http://news.leaguehq.com.au/nrl-faces-last-round-scheduling-headache/20075906-rtr.html
NRL faces last round scheduling headache
The NRL is set to play Russian roulette with at least one club's premiership hopes with Tuesday's announcement of the schedule for the final round of the regular season.
The closeness of this year's race for the finals has left the NRL with a massive headache as it attempts to find a suitable game to be played on the Monday night of the final round.
The selection could have a huge impact on the finals given teams which finish fourth and fifth are locked in to open the finals series on the following Friday night, just four days later.
The NRL is desperate to avoid having a team back up in such a short space of time, but with just six competition points separating teams North Queensland in fourth and Newcastle in 14th, that could be easier said than done.
The NRL aren't the only ones who dictate the scheduling of matches with host broadcasters - the Nine Network and Fox Sports - also having a say in when games are played.
"Until we start discussions with the host broadcasters tomorrow it's impossible to speculate on how it might go," NRL chief operating officer Graham Annesley said.
"There's a process we go through where the Friday night games are chosen first (by the Nine Network) and it's a matter of what's left over after that.
"We're very aware of avoiding the potential clash with the two Monday night teams playing the following Friday night.
"There's some games that are going to be less likely to feature in the fourth versus fifth category, but we just have to go through that process with the broadcasters tomorrow."
Given the difficulties teams have had backing up after Monday night games this season, the scheduling threatens to have an enormous impact of the finals.
Of the round 25 matches on offer, the only games guaranteed not to be on the Friday night are Parramatta v Brisbane and Manly v St George Illawarra, due to Parramatta playing the Dragons on the previous Monday night.
Both games are glamour match-ups involving teams that are likely to feature in the finals, meaning they are candidates to be played on the final Monday night of the regular season.
The only team definitely not involved in the finals is Penrith, but their final round game is against the New Zealand Warriors who currently hold down fifth spot.
It is believed Fox Sports, which selects the Monday night game immediately after the Friday night games have been picked, is keen to have a big game for their final Monday night contest.
