With five rounds left in the premiership season, the battle for the final spots in the top eight is starting to get hot.

With only one team confirmed to feature in the top eight in Penrith and one team officially ruled in St George Illawarra, there is still plenty up for grabs.

On SEN’s Kick Off, Jimmy Smith and Greg Alexander turned their attention towards the sides just in the eight and those just outside to see who could sneak their way through.

Canberra Raiders (11th - 9 wins, 11 losses, 2 byes)

Games left: Knights (H), Sharks (A), Broncos (H), Bye, Cowboys (A)

Alexander: “Are you willing to rule the Raiders out?”

Smith: “I'm ruling them out.”

“Here's the reason I'm ruling the Raiders out.”

“It's not just the way they've played throughout the course of the year."

“They're two points behind the Sea Eagles. They do have the bye in hand. So they've both had nine wins.”

“Here's the big difference though, and remember, if you're thinking that the Sea Eagles are going to make the top eight, you have to have a bit of courage associated with that, but the Eagles have a for and against of +90.”

“The Raiders have a for and against of -59."

“Remember last time, it was for and against that got the Roosters into the eight in 2025."

“So for me, on the back of that, I can happily say Raiders aren't making the finals in 2026.”

“Are you discounting the Raiders?”

Alexander: “It's unlikely, but it's not impossible.”

“It could happen. If things fell their way, they won all four games and picked up the bye."

Smith: “But that's the big if, isn't it?”

Alexander: “That's the big if.”

“I'm leaving them there. While it's ever possible, I'm not willing to rule anyone out.”

Manly Sea Eagles (10th - 9 wins, 10 losses, 3 byes)

Games left: Storm (A), Dolphins (H), Knights (A), Dragons (H), Warriors (A)

Smith: “It's vital that they win that game (against Melbourne).”

Alexander: “Yes, Dolphins, Newcastle, Dragons, Warriors, that's their run."

“So, they're on nine wins.”

Smith: “Jeez, I'll tell you what, you could discount them, couldn't you?”

Alexander: “Getting very close.”

North Queensland Cowboys (9th - 11 wins, 9 losses, 2 byes)

Games left: Titans (A), Eels (A), Bye, Tigers (H), Raiders (H)

Alexander: “82 to 12. Do they recover from that?”

“How long is Tom Dearden out with that perineal injury?”

“So their run home, they play the Titans this weekend on the Gold Coast, they then take on the Eels, they have a bye, they play the Tigers and the Raiders.”

Smith: “That's not the world's worst run home.”

Alexander: “No, that's arguably one of the better runs home.”

“So, the Cowboys sitting on 11 wins, their for and against is pretty ordinary.”

“However, they get it together, they can win the next two games into the bye, into the Tigers, who they play at home.”

“There's your 14 wins.”

Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (8th - 10 wins, 9 losses, 3 byes)

Games left: Roosters (A), Rabbitohs (H), Dragons (H), Panthers (A), Broncos (H)

Alexander: “So, we've got the Dogs who take on the Roosters this weekend, then they play Souths the following weekend…”

Smith: “Big game.”

Alexander: “Massive game.”

“(Then they play the) Dragons, Panthers, Broncos.”

Smith: “Now Panthers (in) Round 26, so the form of the Panthers has a direct impact on the likelihood of the Bulldogs making the top eight.”

“Why? Cause that would be the game that potentially Ivan (Cleary) decides to rest some Panthers.”

Round 23 begins on Thursday night when the Titans host the Cowboys at Cbus Super Stadium.

Kick-off takes places at 7:50pm AEST with SEN League having live coverage of the match from 6pm across our radio network and on the SEN app with NRL Countdown.