New play-off system : Mon Jun 08, 2009 12:26 pm  

Ok so we might not be in it *yet* but can someone explain it to me?

Do the top teams still get a second bite of the cherry? If so, how many get to bite their cherrys for a second time?

And what is the deal with picking the opposition? Do the top 4 all pick their opposition with minor premiers getting first pick?

: Mon Jun 08, 2009 12:29 pm  

New top eight play-off format for engage Super League

From the 2009 season onwards, the engage Super League Championship will be decided by an exciting new play-off format involving the top eight teams in the competition.

The format will also feature an innovative new element which sees one team given the opportunity to choose its next opponent.

The series – expanded from the five and six team systems which have operated since 1998 - will be played over a four week period and will climax with the Grand Final at Old Trafford.

The format is being introduced following consultation and discussion with the 14 member clubs in engage Super League and will bring tremendous added excitement and interest to both the regular season and the final decisive phase of the competition.

The new structure has been developed by the RFL and is not a direct copy of other eight team formats operating in other sporting competitions elsewhere in the world.

The engage Super League play-offs will see all eight teams involved in the four matches which take place in the opening week. The League Leaders will face the fourth place team, second will play third, fifth will play eighth and sixth will face seventh.

The two matches involving the top four teams will be known as Qualifying Play-Offs and the winners of these games will progress directly to the third week of the series.

The losers in these two games will have another chance in the second week when they face the winners of the week one Elimination Play-Offs which involve the other four teams (the losers of these games will clearly take no further part).

In week three, the winners of the two Qualifying Play-Offs will play the winners from week two.

Significantly, the winning team from week one with the highest League placing will be allowed to select their opponents at this stage, thus adding a further element to this phase of the competition.

All the games in week three will be sudden death semi-finals with both winners progressing to the Grand Final at Old Trafford and both losers eliminated.

Commenting on the new format, the RFL’s Chief Executive Nigel Wood said, “This new eight team engage Super League play-off series is a tremendous development for the sport and the competition.

”It will create great drama and bring an added dimension to what is already the most exciting period in the season. The increase in play-off places will also add more interest to the regular season by giving more matches added significance as clubs battle through the weekly rounds to give themselves a shot at the title.”

Wood added, “By introducing the element that allows the highest placed Qualifier to select their semi-final opponents in week three, Rugby League has once again shown it is a highly innovative and progressive sport.

“This new feature will also create more opportunities for broadcasters and the media to generate exciting coverage. We look forward to working with the member clubs to implement the new system”.

Meanwhile, a number of representatives of engage Super League clubs have voiced their enthusiasm for the new play-off series.

Leeds Rhinos Chief Executive Gary Hetherington said, “I think, having expanded the engage Super League to 14 teams from 2009, that the time is right to expand the play-off system. Importantly this system does recognise those clubs who finish higher in the table and they get advantages for that.

“The option for the top ranked team to select their opponent in the final play-off game is new and different but I think the RFL should be congratulated for once again showing innovation and courage to continue to strive the improve the product on the pitch as our game has always done since 1895.“

Huddersfield Giants Managing Director Richard Thewlis also commented: "This is another ground breaking move from our sport which has our full backing.

“It is an innovative move that will bring high class, pressurised play-off Rugby League to more teams which can only help drive development of players and the competition."

The new engage Super League Play-Off structure:




Qualifying Play Off 1
1 V 4

Qualifying Play Off 2
2 V 3

Elimination Play Off 1
5 V 8

Elimination Play Off 2
6 v 7

Preliminary Semi Final 1
QPO 1 Loser
V
EPO 1 Winner

Preliminary Semi Final 2
QPO 2 Loser
V
EPO 2 Winner Qualifying Semi Final 1

QPO 1 Winner
V
PSF 1 Winner *

Qualifying Semi Final 2
QPO 2 Winner
V
PSF 2 Winner * Grand Final

QSF1 Winner
V
QSF2 Winner

: Mon Jun 08, 2009 12:36 pm  

I still don't understand it. Can some one explain to me in less words.

When do you pick opposition round 2?

Liked the bit about climaxing in the Grand final. I didn't think they let them do that on the pitch anymore.

