With only five rounds of the regular season left to play, Super League's Final Charge is throwing up plenty of tension as seven clubs scrap for a place in the top six.
Most of those seven are still eyeing something even bigger than a mere play-off berth — a top-two finish that guarantees a home semi-final.
Under the competition's format, the sides who finish first and second in Super League are assured of hosting their semi-final across Friday September 25 and Saturday September 26.
The week before that, the Play-Off Eliminators take place, with third facing sixth and fourth taking on fifth for the right to reach the semi-finals.
The two semi-final winners then progress to the Grand Final, staged at Old Trafford on Saturday October 3.
Every twist along the way will be shown live on Sky Sports, and there promises to be plenty of drama before the destination of the League Leaders' Shield and the Grand Final places are settled.
Here's how the run-in looks for each of the seven contenders.
Leeds Rhinos hold the aces at the top
Leeds Rhinos have occupied top spot in Super League for some time now, and with 36 points on the board they will be determined to stay there across their final five matches.
They underlined their credentials with a commanding win over Wakefield Trinity in their most recent outing, a result that served notice of their intent.
The Rhinos haven't lifted the League Leaders' Shield since 2015 and their last piece of major silverware came in 2020, when they claimed the Challenge Cup, so a first-place finish would represent a welcome return to trophy-winning form.
Their remaining fixtures pit them against Leigh Leopards at home, York Knights away, St Helens away, Wigan Warriors away and Hull FC at home.
That run includes three sides also chasing play-off qualification, meaning that if Leeds can go unbeaten they will secure the League Leaders' Shield and stand just one victory away from another appearance at the so-called 'Theatre of Dreams'.
Leeds have already shown their attacking firepower this season. Jake Connor inspired an eight-try, 46-0 demolition of Toulouse Olympique, a result that came in the same round as Wigan's 20-8 win over Leigh Leopards, a victory that kept the Warriors just two points adrift of the leaders at the time.
Wigan Warriors targeting revenge and a second trophy
Wigan Warriors, sitting on 34 points, are the side who have been there and done it all before. Head coach Matt Peet has made no secret of how hard he is pushing his squad to secure that crucial top-two finish and the home semi-final that comes with it.
Beyond the table, there's a personal motivation too — Wigan will be desperate to avenge last year's Grand Final defeat to Hull KR in 2025.
The Warriors already have the Challenge Cup in their cabinet this season and will have their sights set on adding a second trophy before the year is out.
Before the play-offs get under way, Wigan still have to negotiate games against Bradford Bulls away, Wakefield Trinity at home, Hull KR at home, Leeds Rhinos away and Catalans Dragons at home.
Victories over Wakefield and Leeds in particular would pile serious pressure on their rivals at the top of the table.
Wakefield Trinity chasing a club-best finish
Wakefield Trinity have enjoyed a remarkable campaign and, with 32 points, are on course for their highest-ever Super League finish. They will, however, be looking to bounce back after a narrow two-point defeat to league leaders Leeds in their last game.
Having returned to Super League last year following relegation in 2024, Wakefield have transformed themselves into one of the competition's most formidable outfits, built around a star-studded squad.
Their remaining games are against St Helens at home, Wigan Warriors away, York Knights at home, Warrington Wolves at home and Leigh Leopards away — four fixtures against sides still in the play-off hunt.
The York fixture in particular looks like a must-win for Wakefield, while the meetings with Wigan and Warrington, two more clubs jostling for a top-two spot, will carry huge significance.
Warrington Wolves hold a game in hand
Warrington Wolves sit on 30 points but, crucially, have a game in hand — six fixtures remain rather than five — after their round-two match was rescheduled because Hull KR were playing in Las Vegas at the time.
That makes for a busier Final Charge for Sam Burgess' side, though it also offers extra opportunity to accumulate points.
Warrington's run of games sees them face York Knights at home, Hull KR away, Huddersfield Giants at home, Hull FC away, Wakefield Trinity away and Toulouse Olympique at home.
If the Wolves are to remain genuine contenders, they will need to make the most of the four lower-placed sides on that list.
Hull KR looking to go back-to-back
Hull KR, on 28 points, are the other club with six games still to play thanks to their rearranged fixture, and they will be determined to keep climbing the table.
The Robins were the story of 2025, ending a long wait for a fresh name to be etched onto the Super League trophy, and they will now be aiming to send head coach Willie Peters out on a high by retaining their title.
Their six remaining matches are against Catalans Dragons at home, Warrington Wolves at home, Toulouse Olympique at home, Wigan Warriors away, Huddersfield Giants at home and St Helens away.
Four of those six fixtures come at Craven Park, a scheduling quirk that should work in their favour, while wins over Catalans, Toulouse and Huddersfield will be viewed as essential.
Leigh Leopards' late-season steel
Leigh Leopards, level with Hull KR on 28 points, have built a reputation for finding form when it matters most, and they will want to lock down their play-off place once again.
After a difficult start to the campaign, Adrian Lam's side have rediscovered their rhythm and look in good shape heading into the closing rounds.
Their run-in is a tough one, though — Leeds Rhinos away, Bradford Bulls at home, Huddersfield Giants away, St Helens at home and Wakefield Trinity at home — and every result will matter.
If Leigh are to reach a first-ever Grand Final, they know they will have to show real resolve over these final five games.
St Helens fighting to avoid unwanted history
St Helens, on 24 points, have five games left in which to avoid making history of the wrong kind — the club has never previously missed out on the Super League play-offs.
Their most recent play-off appearance ended in a 20-12 semi-final defeat to Hull KR in 2025, as the Robins went on to complete a historic treble.
Following a subsequent loss to Hull FC, Saints currently look adrift of the pack, but they will now regroup and aim to win all five of their remaining matches, a run that would take them to 34 points.
Crucially, four of those five games are against sides also fighting for a top-six finish — Wakefield Trinity away, Castleford Tigers at home, Leeds Rhinos at home, Leigh Leopards away and Hull KR at home — meaning several fixtures effectively carry four-point swings in the context of the race.
Should Saints somehow rediscover their best form, that final-round meeting with Hull KR could take on real significance for both clubs.
How the table compares across sources
The points totals detailed above match the official Super League standings, which list Leeds Rhinos on 36 points from 22 games, with Wigan Warriors on 34, Wakefield Trinity on 32, Warrington Wolves on 30, Hull KR on 28 and St Helens on 24.
Interestingly, the Sky Sports table shows the same top two but a slightly different ordering further down, with Hull KR listed in fifth and St Helens in sixth at the time of publication, underlining just how tightly bunched the mid-table picture is.
A later snapshot from BBC Sport shows Hull KR and Wigan occupying the top two positions, a reminder of how quickly the picture at the summit can shift as results come in across the Final Charge.
What happens next
Fixtures, results and the latest standings for each remaining round will continue to be updated on the Super League match centre, where fans can track how the play-off picture develops round by round.
Sky Sports will continue to broadcast every Super League fixture this season, including two matches per round shown exclusively live, with the remaining five games each round available on Sky Sports+.