SL or NRL Play-off Format?

[shaunedwardsfanclub]

My view is the Australian concept is much better in that it gives greater reward to the teams finishing higher up the League ladder.

It is not impossible for teams positioned outside the top 2, in Aus, to make the Grand Final but the odds are stacked against them. As for teams ranked from 5 - 8 they need miracle performances each week.

What are your views?

[cpwigan]

NRL all the way

[old hooker]

NRL by a mile

[yoda warrior]

The Mcintyre system they use is a little silly. For example, if the seedings in week one go to plan team 3 beat team 6. Their reward for that is a match against team 5. Team 4 then get a match against team 6. In other words team 3 get a harder match in week 2 than team 4 even though they won in week 1. Stupid. Also our system should produce closer matches as the teams are closer together on the ladder. I think only once has 8 beaten 1 in the NRL. It's usually a hiding.

I prefer our system. It's still the one the AFL use.

[yoda warrior]

Just read Phil Goulds column saying he hates the Mcintyre system.

[Shaun1967]

The problem with us having a weak league is that mediocre teams are rewarded.
For the past two seasons two teams each year have qualified for the play offs despite having negative points difference.
If Cas win tonight then they will achieve the same.

[DaveO]

Our system is absolutely rubbish and it's just not fit for purpose.

The best system of the lot is the top 5 we used right at the start of adopting the play offs.

For a start it does not reward mediocrity by giving 6th, 7th and 8th a chance.

But more importantly it is technically far better.

Any team who does not finish 1st must beat ALL the teams above them to win the trophy. You cannot avoid playing any team (with our top 8 you can).

Also each position in the league higher you finish you get more of an advantage.

For example suppose everything went to form except 5th beat 4th in week 1. 4th team are out as they lost the only sudden death game in week 1 despite having had home advantage due to finishing 4th.

In week two 5th would play 3rd away (because 3rd lost the 2nd v 3rd game but 3rd was not in a sudden death game because they finished 3rd). Lets say 5th beat 3rd.

In week 3 they now play away at 2nd because 2nd lost the week two game of 1st v 2nd (1st had a week off in week 1). 1st now have another week off as they are in the GF.

So in week three 5th now beat 2nd and so get to the GF having beaten the 4th, 3rd and 2nd teams on the way. If they win it then they will have beaten 4th, 3rd, 2nd and 1st one week after the next.

Not THAT is a proper playoff system.

Ours by comparison is a joke made even less funny by the club call farce.

[Panchitta Marra]

Win the league and you are top dogs and should get the best prize for ending top over the full season as you have deserved it.
Play another comp for the top eight teams and that way the form team out of the top 8 can also win a prize.

[michael inch stoke]

definitely the original top 5 system where whoever won the grand final had to beat the team finishing top eventually

[josie andrews]

Totally agree, how can you have more teams in the play offs than there are at the bottom end of the competition? :conf:

Back to the original five teams & stop the RFL milking money from loyal & passionate supporters to line their own pockets & pay for all the jollies they go to.

It is no wonder the international team is so weak when the top players have to keep playing all these extra games without a proper break before the international games start.

Get rid of the fat cats who are presently ru(i)nning our game & get somebody who actually has our game at heart & not how to add to their own bank balances