In an audacious bid to improve the game of Rugby League, bosses at the Rugby Football League are set to announce a major revamp to the end of season playoff format later today. Previously the playoffs have featured teams that finished in either the top 5 or top 6 positions of the league table after the weekly rounds had been completed, but from 2009 however, the teams that finish in the top 8 of the new 14 team expanded Super League will qualify for the end of season tournament which will conclude with the showpiece Grand Final at Old Trafford.
The most notable of the changes to the system for Super League XIV however is not that of the number of teams, but that the highest placed side in week three will get to choose their opponents. The winners will head to the Super League Grand Final on October 10th to meet the winning side of the other semi-final.
Playoff format for Super League 2009
Week 1 of the new style playoffs will see all eight of the qualifying sides take part - the first time since the playoff introduction in 1998 that no side has had week 1 off - with the sides being seperated into the top and bottom four.
The sides in first and second will play at home against the sides in third and fourth, with the two winners advancing straight to week three and a guaranteed home semi final, whilst the losers will get a second chance and move to week two.
The sides in fifth and sixth will have home advantage against those in seventh and eighth and the losers will bow out of the competition. The winners will face the two losing sides from the top four, with the highest placed side having home advantage over the lowest placed.
Prior to week three the highest placed winners from week one in the competition will announce whom they have chosen to play on live television (believed to be Sky Sports News) in a World first which league bosses believe will continue to show the sport's progressiveness, and also add a high level of drama. They will choose from the two week two winners.
The other two teams left in the competition will face off in the other semi-final, with the side winning in week one having home advantage. The winners will meet in the final at Old Trafford.
2009 Super League Playoff Fixtures
Week One:
Qualifying play-off (QPO) one - 1st v 4th (winner receives a bye to week three, loser to week two)
Qualifying play-off two - 2nd v 3rd (winner receives a bye to week three, loser to week two)
Elimination play-off (EPO) one - 5th v 8th (loser goes out)
Elimination play-off two - 6th v 7th (loser goes out)
Week Two: (highest placed side will play lowest placed side as above)
Preliminary semi-final (PSF)one - highest placed QPO loser v lowest placed EPO winner (loser goes out)
Preliminary semi-final two - lowest placed QPO loser v highest placed EPO winner (loser goes out)
Week Three: (highest placed winners from week 1 will choose opponent from week 2 winners)
Qualifying semi-final one (QSF) - highest placed week one winner v chosen opponent
Qualifying semi-final two - lowest placed week one winner v side not chosen
Week Four:
Grand Final - QSF one winner v QSF two winner
Adam Conroy - Despite not being an experienced writer, I have had a love of all things sport since a young age. I have travelled both the country and ...
