Five into two does not go.
With four rounds remaining, five teams are battling for two semifinals spots.
University A is the only team confirmed in the final four.
Its 28-20 victory against Dunedin lifted it to 54 points.
Harbour beat Alhambra-Union 34-19 and is in second place with 53 points.
Mathematically, the Hawks could still slip out of the top four but the game is not played with calculators.
They seem safe enough despite having a very tough finish to the round robin with games against Kaikorai, University, Southern and Taieri.
Assuming Harbour makes it, then that leaves Kaikorai (38 points), Dunedin (37), Southern (34), Taieri (30) and Green Island (29) jostling for the next two places.
Kaikorai has surged up the competition standings with wins against Green Island, Pirates and Dunedin in recent weeks but has a reasonably tough finish to the campaign.
Following what shapes as a crucial encounter against Harbour tomorrow, Kaikorai should be to strong for Zingari-Richmond but rounds out the regular season with fixtures against Taieri and University.
Dunedin looks a safer bet.
The Sharks travel to Peter Johnstone Park tomorrow to meet a desperate Taieri side bolstered by the return of first five-eighth Josh Casey.
Its match against Green Island in the penultimate round could be difficult as well but, on the balance of evidence, the Sharks should secure very comfortable wins against Zingari-Richmond and the hapless Pirates.
Pencil them in for a top-four spot.
Southern made a slow start to the competition but has a relatively easy run ahead.
It hosts Alhambra-Union tomorrow and will play Pirates next week, so that is a potential 10 competition points right there.
It plays the Hawks in round 15 but Harbour has lost many personnel and appears on the slide.
The Magpies have Green Island last and, while the men from Miller Park have improved, Southern has a big pack and enough strike power to start as favourite.
It will probably need to win all four to make it, though.
Taieri made the final last year but a mid-season slump has left it seven points off the top four.
With games against Dunedin, Green Island, Kaikorai and Harbour remaining, it is hard to see the Eels returning to the playoffs.
Green Island is the big improver this season with five wins from 12 games.
However, losses to Kaikorai and Harbour in the past two weeks probably means the season review can get under way early.
Its clash with Zingari-Richmond tomorrow shapes as an interesting contest as does its fixture with Taieri the following week.
But it is hard to see it upsetting Dunedin again or beating Southern in the last round.
