Best and worst scenarios for each team after round 18

Cronulla's thrilling late win over the Warriors made the 2020 finals picture a whole lot clearer, locking in the top eight.

Positions within the eight are still to be settled while the wooden spoon race is effectively down to two teams while the Titans' late charge keeps them in with a realistic chance of finishing as high as ninth, according to the NRL.com Ladder Predictor.

In working out the best- and worst-case scenario for each team, NRL.com has applied a methodology of all games being decided by a 12-point margin.

This allows a streak of upsets to have a real effect on the ladder, but a ladder move requiring a differential swing of hundreds of points over the final couple of rounds has not been taken into account.

The scenarios for all 16 teams

Panthers (currently 1st, 33 points)

Best/worst case: 1st to 2nd

A convincing win over fellow top-four side and local rivals Parramatta confirmed a top-two finish and brought the minor premiership a big step closer.

Storm (currently 2nd, 30 points)

Best/worst case: 1st to 3rd

Did enough against the Cowboys despite a late fade-out and in the process ruled out the chances of finishing fourth or lower, with a top-two finish theirs to lose.

Roosters (currently 3rd, 26 points)

Best/worst case: 2nd to 5th

Massive win over the Knights lifts them to third and removes any chance of them finishing sixth or lower. Very unlikely to slip out of the top four now and retain an unlikely chance of going as high as second.

Eels (currently 4th, 26 points)

Best/worst case: 3rd to 6th

Were never really in the contest against the ladder-leaders and the loss cost them a chance of a first or second place finish. Can still drop as low as sixth, up from seventh last week.

Raiders (currently 5th, 24 points)

Best/worst case: 3rd to 7th

Ominously dominant second half against the Dragons keeps their top four chances alive, although other results mean their best and worst possible finishes have hardly changed since last week.

Rabbitohs (currently 6th, 22 points)

Best/worst case: 4th-8th

Started fast before almost losing to the Wests Tigers but did enough to climb to sixth. Best and worst finishes don't change other than third place moving out of reach thanks to the Roosters' win.

Knights (currently 7th, 21 points)

Best/worst case: 5th to 8th

Huge loss to the Roosters puts them out of contention for a top-four finish having last week assured themselves a finals berth.

Sharks (currently 8th, 20 points)

Best/worst case: 6th to 8th

Will play finals. Found what they needed to late against the Warriors in their most important match of the year. A loss would have put them in genuine doubt of missing the finals whereas the win guaranteed their spot in the top eight.

Wests Tigers (currently 9th, 14 points)

Best/worst case: 9th to 13th

Looked like it was going to be two miracle comebacks in as many weeks but fell just short. Already needed a lot of luck to make finals if they'd won but that chance was officially snuffed out by the Warriors' win.

Sea Eagles (currently 10th, 14 points)

Best/worst case: 9th to 13th

Unconvincing win over the Bulldogs lifted them to 10th but Cronulla's win snuffed out their finals chances.

Warriors (currently 11th, 14 points)

Best/worst case: 9th to 13th

So near but so far. Led the Sharks with around five minutes to go but couldn't hold on. Would have been within a win of eighth, instead are six points adrift and mathematically out of the finals race.

Titans (currently 12th, 14 points)

Best/worst case: 9th to 13th

Impressive late-season form continues with second win over Brisbane for the year. Moves them into equal ninth, level on points with three clubs who last week could still make finals.

Dragons (currently 13th, 12 points)

Best/worst case: 9th to 13th

Horror loss to the Raiders and the last of four teams to have their finals hopes eliminated in round 18. Got leapfrogged by Manly and Gold Coast to drop to 13th.

Cowboys (currently 14th, 8 points)

Best/worst case: 14th to 15th

Showed patches of form against heavyweights Melbourne but not competitive when it counted. A finish from 11th to 13th moved out of reach but at least Canterbury's loss ensured they won't get the spoon barring a mathematically very unlikely sequence of events involving two heavy losses coupled with two straight wins for both clubs below them.

Broncos (currently 15th, 6 points)

Best/worst case: 14th to 16th

Second loss of the year against the little brothers down the road. They stay in 15th and their best and worst finish doesn't move thanks to the Cowboys and Bulldogs also losing.

Bulldogs (currently 16th, 4 points)

Best/worst case: 15th to 16th

Not for the first time in recent weeks they started strongly and looked a chance of a drought-breaking win before some horror second-half defence kept them mired to the foot of the ladder. Can still avoid the spoon if they can win one game but have just two chances against top sides to do so.