Wild Card Weekend - reports NRL looking to expand finals to ten teams

[Bazal]

I will accept this dumb wildcard round idea with open arms if it also includes last v second last in a spoon bowl every year

 

[snickers007]

I am not a fan of 10 team finals, but if we were going to have it, I would look at a system where teams 1 and 2 get the first week off and you have 3 vs 10; 4 vs 9; 5 vs 8 and 6 vs 7. The 2 lowest placed losers would then drop off (similar to McIntyre system) and you would then have a top 8 comprised of

Team 1 - initial 1st placed team
Team 2 - initial 2nd placed team
Team 3 - highest winner from week 1 finals
Team 4 - 2nd highest winner from week 1 final
Team 5 - 3rd highest winner
Team 6 - 4th highest winner
Team 7 - highest loser
Team 8 - 2nd highest loser

You would then revert to the current finals format.

I think they also need to seriously consider having a bye weekend before the grand final to allow both teams to come in fairly fresh and have no players ruled out through mandatory concussion stand down protocols.

On the bye weekend, you would have the QLD and NSW Cup finals and the NRLW grand final.

At the moment, without a bye weekend before the grand final, it is virtually impossible for a team outside the top 4 winning. Physically they just cannot compete with the well rested teams. You should get an advantage for finishing higher but it shouldn’t be an overwhelming advantage. If they have a wild card weekend for teams 7 to 10, none of those teams would have any hope of having a fully fit side if they somehow made it to the GF after winning 4 knockout matches in a row to get there.

In this scenario, teams 1 and 2 could potentially have 3 weeks off in 6. That's too much

 

[Last Week]

I am not a fan of 10 team finals, but if we were going to have it, I would look at a system where teams 1 and 2 get the first week off and you have 3 vs 10; 4 vs 9; 5 vs 8 and 6 vs 7. The 2 lowest placed losers would then drop off (similar to McIntyre system) and you would then have a top 8 comprised of

Team 1 - initial 1st placed team
Team 2 - initial 2nd placed team
Team 3 - highest winner from week 1 finals
Team 4 - 2nd highest winner from week 1 final
Team 5 - 3rd highest winner
Team 6 - 4th highest winner
Team 7 - highest loser
Team 8 - 2nd highest loser

You would then revert to the current finals format.

I think they also need to seriously consider having a bye weekend before the grand final to allow both teams to come in fairly fresh and have no players ruled out through mandatory concussion stand down protocols.

On the bye weekend, you would have the QLD and NSW Cup finals and the NRLW grand final.

At the moment, without a bye weekend before the grand final, it is virtually impossible for a team outside the top 4 winning. Physically they just cannot compete with the well rested teams. You should get an advantage for finishing higher but it shouldn’t be an overwhelming advantage. If they have a wild card weekend for teams 7 to 10, none of those teams would have any hope of having a fully fit side if they somehow made it to the GF after winning 4 knockout matches in a row to get there.

Same issue as previously with the McIntyre system. If 3rd and 4th beat 9th and 10th, then 5th vs 8th and 6th vs 7th is pointless.

Further, if the above were to occur, 5th vs 8th and 6th vs 7th would occur two weeks in a row.

 

[Jetka100]

In this scenario, teams 1 and 2 could potentially have 3 weeks off in 6. That's too much

I do take your point on having 3 weeks off in 6. I think it would actually be a better situation that after the first week involving teams 3 to 10, it went straight to knockout quarters. If teams 1 and 2 both made the GF, they would have week 1 off, play weeks 2 and 3, have a bye before the GF and then play the GF. This would probably encourage teams not to rest before the finals start.

 

[I Bleed Maroon]

If you finish 9th and 10th in a 18 team competition, you don't deserve to play finals. End of.

 

[Wb1234]

Nrl 2000 to 2001

Number of teams 14. Number of teams in finals 8. Percentage clubs in finals 57%

Nrl 2002 to 2006

15 teams. 8 team finals
Percentage 53 percent

Nrl 2007 to 2022

16 teams 8 team semi
Percentage 50

Nrl 2023
17 teams percentage 47

With Perth 2026, and png 2027 locked in then ten team finals isn’t far off

Team 20 probably won’t come in until 2032

 

[Jetka100]

If you finish 9th and 10th in a 18 team competition, you don't deserve to play finals. End of.

I think by the time you had 19 teams in 2028, it is justifiable. You don’t want to end up with a situation where you have quite a few teams out of contention with several rounds to go. I am not a big fan of a wild card weekend with only teams 7 to 10.

 

[Jetka100]

Same issue as previously with the McIntyre system. If 3rd and 4th beat 9th and 10th, then 5th vs 8th and 6th vs 7th is pointless.

Further, if the above were to occur, 5th vs 8th and 6th vs 7th would occur two weeks in a row.

They usually structure the games so you they don’t play those deciding games first.

