The Wests Tigers will be in the box seat to claim fourth spot and a NRL home final when they take on Cronulla, with a final-round wave of Sharks emotion their only real obstacle.
Fourth place will be known by the end of Saturday night with the early game between
the Warriors and North Queensland in Auckland also having a bearing.
Tim Sheens' men will know the equation when they run out at Toyota Stadium but their two-point advantage over the Warriors and superior points differential to the Cowboys have them only needing a comfortable victory.
That would be the Tigers' eighth straight and their average of 38 points per game with star playmaker Benji Marshall in their side at Shark Park will have them hot favourites to host a final next week at the Sydney Football Stadium or ANZ Stadium.
Standing in their way will be a beleaguered Sharks outfit that has lost seven straight but Sheens knows they'll be out to give inspirational captain Paul Gallen a fitting 200th first grade game.
"It's Gal's 200th and it was a very strong Cronulla outfit, who probably should've won last week against the Cowboys. It's a game we can't afford to slip up on and start counting that it's a win and not have to do the work," Sheens said.
"The last three weeks we've done it, although we've been up and down a bit with those games, we're going to have to go out and be a lot stronger this week.
"This Sharks squad has pretty much a full squad, they've got a full pack of forwards and some quick outside backs and again lots of reason to play with Gal's 200th."
The Cronulla skipper's epic season finally concludes, at least until the Four Nations tournament beginning in the UK next month, after his Herculean performances for NSW in this year's State of Origin series which included a memorable 80 minutes at prop in game two.
His milestone is sure to be overshadowed by Test captain Darren Lockyer's farewell in Brisbane on Sunday, but Gallen is hoping for a boilover to clock off with the Sharks, who he debuted for in 2001.
"Two hundred games for the one club is a great milestone for me, one I am extremely proud of," Gallen said.
"I know myself and the team will be doing all we can to make it a memorable night, not only for ourselves but for all the fans by beating the Tigers."
Cronulla will also farewell forwards Kade Snowden (Newcastle) and Luke Douglas (Gold Coast), while a host of players will make bids for last-minute contracts at the rebuilding club.
Adding some spice to the clash will be Sharks-bound Tigers prop Bryce Gibbs taking on his future employers.
Tigers coach Sheens has moved Matt Utai to centre to accommodate the return of winger Lote Tuqiri, with utility back Mitch Brown on a five-man bench.
- AAP
The Tigers' two-point advantage over the Warriors have them only needing a comfortable victory. Photo / Getty Images
The Wests Tigers will be in the box seat to claim fourth spot and a NRL home final when they take on Cronulla, with a final-round wave of Sharks emotion their only real obstacle.
Fourth place will be known by the end of Saturday night with the early game between
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