The run-in - race takes another turn

When the Vodafone Warriors landed in Perth on Friday night they were still holding ninth spot two points off eighth place - but by the time they'd reached their hotel their status had changed.

So much so they had slipped to 11th on the ladder following the first two matches in the 21st round.

By beating the Sydney Roosters 36-16, the Gold Coast Titans had not only climbed to 22 points but had also edged above Wests Tigers on points for and against to hold eighth spot for now at least.

The Titans improved their points differential to minus two points with the Tigers - who play third-placed South Sydney on Sunday - on minus nine and now ninth on the ladder.

Moving into 10th place on 22 points was St George Illawarra which handed Melbourne a 26-18 defeat. Unimaginably the Storm, odds on a few weeks ago to win the minor premiership again, have now lost five matches on end and six of their last seven to remain on 28 points. This is a slump of astonishing proportions for them.

So the Vodafone Warriors will be 11th when they face Manly at Patersons Stadium in Perth on Saturday (5.30pm kick-off local time, 9.30pm kick-off NZ time). However, victory would enable them to move into eighth place, a position they would hold if the Tigers should lose to the Rabbitohs on Sunday.

In other matches this weekend, competition leader Canterbury-Bankstown (30) is at home to North Queensland (26), Cronulla (25) is at home to Penrith (14), Canberra (20) hosts Newcastle (20), South Sydney (28) is at home to Wests Tigers (22) and Brisbane (26) hosts Parramatta (12).

Here’s how it looks with six rounds to go. Listed below are the matches left for all 16 teams (position, current points and points differential in brackets):

Bulldogs (1, 30 points, + 156) – Cowboys (h), Knights (a), Broncos (h), Tigers (h), Raiders (a), Roosters (h).

Storm (2, 28 points, + 147) – Dragons (Lost 18-26), Panthers (h), Titans (h), Broncos (a), Sharks (a), Tigers (a).

Rabbitohs (3, 28 points, + 77) – Tigers (h), Titans (a), Sea Eagles (h), Sharks (a), Eels (h), Knights (a).

Cowboys (4, 26 points, + 96) – Bulldogs (a), Sea Eagles (h), Vodafone Warriors (h), Dragons (a), Knights (h), Sharks (a).

Broncos (5, 26 points, + 82) – Eels (h), Raiders (a), Bulldogs (a), Storm (h), Sea Eagles (a), Panthers (h).

Sharks (6, 25 points, - 11) – Panthers (h), Vodafone Warriors (a), Knights (a), Rabbitohs (h), Storm (a), Cowboys (h).

Sea Eagles (7, 24 points, + 33) – Vodafone Warriors (h – Perth), Cowboys (a), Rabbitohs (a), Knights (h), Broncos (h), Titans (a).

Titans (8, 22 points, - 2) – Roosters (Won 36-16), Rabbitohs (h), Storm (a), Eels (h), Panthers (a), Sea Eagles (h).

Tigers (9, 22 points, - 9) – Rabbitohs (a), Eels (h), Dragons (h), Bulldogs (a), Roosters (a), Storm (h).

Dragons (10, 22 points, - 50) – Storm (Won 26-18), Roosters (a), Tigers (a), Cowboys (h), Vodafone Warriors (h), Eels (a).

Vodafone Warriors (11, 20 points, + 25) – Sea Eagles (a), Sharks (h), Cowboys (a), Panthers (h), Dragons (a), Raiders (h).

Knights (12, 20 points, - 34) – Raiders (a), Bulldogs (h), Sharks (h), Sea Eagles (a), Cowboys (a), Rabbitohs (h).

Raiders (13, 20 points, - 39) – Knights (h), Broncos (h), Panthers (a), Roosters (h), Bulldogs (h), Vodafone Warriors (a).

Roosters (14, 17 points, - 154) – Titans (Lost 16-26), Dragons (h), Eels (a), Raiders (a), Tigers (h), Bulldogs (a).

Panthers (15, 14 points, - 126) – Sharks (a), Storm (a), Raiders (h), Vodafone Warriors (a), Titans (h), Broncos (a).

Eels (16, 12 points, - 191) – Broncos (a), Tigers (a), Roosters (h), Titans (a), Rabbitohs (a), Dragons (h).