How many teams should the finals have?

[greenBV4]

I had a thought after looking at the ladder, should we cut the finals to 6?
Idk if im advocating for this, I'm just interested in seeing peoples opinions.

If this year is anything to go by I think there is a massive gap between 1-6 and 7-8

On the flip side is there anything to gain by dropping 2 from the finals series anyway?

And a bonus question, if we went to 18 or even 20 would you keep the finals number the same

 

[Silent Knight]

I’m all for a top 6. It may have motivated my band of nuffies to actually put in an effort last Friday night.

 

[The_Frog]

If this year is anything to go by I think there is a massive gap between 1-6 and 7-8

If that's the case they'll be eliminated next week anyway. Just think of it as an extra weekend of footy.

 

[greenBV4]

If that's the case they'll be eliminated next week anyway. Just think of it as an extra weekend of footy.

yeah thats what my thinking lead to, but then maybe theres a way to structure a 6 team series to have more games?

 

[This Year?]

If teams 7 and 8 didn't have such an injury toll and were in form I think they'd give the top 4 sides a run for their money.

Top 6 would give a better quality finals series, But I'm guessing for it to last a month it'd be a round robin type thing then top 2 play the grand final.

That could potientially see 2 sides play each other 5 times in a season. Sounds messy.

 

[mozza91]

We beat Souths and Canberra and drew with Penrith. If we play our best we’re capable of beating most of the top sides.

 

[bileduct]

Bring back the top 5.

 

[anjado]

Top 6

Week 1 (losers eliminated)

Parramatta vs Souths
Roosters vs Canberra

Week 2

Penrith vs Melbourne
Parramatta vs Roosters

Week 3

Melbourne vs Parramatta

Grand Final

Penrith vs Melbourne

 

[Last Week]

Top 6

Week 1 (losers eliminated)

Parramatta vs Souths
Roosters vs Canberra

Week 2

Penrith vs Melbourne
Parramatta vs Roosters

Week 3

Melbourne vs Parramatta

Grand Final

Penrith vs Melbourne

This is like the old top 5.

I don't like either because the premiers could play just twice in finals and both matches could be against the same opponent.

There's no chance they'll lessen the amount of teams in the finals because that would mean less regular season games are relevant. Thus less ratings.

I wouldn't be shocked if, when we go to 18 teams, it expands to a 9 or 10 team series.

 

[Last Week]

Bring back the top 5.

You'd go from 9 finals games down to 6. Will not happen.

 

[Johns Magic]

I had a thought after looking at the ladder, should we cut the finals to 6?
Idk if im advocating for this, I'm just interested in seeing peoples opinions.

If this year is anything to go by I think there is a massive gap between 1-6 and 7-8

If we hadn’t stumbled against the Titans on Friday, Souths would have put 60 on the Roosters and finished 7th and missed the finals under your top 6 proposal. Only a sliding doors moment makes your theory hold this year. Which makes me feel top 8 is fine.

Teams in 6th-8th will never be much chance of winning the comp, but are not necessarily always going to be lame ducks either(which this year it’s looking like).

 

[siv]

16 team comp 7
18 team comp 8

 

[AlwaysGreen]

Finishing 7 or 8 this year might not put you in a position to win but it gives you something to build on in the years to come.

 

[Valheru]

Sport is about selling hope.

8 teams for a 16 team comp is fine, especially under this system that heavily skews things in favour of the top 4.

You have to give teams something to play for as long as possible and a reason for fans to care.

 

[nick87]

I dont like 8, i think it is too much but Valheru is 100% correct and even though i personally dont like it, it wont and probably should never come down

 

[myrrh ken]

Bring back the top 5.

Top 5 gave you a reason to win the shield.

 

[Last Week]

Sport is about selling hope.

8 teams for a 16 team comp is fine, especially under this system that heavily skews things in favour of the top 4.

You have to give teams something to play for as long as possible and a reason for fans to care.

It's basically a top 6 series with the current format.

After week 1, of the 6 teams left, 4 of them are from the top 4. The 5 v 8 and 6 v 7 games might aswell be wild card games.

 

[Ret]

Top 5 gave you a reason to win the shield.

Yep.2nd has the same advantage as 1st. That’s wrong.
I know that commercial reasons mean we’ll never have less than 8 (probably more in the future), but 5 is the fairest.

 

[Diesel]

6 teams for a 16 team competition, 8 teams for 18+ team competition

 

[Ret]

Sport is about selling hope.

8 teams for a 16 team comp is fine, especially under this system that heavily skews things in favour of the top 4.

You have to give teams something to play for as long as possible and a reason for fans to care.

All good points. It just doesn’t reward the best team throughout the season enough.