I have neither the will nor stamina to devote a portion of my head to the subject - I've been wrestling with RSS Feeds all day...

That's how it should be for everyone, including players and coaching staff.

2009 Superleague play-off series, Royal Rumble style.

Southstand Dave has explained it much clearer

What...the players turn up at the pub to see who they are playing on sky?

www.superleague.co.uk/page.php?id=360 As far as I understand the highest placed team winning in week 1 can choose to play either of the winners from week 2 in the week 3 semi final.

www.superleague.co.uk/page.php?id=360 As far as I understand the highest placed team winning in week 1 can choose to play either of the winners from week 2 in the week 3 semi final.

Andy Gregory and Garry Schofield to act as master of ceremonies for the draw.

Ah! It's completely clear now

What th..?

picking who you play is a godamn stupid rule why did the rfl do this


f*CKING MADNESS

What next, you draw all your playoff oponents out of the hat?

DAYEM

also it throws up loads of irritating scenarios

like in the exmaple on the 1st page leeds have to beat wigan twice to get to the final.

whoever designed this should be shot dead.

i hope we're at home then

It is reasonably likely that the week 1 fixtures will be exactly the same as the week 3 fixtures and even more likely that at least one of the week 3 fixtures will be the same. This is why this rumour may have started and even (shudder) might be true!

Unless any of the final top fours form takes a real nose dive just prior to the play-offs then given the higher league placed teams always getting a home draw in weeks 1 and 2 you would expect (and I am almost certain the bookies will agree and also just on past form of the winner coming from the top two sides) home wins up to week 3. Which means that the top four sides will be the teams through to week 3 and the QSF's.

Given that the top placed side can choose it is likely, if this is the case, they will choose the side who finished in fourth (IMO) and they have already beaten at home just 14 days ago, leaving the 2nd and 3rd placed sides to also play exactly the same fixture they played 14 days ago as well!

If one of the top 4 sides does slip up in week 2 and lose away from home then it is likely that the top placed side would pick the lowest placed team for their semi-final, and the distinct possibility that the other sides who met in week 1 meet again in week 3.

The real issue for Leeds and Saints (who look very likely to finish in the top two positions) is making sure you win at home in week 1. If you don't you really loose all advantage and you have to play away in week 3!

That WOULD be a surprise for me wouldn't it

The highest place winner from Week 1 cannot pick the other team that wins on that weekend. EG Saints and Leeds winning, because the other team would lose their right of a home tie.

(say top 4 is how it is, Saints, Leeds, Huddersfield, Hull KR)

If this happens what you are saying then basically, if the top 4 all get through to the final stages of the SL play offs, then there will only be one team that the highest placed team can choose (Saints would have to play Huddersfield and Leeds would have to play Hull KR) Thus not choosing who they get to play, but being forced to play that team.

God my head hurts now figuering all this out, why couldnt they have made it easy

1st v 8th 2nd v 7th 3rd v 6th etc etc nice and simple

I think the top 8 coaches should go to Red Hall on the monday morning and play off ground tig to see who they play.

Good job Salford are out then... can you imagine McRea playing off groung tig!!

Be careful what you say, he may sue you.

He's a fat g1t.

There's a thread on the VT about the play-offs, which can be found [url=http://viewtopic.php?t=425100here[/url. It clarifies the fact that you can only choose your opponent from the week 2 winners, e.g. Saints couldn't pick Leeds (assuming the table stays as it is and we both win in week 1) and that if you lose in week 1 you give up home advantage in the case that you play each other later in the play-offs.

So, as I understand it, we've got:-

WEEK ONE
A - 1 V 4
B - 2 V 3; winners week off, losers play week 2
C - 5 V 8
D - 6 V 7; winners go on, losers out

WEEK TWO
E - Loser A V Winner D
F - Loser B V Winner C; winners go on, losers out

WEEK THREE
Highest Place Winner in A/B V Chosen Opponent from E/F
Lowest Place Winner in A/B V Other Week 2 winner

WEEK FOUR
Grand Final

That appears simple enough to follow.

You must have c[iocke[/id it up somewhere.

You know me too well!!

If the rumour is true, yes!

Actually, that is the best way I have seen it explained yet! tvoc.. I think he is right!



Has anyone told the Wigan board mods that their 'explanation' is wrong yet?

John Kear on Super League extra time last Friday was talking about St Helens perhaps choosing Leeds rather than risk meeting them again in the GF.

Now either he thinks Leeds will lose in week 1 (then win in week 2) or he can be added to the list of people who doesn't understand how the play offs will work.

If Lord_Percy's explanation is good enough for Inflatable_Armadillo then it's good enough for me.

Hmm, now I think Mr Kear is usually very switched but if he did not caveat his statement with 'if Leeds lose in week 1' then my gut feeling is that he does not understand it either!



You also stole the words right out of my mouth, if Lord_Percy's explanation is good enough for you, then it is good enough for me.