This year's NRL competition is in a major traffic jam, with the distinct possibility of more gridlock if five teams finish equal on the ladder - their places decided only by points for-and-against.
The cut-off mark for eighth, and a finals berth, usually sits at a win-loss ratio of 50percent mark. That suggests 28points should be enough.
Five sides, Canberra, St George Illawarra, Wests Tigers, New Zealand Warriors and Newcastle currently sit on 24 points with four games to play.
Assuming their 50-50 record continues to the line, then points differentials will be crucial in sorting the wheat from the chaff.
Canberra's thumping 74-12 defeat of Penrith was worth more than the regulation two points on Sunday, with the Raiders surging up the ladder by virtue of their plus-72 points differential.
Thanks to their improvement, two more wins - a distinct possibility given the Raiders play the three bottom sides - South Sydney, the Bulldogs and North Queensland - should see them safely in the top eight come finals time.
"You'd think maybe 28 is enough," said Raiders coach Neil Henry. "That should put you in there but then there's points for-and-against. If you get to 30, you'd be safe.
"We're on 24 with four games to go so that's a possible 32. I'm still thinking we need to win two out of four; three out of four to guarantee it. Our points for, after the weekend, is looking pretty healthy and that's enabled us to leapfrog a few teams."
Apart from the five sides already on 24 points and shooting for 28, Parramatta (22 points and -40) found a pulse on Sunday with a win over the Sydney Roosters when another loss would have cruelled their season.
But, having left their run so late and having a poor differential, the Eels are still not far from the morgue. Next Monday's clash with the Tigers at Parramatta Stadium could be the game to decide the Eels' fate.
After the Tigers, the Eels play the Bulldogs, the Dragons (away) and the Warriors.
Henry praised Parramatta's 28-24 victory. "They certainly needed it. Time will tell whether that's turned their season around a little bit but there's no doubt they're a team with talent," he said.
"They'll take a bit of confidence and heart out of that .. Their personnel are too good to discount them if they click. Twelve months ago they were really close to making the grand final."
Of sides still figuring in calculations, Penrith (23 points, -69) have the toughest draw, facing both Manly and Melbourne.
The Dragons are due to meet Brisbane and the Roosters while the Tigers will face some stern challenges when they play the Sea Eagles and Cronulla.
If 28 points is enough for some, it will doubtless prove insufficient for others.
The Warriors aren't a strong chance to reach 28 points but be pulled out of finals' reckoning by virtue of their disastrous differential of -95. They have form on the board with wins over Melbourne and Brisbane in the last three weeks but their poor start to the season has left them with plenty of lead in the saddlebags.
"We can't do anything about that now," said Warriors captain Steve Price, reflecting on a poor start to the season when they couldn't beg or buy a win in Australia.
"If we make it, we'll have had to play well. We'll have earnt it because of the situation we put ourselves in at the start of the season."
Making the eight is one thing; making it to a position that enables to you go any further is another.
As Manly and Melbourne battling out the minor premiership, Henry - like all the other coaches of the sides crowding in for places in the lower rungs of the top eight - has his eyes on sixth spot.
"You'd imagine Melbourne and Manly or Manly and Melbourne would be one and two so six would be preferable to playing at Brookvale or playing down in Melbourne," he said. "Three versus six would be good."
Bookmaker Gerard Daffy of Lasseters had the same perspective.
"Six is important because you get to play a team you can beat, maybe the Roosters or Cronulla. I guess everyone would be hoping it's Cronulla because they just can't bury sides." The run home Manly: Rabbitohs (a), Tigers (a), Titans (h), Panthers (a)
Melbourne: Roosters (h), Panthers (a), Knights (a), Rabbitohs (h)
Cronulla: Warriors (a), Roosters (h), Tigers (a), Cowboys (h)
Roosters: Storm (a), Sharks (a), Rabbitohs (h), Dragons (h)
Brisbane: Dragons (h), Titans (h), Bulldogs (a), Knights (h)
Canberra: Knights (h), Rabbitohs (a), Cowboys (a), Bulldogs (h)
St George Illawarra: Broncos (a), Warriors (h), Eels (h), Roosters (a) Wests Tigers: Eels (a), Sea Eagles (h), Sharks (h), Titans (a)
NZ Warriors: Sharks (h), Dragons (a), Panthers (h), Eels (a)
Penrith: Bulldogs (h), Storm (h), Warriors (a), Sea Eagles (h)
Newcastle: Raiders (a), Cowboys (h), Storm (h), Broncos (a)
Parramatta: Tigers (h), Bulldogs (a), Dragons (a), Warriors (h)
Gold Coast: Cowboys (a), Broncos (a), Sea Eagles (a), Tigers(h)
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