: Tue Jul 21, 2009 6:51 pm  

Don't know if this is right with the way the play offs now work but why would you risk picking you closest rival when you could pick, say 8th if the 8th placed team made it, and have a better chance of making the final and beating your closest rival in a one off game? Surely from a finacial point of view its better to lose at OT than the game before. And if thats how it works ill be amazed if the team with the choice picks anybody than the lowest placed team at that time.

: Tue Jul 21, 2009 7:51 pm  

Austin 3:16 wrote:

Don't know if this is right with the way the play offs now work but why would you risk picking you closest rival when you could pick, say 8th if the 8th placed team made it, and have a better chance of making the final and beating your closest rival in a one off game? Surely from a finacial point of view its better to lose at OT than the game before. And if thats how it works ill be amazed if the team with the choice picks anybody than the lowest placed team at that time.

Don't think you'd get many Saints fans agreeing with that after the last 2 seasons events.

If you can knock out what is 'perceived' to be your strongest challenger for a title before the final then that is the surely the best option?

Recent results would seem to back up the perception that Saints stand a much better chance of beating us at home rather than at OLd Trafford.

If the shoe was on the other foot and we'd finished top the last 4 seasons but got beat twice on the trot by Saints in the GF having beaten them at home in the Qualifying final both times then if I had the choice I'd rather try and knoch that team out earlier with home advantage

: Tue Jul 21, 2009 8:10 pm  

Austin 3:16 wrote:

Don't know if this is right with the way the play offs now work but why would you risk picking you closest rival when you could pick, say 8th if the 8th placed team made it, and have a better chance of making the final and beating your closest rival in a one off game? Surely from a finacial point of view its better to lose at OT than the game before. And if thats how it works ill be amazed if the team with the choice picks anybody than the lowest placed team at that time.

cheekydiddles wrote:

Don't think you'd get many Saints fans agreeing with that after the last 2 seasons events.

If you can knock out what is 'perceived' to be your strongest challenger for a title before the final then that is the surely the best option?

Recent results would seem to back up the perception that Saints stand a much better chance of beating us at home rather than at OLd Trafford.

If the shoe was on the other foot and we'd finished top the last 4 seasons but got beat twice on the trot by Saints in the GF having beaten them at home in the Qualifying final both times then if I had the choice I'd rather try and knoch that team out earlier with home advantage

That's the point i'm trying to make, not getting rid of your closest competitor, which i'm sure is what the money men will be looking. Also you have to be at OT for a chance of winnig the big one which again must be more of a risk if you play a higher placed team. What happened last year and the year before does not mean anything in this years play offs.

: Tue Jul 21, 2009 8:45 pm  

No Stains can not choose Leeds if they BOTH win in week 1! They can of course choose us if we lose in week 1 and come the long way round... so it could still happen! Trust me on this, I have done my homework on this one - firstly see this thread where I just mainly talked to myself but hey ho! http://forums.rlfans.com/viewtopic.php?t=418236&highlight= Ok, play-off system below! The highest placed of the two teams straight though to the QSF gets to pick their opponent form the two PSF winners only!!! Both the teams through to the QSF get a home draw you see, so Saints can not deprive us of a home draw. Week One: Qualifying play-off (QPO) one - 1st v 4th (winner receives a bye to week three) Qualifying play-off two - 2nd v 3rd (winner receives a bye to week three) Elimination play-off (EPO) one - 5th v 8th (loser goes out) Elimination play-off two - 6th v 7th (loser goes out) Week Two: Preliminary semi-final (PSF)one - QPO one loser v EPO one winner Preliminary semi-final two - QPO 2 loser v EPO 2 winner Week Three: *Qualifying semi-final one - QPO one winner v PSF one winner *Qualifying semi-final two - QPO two winner v PSF two winner Week Four: Grand Final - QSF one winner v QSF two winner * subject to choice of highest placed winner in week one I was on with Flipper on the Real Radio phone-in the other week going through this. It is still rubbish though, as you are very likley to have exactly the same matches in week 3 as you had in week 1, if the home sides draws all win... which is hihly likley!

No Stains can not choose Leeds if they BOTH win in week 1! They can of course choose us if we lose in week 1 and come the long way round... so it could still happen! Trust me on this, I have done my homework on this one - firstly see this thread where I just mainly talked to myself but hey ho! http://forums.rlfans.com/viewtopic.php?t=418236&highlight= Ok, play-off system below! The highest placed of the two teams straight though to the QSF gets to pick their opponent form the two PSF winners only!!! Both the teams through to the QSF get a home draw you see, so Saints can not deprive us of a home draw. Week One: Qualifying play-off (QPO) one - 1st v 4th (winner receives a bye to week three) Qualifying play-off two - 2nd v 3rd (winner receives a bye to week three) Elimination play-off (EPO) one - 5th v 8th (loser goes out) Elimination play-off two - 6th v 7th (loser goes out) Week Two: Preliminary semi-final (PSF)one - QPO one loser v EPO one winner Preliminary semi-final two - QPO 2 loser v EPO 2 winner Week Three: *Qualifying semi-final one - QPO one winner v PSF one winner *Qualifying semi-final two - QPO two winner v PSF two winner Week Four: Grand Final - QSF one winner v QSF two winner * subject to choice of highest placed winner in week one I was on with Flipper on the Real Radio phone-in the other week going through this. It is still rubbish though, as you are very likley to have exactly the same matches in week 3 as you had in week 1, if the home sides draws all win... which is hihly likley!

: Tue Jul 21, 2009 8:53 pm  

Loop -


1) Can the top ranked side pick the second placed side should they both win. IN WEEK 1

No

Of course if either lose then they might be the ones getting picked!

2) Should the higher placed side lose to a lower placed side, and they meet again later in the play-offs, will home advantage be determined by the league position or who has come from the highest ranking tie?

In Week 2 yes.

In Week 3 no, as the two clubs that win in the top 4 and miss week 2 get a home advantage in the QSF's in Week 3.

So if we lose in Week 1 (assuming we finish in 1st or 2nd) we will be home in Week 2 and away in week 3.

: Tue Jul 21, 2009 8:57 pm  

Lord_Percy wrote:

My understanding is that they can't do that. As I understand it, the highest placed winning club from week one can only choose an opponent who is playing/wins in week 2, when they have the week off.

If the finishing positions are as they are now, the only way Saints could chose Leeds is if we lost at home in week one, then won in week 2.

Spot on!

: Tue Jul 21, 2009 8:59 pm  

Inflatable_Armadillo wrote:

<snip>

cheers

: Tue Jul 21, 2009 9:25 pm  

Come back Kenny McIntyre ... All is forgiven