League: Otangarei in RLN Premiership box seat

Otangarei Knights player Sepeti Tatau. Photo/John Stone

The only thing left to decide in the RLN Premiership is who makes it out of the regular season with the minor premiership.

Otangarei Knights are in prime position to take that title sitting on 24 points, but 2016 champions Takahiwai Warriors are nipping at their heels on 23.

Otangarei can make all conjecture a moot point if they beat Hikurangi Stags in the final Harry Clyde Challenge Cup battle for 2017.

Hikurangi themselves are already assured of a finals spot in a clear fourth but the allure of the extra silverware will prompt them to put in a big shift.

Otangarei will be hoping to make improvements on last week's 56-28 win over a 10-man Moerewa Tigers and set themselves up for a potential title run over the next month.

Takahiwai meanwhile are facing off with Portland Panthers. They still have a chance of grabbing the minor premiership but need Otangarei to lose.

Takahiwai are in good form once again, proving how tough they will be to stop in the finals.

The final match of the round pits Northern Wairoa Bulls against the Hora Hora Broncos.

Both sides will be wanting to end their season on a high note with a last round victory, but will need strong performances to knock each other off.

Hora Hora is resigned to finishing at the foot of the ladder but they have put in a spirited effort all season and will want to reward that with a victory.

But Northern Wairoa won't go quietly. They will want to notch up their third win of the year to give them something to take into 2018.

Moerewa have the chance to rest up and recuperate with the bye this week. With 16 players unavailable last week, they'll be anxious to get most, if not all, of them back for the playoffs.