Poisoned chalice - You do not have to finish top... : Mon Jul 06, 2009 8:53 am  

I know some of you will already know this but I suspect many, like myself, had not looked at the actual details of the new play-off structure and did not full appreciate that it is the top finisher after the first two QF's who get to pick the team they play in the SF! So that means that any of the top three sides could end up picking their SF opponents (it of course being impossible if you finish fourth).

So, with that in mind does it does not (in theory) matter if we finish top, or in second... we could still end up with the poisoned chalice and no hub-cap to make up for it!!!

: Mon Jul 06, 2009 10:16 am  

So basically, finishing top or second is no guarantee of making the Grand Final or winning it?

Welcome to 1998.

: Mon Jul 06, 2009 10:54 am  

Andy Gilder wrote:

So basically, finishing top or second is no guarantee of making the Grand Final or winning it?

Welcome to 1998.

It is of course arguably even easier to get to the GF now from any of the top four places, as if you lose you get a second bite. The disadvantage being you have to win away twice to get to the GF.

... actually, I am not sure that is correct!!!!

If, in the unlikely event that fourth beat first and third beat second and then first and second win their returning qualifying semi, who gets the home draws for the semi’s. Is it the teams whom went through to week 3 first or the highest placed team in the league?

Answer on a postcard please to...

: Mon Jul 06, 2009 10:55 am  

Has an explanation of the new playoff system actually been posted anywhere? Is it lowest ranked losers that go out after each round?

: Mon Jul 06, 2009 11:04 am  

Andy Gilder wrote:

Has an explanation of the new playoff system actually been posted anywhere? Is it lowest ranked losers that go out after each round?

Nothing on the SL website!!!!

But this it is the BBC explanation I looked at -

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

Which (according to above )does mean that if you finish in first or second and lose the first game, you lose all future home advantage!!!!

: Mon Jul 06, 2009 11:08 am  

Andy Gilder wrote:

Has an explanation of the new playoff system actually been posted anywhere? Is it lowest ranked losers that go out after each round?

On the front page of the Wigan board there is a guide

: Mon Jul 06, 2009 11:12 am  

Andy Gilder wrote:

Has an explanation of the new playoff system actually been posted anywhere? Is it lowest ranked losers that go out after each round?

Week 1

1 v 4
2 v 3

winners get a bye and home advantage, losers play week after.

5 v 8
6 v 7

winers play losers of top four and losers leave the comp.

Week 2

not sure who plays who but the losers of the top seeds in wk1 play the winners of the bottom seeds for the right to play in the qualifier.

Week 3

highest placed winner from week 1 (1st, 2nd or 3rd) gets the pick of their semi final opponents. The other 2 face off at wk 1 winners home ground.

Week 4

Old Trafford

: Mon Jul 06, 2009 11:13 am  

sgtwilko wrote:

On the front page of the Wigan board there is a guide

Does it go something like this?

If manage to finish 8th we have to win two games, away from home to just get to the final, if we finish 9th we are buggered?

: Mon Jul 06, 2009 11:18 am  

Inflatable_Armadillo wrote:

Does it go something like this?

If manage to finish 8th we have to win two games, away from home to just get to the final, if we finish 9th we are buggered?

No... 3 games away from home

: Mon Jul 06, 2009 11:21 am  

Hollywood Harrigan wrote:

No... 3 games away from home

Sorry, you are of course correct... would not want to lull them into a false sense of their ultra-slim potential of reaching the GF!