The NRL finals are almost upon us.
With only a single week of action remaining in the regular season, seven of the eight teams in with a chance of winning the premiership decider are now locked in.
Only one spot can change with a week to play, and only minor cosmetic changes can be made to the actual make up of the top eight.
The Panthers are the minor premiers, and the Storm or Eels could well wind up facing them in Week 1 pending the result of their Round 25 games.
That means it's finally time to start getting excited about the finals, and there is plenty that could play out during the month of September.
Can anyone stop the Panthers?
The Penrith Panthers come into the finals seemingly miles ahead of their opposition and competition.
Check the site openchange.org and you'll be able to get the best possible value on them winning the competition, but that doesn't mean they are deadset certainties to life the Provan Summons Trophy on that first Sunday in October.
One of the key storylines will be stopping the Panthers.
If anyone manages to do it, particularly in Week 2 or 3 when it's a knockout environment, then this competition suddenly is thrown wide open, because right now, there appears to be daylight between the men from the foot of the mountains and everyone else.
Will a team from the bottom half of the top eight make the grand final?
There is an incredible record in the NRL of teams from the top half of the eight making the finals. The second chance - and having a week off - seems to make all the difference.
In fact, by losing in Week 1 last year and having to do the hard way without a week off, the Panthers found themselves going against the grain to win the premiership.
But more of the same could happen this year - and that threat mainly comes from the Sydney Roosters.
While the Parramatta Eels or Melbourne Storm - one of those clubs will finish fifth - have the potential to beat any other team in the competition on their day, there are few who have shown the form that the Roosters have recently.
It's been a somewhat rocky season for the tri-colours, however, Trent Robinson's side have some big wins under the belt recently, including a Round 24 road win against the Storm and could do some damage in September.
How far can the injury-stricken Storm go?
Speaking of the Storm, and while things at one point looked fairly hopeless for the club, they have turned that around.
The loss to the Roosters won't do them any favours, but some big wins, including a road win over the Panthers - albeit understrength - has them primed for September.
Of course, the question will continue to come back to overcoming injuries.
Ryan Papenhuyzen is the one that everyone will talk about, but add George Jennings and Reimis Smith in the backline, and you get an idea of just how understrength that purple backline is.