: Mon Jun 08, 2009 12:38 pm  

Teams finishing in positions 1-4 can lose in week 1. The only time a team gets to choose their opposition is in the final week when there are only 4 teams left. The highest ranked team who won in week 1 get to choose their opposition, and iifc they must publicly state their reason for doing so. For more info, check out http://www.superleague.co.uk/page.php?id=360

Teams finishing in positions 1-4 can lose in week 1. The only time a team gets to choose their opposition is in the final week when there are only 4 teams left. The highest ranked team who won in week 1 get to choose their opposition, and iifc they must publicly state their reason for doing so. For more info, check out http://www.superleague.co.uk/page.php?id=360

: Mon Jun 08, 2009 12:42 pm  

Ancient Provocateur wrote:

I still don't understand it. Can some one explain to me in less words.

When do you pick opposition round 2?

Liked the bit about climaxing in the Grand final. I didn't think they let them do that on the pitch anymore.

Week 1:

1st v 4th, 2nd v 3rd. Winners to week 3, losers to week 2
5th v 8th, 6th v 7th. Winners to week 2, losers out

Week 2:

(1st or 4th) v (5th or 8th) Winners to week 3
(2nd or 3rd) v (6th or 7th) Winners to week 3

Week 3:
Highest placed team who won in week 1 choose their opposition, remaining 2 teams play. Winners to grand final.

Week 4:
Grand Final

: Mon Jun 08, 2009 12:43 pm  

Mission wrote: Teams finishing in positions 1-4 can lose in week 1. The only time a team gets to choose their opposition is in the final week when there are only 4 teams left. The highest ranked team who won in week 1 get to choose their opposition, and iifc they must publicly state their reason for doing so. For more info, check out http://www.superleague.co.uk/page.php?id=360 Thanks I can see why so many coaches don't like picking their own opposition. It will fire them up even more. Finishing 1st could be a handicap in this system. STupid RFL, its not a reality TV show This cheapens out great game. It has Eddie Hemmings written all over it. IMO he is becoming too powerful in the sport. Stevo is my hero though

Mission wrote: Teams finishing in positions 1-4 can lose in week 1. The only time a team gets to choose their opposition is in the final week when there are only 4 teams left. The highest ranked team who won in week 1 get to choose their opposition, and iifc they must publicly state their reason for doing so. For more info, check out http://www.superleague.co.uk/page.php?id=360 Thanks I can see why so many coaches don't like picking their own opposition. It will fire them up even more. Finishing 1st could be a handicap in this system. STupid RFL, its not a reality TV show This cheapens out great game. It has Eddie Hemmings written all over it. IMO he is becoming too powerful in the sport. Stevo is my hero though

: Mon Jun 08, 2009 12:45 pm  

Ancient Provocateur wrote:

I still don't understand it. Can some one explain to me in less words.

When do you pick opposition round 2?

Liked the bit about climaxing in the Grand final. I didn't think they let them do that on the pitch anymore.

Say it finishes.

1.Saints
2.Hull KR
3.Hudds'
4.Leeds
5.Wigan
6.Quins
7.Wire
8.Bulls
9.Catalans
10.Wakey
11.Hull
12.Cas
13.Salford
14.Celtic

We would play Wigan in an elimination. The winner of that would face the loser of Saints V Leeds.

If we won that then we would then play the winner of one of the next two games, subject to choice of the highest placed week 1 and the winner of that would go to the GF (US!)

: Mon Jun 08, 2009 1:47 pm  

You double the number of letters in the team, take away the for and away points scored and divide by the number of players in the team who have the letter s in their surname.
The team with the highest score at this stage then goes on to pick their opponents from the winner of the tug of war held between the wives and girlfriends of the players of the two losing teams from the elimination knock out pre-qualifying qualifying semi-quarter final.

It's pretty straightforward.

: Mon Jun 08, 2009 2:43 pm  

debaser wrote:

The team with the highest score at this stage then goes on to pick their opponents from the winner of the tug of war held between the wives and girlfriends of the players

That would be more entertaining than the usual play-off encounters we've seen in the past.

: Mon Jun 08, 2009 3:06 pm  

debaser wrote:

You double the number of letters in the team, take away the for and away points scored and divide by the number of players in the team who have the letter s in their surname.
The team with the highest score at this stage then goes on to pick their opponents from the winner of the tug of war held between the wives and girlfriends of the players of the two losing teams from the elimination knock out pre-qualifying qualifying semi-quarter final.

It's pretty straightforward.

Be careful. People from the RFL may read this and get ideas!