cronulla have won five of their past six games to secure their spot in the top four.
Their task looked daunting just a month or so prior after enduring a losing run while they also lost Nicho Hynes to a long-term injury.
However, Craig Fitzgibbon's patched-up side have responded well to the adversity just as they welcome Hynes back to the fold.
Although they were on the end of a bitter late loss to the Warriors in Round 26 which all but ruled out a home final in week one, they bounced back in a big way to take down the Sea Eagles by 20 points as they head into the finals.
| Date | Round | Fixtures and Results | Venue |
| - | 20 | Bye | - |
| Sat. July 27 | 21 | Cowboys 30 def. Sharks 22 | Queensland Country Bank Stadium |
| Sat. August 3 | 22 | Sharks 20 def. Rabbitohs 6 | PointsBet Stadium |
| Fri. August 9 | 23 | Titans 0 def. by Sharks 44 | Cbus Super Stadium |
| Sun. August 18 | 24 | Sharks 19 def. Knights 18 | PointsBet Stadium |
| Sun. August 25 | 25 | Dragons 10 def. by Sharks 38 | WIN Stadium |
| Sat. August 31 | 26 | Sharks 28 def. by Warriors 30 | PointsBet Stadium |
| Sun. September 8 | 27 | Sea Eagles 20 def. by Sharks 40 | 4 Pines Park |
North Queensland Cowboys - 5th
Record - Played: 24 | Differential: +80 | Points: 36
The Cowboys have secured a home final in the final round of the regular season after battering the Dogs.
Todd Payten's side have won six of their past seven matches and will enter the finals with plenty of momentum.
| Date | Round | Fixtures and Results | Venue |
| Sun. July 21 | 20 | Cowboys 20 def. Bulldogs 18 | Queensland Country Bank Stadium |
| Sat. July 27 | 21 | Cowboys 30 def. Sharks 22 | Queensland Country Bank Stadium |
| Thurs. August 1 | 22 | Tigers 30 def. by Cowboys 48 | Leichhardt Oval |
| Sat. August 10 | 23 | Cowboys 18 def. by Broncos 42 | Queensland Country Bank Stadium |
| Sat. August 17 | 24 | Cowboys 42 def. Raiders 4 | Queensland Country Bank Stadium |
| - | 25 | Bye | - |
| Thurs. August 29 | 26 | Cowboys 38 def. Storm 30 | Queensland Country Bank Stadium |
| Sat. September 7 | 27 | Bulldogs 4 def. by Cowboys 44 | Accor Stadium |
Canterbury Bulldogs - 6th
Record - Played: 24 | Differential: +96 | Points: 34
Cameron Ciraldo has turned around the Dogs' fortunes this season with their surge up the ladder founded on a strong defensive structure.
However, in the last two weeks of the regular season, this record imploded with back-to-back heavy losses before they enter into their first finals campaign in close to a decade.
| Date | Round | Fixtures and Results | Venue |
| Sun. July 21 | 20 | Cowboys 20 def. Bulldogs 18 | Queensland Country Bank Stadium |
| Sat. July 27 | 21 | Broncos 16 def. by Bulldogs 41 | Suncorp Stadium |
| Sun. August 4 | 22 | Bulldogs 22 def. Raiders 18 | Belmore Sports Ground |
| Sat. August 10 | 23 | Dragons 10 def. by Bulldogs 28 | Netstrata Jubilee Stadium |
| Sat. August 17 | 24 | Bulldogs 30 def. Dolphins 10 | Salter Oval |
| Fri. August 23 | 25 | Warriors 18 def. by Bulldogs 34 | Go Media Stadium |
| Fri. August 30 | 26 | Bulldogs 22 def. by Sea Eagles 34 | Accor Stadium |
| Sat. September 7 | 27 | Bulldogs 4 def. by Cowboys 44 | Accor Stadium |
Manly Sea Eagles - 7th
Record - Played: 24 | Differential: +113 | Points: 33
The Sea Eagles welcomed Tom Trbojevic back from a long-term injury but will now be sweating on their talisman once again after he suffered a shoulder issue in Round 26.
After falling to a shock loss to the Tigers in Round 25, Anthony Seibold's men responded in style to snap the Bulldogs' winning streak but paid the price with Turbo going down injured.
Downed by the Sharks in their final game of the regular season, the team must now gear up for a finals run, starting with the Bulldogs.
| Date | Round | Fixtures and Results | Venue |
| Sun. July 21 | 20 | Sea Eagles 38 def. Titans 8 | 4 Pines Park |
| Sat. July 27 | 21 | Roosters 34 def. Sea Eagles 30 | Allianz Stadium |
| - | 22 | Bye | - |
| Sat. August 10 | 23 | Raiders 24 def. by Sea Eagles 46 | GIO Stadium |
| Fri. August 16 | 24 | Sea Eagles 24 def. Warriors 10 | 4 Pines Park |
| Thurs. August 22 | 25 | Tigers 34 def. Sea Eagles 26 | Leichhardt Oval |
| Fri. August 30 | 26 | Bulldogs 22 def. by Sea Eagles 34 | Accor Stadium |
| Sun. September 8 | 27 | Sea Eagles 20 def. by Sharks 40 | 4 Pines Park |
Newcastle Knights - 8th
Record - Played: 24 | Differential: -40 | Points: 30
Kalyn Ponga came back on deck for the club at a vital time, as they completed an unlikely comeback to snatch a top-eight spot.
They secured their finals berth with a win at home over the Dolphins.
| Date | Round | Fixtures and Results | Venue |
| Sat. July 20 | 20 | Knights 14 def. by Broncos 30 | McDonald Jones Stadium |
| - | 21 | Bye | - |
| Sun. August 4 | 22 | Panthers 22 def. Knights 14 | BlueBet Stadium |
| Sun. August 11 | 23 | Knights 34 def. Tigers 18 | McDonald Jones Stadium |
| Sun. August 18 | 24 | Sharks 19 def. Knights 18 | PointsBet Stadium |
| Sat. August 24 | 25 | Rabbitohs 16 def. by Knights 36 | Accor Stadium |
| Sun. September 1 | 26 | Knights 36 def. Titans 14 | McDonald Jones Stadium |
| Sun. September 8 | 27 | Knights 14 def. Dolphins 6 | McDonald Jones Stadium |