I do take your point re the second scenario. I think a better proposal would make week 2 a knockout quarter final of 1 vs 8 (second highest loser), 2 vs 7 (highest loser), 3 (highest winner) vs 6 (4th highest winner), 4 (2nd highest winner) vs 5 (3rd highest winner). Week 3 would be a knockout semi final. Week 4 is bye. Week 5 is GF. This would ensure teams don’t play each other twice in a row, there is not too many weeks off for the top,2 teams and both teams who make the GF won’t be too battered and bruised. Teams 1 and 2 will benefit from first week off and home quarter final. Teams 3 and 4 will get a home final for week 1 and guaranteed place in the quarters. Teams 5 and 6 will get a home final for week 1 and a chance to make quarters even if they lose (depending on other results). Teams 7 to 10 get a chance to claw their way to a GF and with a bye before it, be in a position to actually compete.

 

[Someguy]

I would rather just a top 6 with no second chances and the top 2 get first week off. Obviously the NRL wants more teams involved so why just top 12 and the top 4 get week off, all games an elimination

 

[Last Week]

I would rather just a top 6 with no second chances and the top 2 get first week off. Obviously the NRL wants more teams involved so why just top 12 and the top 4 get week off, all games an elimination

I would love this, ala NFL, but it would be too controversial, even if we had 24 teams.

Could you imagine if (using 2025 as an example) is Parra (12th) knocked out Cronulla (5th) in week 1?

It works in the NFL due to the significant advantage a home team has. Here, half our teams are in one city!

 

[taste2taste]

I will accept this dumb wildcard round idea with open arms if it also includes last v second last in a spoon bowl every year

I would LOVE a Spoon Bowl.

I would be 10 x more invested in a Spoon Bowl over Wildcard games where the winners would be cannon foder the following week.

The Spoon Bowl could have half price drinks and a party atmos. Bring it on !!!

 

[Pippen94]

I would LOVE a Spoon Bowl.

I would be 10 x more invested in a Spoon Bowl over Wildcard games where the winners would be cannon foder the following week.

The Spoon Bowl could have half price drinks and a party atmos. Bring it on !!!

1978 challenge cup made of teams that didn't make finals

Channel Ten Challenge Cup 1978 - Round 1 - Summary of Matches - RLP

www.rugbyleagueproject.org

 

[Nealo 12]

Ah yes the new age everyone gets a prize philosophy , lolz

 

[blue bags]

I would LOVE a Spoon Bowl.

I would be 10 x more invested in a Spoon Bowl over Wildcard games where the winners would be cannon foder the following week.

The Spoon Bowl could have half price drinks and a party atmos. Bring it on !!!

Spoon Bowl live now
Eels smashing Knights
Knights has the Wooden spoon
2025

 

[Dogs Of War]

I am not a fan of 10 team finals, but if we were going to have it, I would look at a system where teams 1 and 2 get the first week off and you have 3 vs 10; 4 vs 9; 5 vs 8 and 6 vs 7. The 2 lowest placed losers would then drop off (similar to McIntyre system) and you would then have a top 8 comprised of

Team 1 - initial 1st placed team
Team 2 - initial 2nd placed team
Team 3 - highest winner from week 1 finals
Team 4 - 2nd highest winner from week 1 final
Team 5 - 3rd highest winner
Team 6 - 4th highest winner
Team 7 - highest loser
Team 8 - 2nd highest loser

You would then revert to the current finals format.

I think they also need to seriously consider having a bye weekend before the grand final to allow both teams to come in fairly fresh and have no players ruled out through mandatory concussion stand down protocols.

On the bye weekend, you would have the QLD and NSW Cup finals and the NRLW grand final.

At the moment, without a bye weekend before the grand final, it is virtually impossible for a team outside the top 4 winning. Physically they just cannot compete with the well rested teams. You should get an advantage for finishing higher but it shouldn’t be an overwhelming advantage. If they have a wild card weekend for teams 7 to 10, none of those teams would have any hope of having a fully fit side if they somehow made it to the GF after winning 4 knockout matches in a row to get there.

The 1998 finals series then. 1st and 2nd got the week off. Dogs made the grand final finishing 9th.

 

[Dragon Slayer]

The Dargons will still miss out on the finals.

lol.

 

[Dogs Of War]

1978 challenge cup made of teams that didn't make finals

Channel Ten Challenge Cup 1978 - Round 1 - Summary of Matches - RLP

www.rugbyleagueproject.org

Of course Norths won the best worst team event.

 

[Lyrebird01]

I don’t know if having a week off, then a final, then another week off, then a prelim, is really that big an advantage.

2 games in a month isn’t a great way to keep match fitness.

It works for the AFL having that bye the weekend after the regular season. However, I’m not a fan of adding more teams to the final series or wildcard crap they’re trying to spruik. It’ll most likely go ahead though as broadcasters love more games.