THE Roosters will play the Wests Tigers in the first week of the finals after beating the Cowboys 18-8.

EELS skipper Nathan Cayless has good reason for wanting to score a try in his Parramatta swan song.

THE Dragons are in the enviable position of coming into the finals without any major injury woes.

MANLY lock Glenn Stewart faces up to six weeks out after being hit with a grade five striking charge.

AS the NRL prepares to say goodbye to many champions, a reformed bad boy has declared rugby league is in safe hands.

THEY are two of the NRL's magic men - but Benji Marshall and Todd Carney have been muzzled by their coaches ahead of the finals.

WITH only two rounds left in the regular season, the battle for finals spots is hotting up. See the full team details for round 25.

IN FOOTYSPEAK it's known as the courage line. The tunnel-vision charge that usually ends with a big hit.

PENRITH will get top four. Dragons will win. But Souths are GONE. Our experts predict the NRL outcome.

SYDNEY Roosters second-rower Mitch Aubusson has signed a two-year contract extension.

BLUES half Mitchell Pearce says the next fortnight will show if the Roosters are grand final material.

WITH a number of crunch matches to take place this weekend as the NRL finals loom, check out the full teams for round 23.

THE NRL finals will kick off with a plan plan to play back-to-back games at the SFS and SCG on the same day.

IT WAS the day that defined St George Illawarra as the NRL's premiership favourites.

WAYNE Bennett - ruthless bastard.

WESTS Tigers will shift base to the SFS ahead of heir home finals match and will lock the Roosters out.

A YEAR ago he was pulling beers in a Queensland pub. Now Todd Carney is poised to win the Dally M.

THE team lists for the final round of the NRL have been released. Check out the injuries and full ins and outs here.

SPORTS Editor-at-large Phil Rothfield has named his team of the year - but there's only space for one Dragon. See team, have your say

THE Roosters have lost their last three matches but it could be worse. Just ask prop Jason Ryles - imagine if they were the Dragons?

IT'S no choking matter. A slight splutter over the past three weeks, maybe. But the Sydney Roosters are a long way off being gone. Video

THE Roosters' faltering fortunes hit another hurdle after they were downed by the Titans.

ANDREW Johns has thrown up Roosters star Todd Carney as the Kangaroos' halfback wildcard for the Four Nations campaign.

THE old adage is that you need a halfback to win a premiership. We rate the NRL's playmakers.

WITH the race for finals spots really hotting up, check out the full team details for round 24 of the National Rugby League.

AUSTRALIA'S Test selectors are on the verge of  naming Roosters star Todd Carney in the Kangaroos squad.

SYDNEY Roosters skipper Braith Anasta has reacted angrily  to criticism of prop Jason Ryles.

THE Roosters are counting the cost of their loss to the Dragons, with four players under injury clouds.

ST GEORGE Illawarra have ground the Sydney Roosters into the SCG dust with a 19-12 victory.

SUDDENLY the Roosters' finals charge is worth a whole lot more to halfback Mitchell Pearce.