Nathan Brown believes talk of a Bulldogs-Melbourne grand final is premature, with the St George Illawarra coach suggesting the NRL title race is wide open.

Experts have been talking up the prospect of a Melbourne-Bulldogs grand final for over a month, but both sides were toppled in round 24.

Not only were the Bulldogs kept scoreless by Brisbane, but likely season-ending knee injuries to Test stars Roy Asotasi and Willie Tonga will hamper their finals charge.

The full extent of the damage will be revealed by scans on Monday.

In a further blow to the Belmore club, Willie Mason could have a case to answer to the NRL judiciary after his late and high hit on Broncos halfback Shane Perry.

"I've always said, even when we were running second, there are sides in that eight that have got some runs in them and games in them, and I still don't change that," Brown said.

"Injuries can change it so quickly, I'm not sure what the deal is with Asotasi and Tonga but they're hard blokes to replace if they have lost them, it can just fluctuate so quickly.

"There's some fight in a lot of the sides yet and I just think it's much more open than what the ladder suggests."

TAB Sportsbet responded to the weekend's results by installing Melbourne and the Bulldogs equal premiership favourites at $3.50, the Eels next at $5.

Brown had reason to be optimistic about his own side's hopes after snapping a five-game losing streak with an emphatic 46-16 win over Wests Tigers.

Parramatta posted its ninth consecutive victory, defeating Sydney Roosters 40-26 at Aussie Stadium.

"When you get in there it all becomes more important," coach Jason Taylor said after his side booked a semi finals appearance.

Manly, another top four contender, did it the hard way against South Sydney but eventually posted a 38-16 come-from-behind victory.

Among all the Bulldogs' dramas, the spirited performance from the Broncos has been largely overlooked, the club emerging from a five-game losing streak with a 30-0 shutout against their more fancied opponents.

The New Zealand Warriors proved the Storm isn't unbeatable at home, beating them 24-20 to snap a 15-game winning streak at Olympic Park.

Next season can't come quick enough for the Sharks, whose slim finals hopes were extinguished when they squandered a 20-point lead against Penrith.

The Panthers scored four tries in 16 minutes to prevail 32-28 and remain a mathematical chance of contesting the play-offs.

For the first time since September 2004, Newcastle won a game without captain Andrew Johns , disposing of North Queensland 19-12.

The result meant that, for the second time in a row, the previous year's grand finalists would not contest finals football the following season.

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