2018 NRL Round 25 Betting Preview: Odds, Game Trends, Week Analysis

The 25th and last NRL round of season 2018 is here, and with just two games separating the entire top eight, the final makeup of the finalists is far from set in stone.

Starting at the top of the table, should the Melbourne Storm slip up to the Penrith Panthers at home on Friday night, then any of the Sydney Roosters, Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks or South Sydney Rabbitohs can lift the J.J. Giltinan Shield.

Storm's match with the Panthers on Friday night is also a farewell match for the retiring Billy Slater, although depending on where the club finishes on the table, the defending Premiers will host at least one final.

Melbourne are $1.49 AUD on the NRL Round 25 odds to salute for the champion representative fullback, while the fifth-placed Panthers, who still have hopes of a top-four finish but can slide as low as eighth if they lose, are out at $2.65, according to AustralianGambling.

Should the Rabbitohs get the job done against the Wests Tigers in the opening match of the round on Thursday night, then they'll go equal with the Storm on points, although they do have a lot of point differential to make up.

The Rabbitohs are $1.38 to get the better of the ninth-placed Tigers ($3.04), who have had a frustrating season and are set to miss the finals for the seventh straight year.

Sitting just one spot above the Tigers in eighth place are the New Zealand Warriors ($1.55), who can finish as high as second should they get the job done against a Canberra Raiders ($2.45) side who've beaten two of the top three sides in the last fortnight but are set to miss the eight.

The side they defeated two weeks ago, the Roosters, are $1.23 on the betting lines to snap a two-game losing streak that may well have cost them the minor premiership, with a win over the Parramatta Eels ($4.20).

The Sharks ($1.50) and St George Illawarra Dragons ($1.75) are both favoured to keep their top-four chances alive with wins over the Canterbury Bulldogs ($2.60) and the Newcastle Knights ($2.09), respectively, while the second-shortest-priced favourites of the round are the Brisbane Broncos ($1.36), who should be too strong for the Manly Sea Eagles ($3.16) on Sunday.

Johnathan Thurston will run out for the 323rd and final time as an NRL player on Saturday afternoon when his North Queensland Cowboys ($1.53) take on the Gold Coast Titans ($2.50).