For one team, just four weeks stand between them and the Provan-Summons trophy.
The NRL finals have arrived, and so too have the biggest games of the season. There is some mouth-watering first week action. The Manly Sea Eagles vs Melbourne Storm? Yes please. The Penrith Panthers and South Sydney Rabbitohs again? Oh yes.
Those two games could tell us who is going to the grand final before we get past Week 1, given only the North Queensland Cowboys have played in Week 2 of the finals and made the grand final in the last four seasons.
And how about those elimination games? They could be anything. The Titans took the Roosters all the way in a 35-34 thriller last time, while the Eels form line could mean anything.
It might be tough to mount an argument for the teams in the bottom four of the top eight to win the premiership, but we'll give it a crack anyway.
Here is why your team can and can't win the premiership.
Penrith Panthers
Why they can win the premiership
The Panthers have an unreal spine at full strength. You only have to go back to the start of the season to remember when they won 12 matches on the bounce.
But it wasn't their attack which was most impressive during that period. They conceded less than ten points per game. They beat everyone in their path by grinding and working and annoying the hell out of them.
In an era of fast-paced, high-scoring rugby league, it was something special. Defence wins premierships, and it's what can get Penrith over the line.
At full strength, they have some of the best tacklers in the game - Apisai Koroisau, Isaah Yeo, James Fisher-Harris. It's hardly a surprise they were so good.
Why they can't win the premiership
This is a team who are far too reliant on Nathan Cleary to lead their attack. When he is injured, or goes missing, they fall apart.
They did through the middle of the season when he was injured to a certain extent - although that's harsh given they are still in second spot on the table. But they certainly haven't looked like a premiership-winning team without Cleary.
Their kicking game goes to pieces, and Jarome Luai's form with it as he tries to lead it. Matt Burton has slowly become more established in playing halves when Cleary has been out, but the problem is this: Cleary has a way of going missing in big games.
He didn't do it in Origin this year, but did in both the grand final and Origin last year.
