Prelim at the Dome

[Buzz]

Should be an article in tomorrow's (Wednesdays) The Age regarding the NRL aiming for a prelim final at the Dome (should results go our way) where they are hoping to make the top 3 or 4 sporting events at the Dome for crowd figures. If Storm win week 1 of the finals, expect a huge push of publicity to secure a huge crowd. If I can find the article, will post it - but feel free to post if you find it first!

[Buzz]

[quote="The Age"]
First up success vital as new finals system hits home

DESPITE being assured of finishing in the top two, the Sea Eagles may have to win two finals matches on the road in either Auckland, Townsville, Brisbane or Melbourne to qualify for the grand final at Telstra Stadium.

In a dramatic change to scheduling for the finals series this year, all play-off matches leading up to the grand final will be played in the home city or region of the highest-ranked winners after the opening round of games to be hosted by the top four finishing teams.

The move offers a huge incentive to win first up - even for Melbourne and Manly, who are guaranteed to finish first and second. Should they win, the Storm and Sea Eagles will advance to week three and host grand final qualifying matches at Melbourne's Telstra Dome and either Sydney Football Stadium or Telstra Stadium.

But if either team were to lose they would have to play away to either the third- or fourth-highest ranked winner in the second week, with the two highest ranked winners having the weekend off before hosting a final in their home region in week three.

The third- and fourth-highest ranked winners will host the two highest ranked losers in their home city - but not necessarily their home ground - in week two.

Each season since the NRL adopted the McIntyre final eight system nine years ago, there has been a first-week upset, with the team ranked sixth beating the third-ranked team in 1999, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006, and the seventh-ranked team beating the team finishing second in 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2004.

Unless the Storm lose both their remaining games to the Bulldogs and Titans, and Manly beat the Warriors and Dragons as well as overcoming a 36-point inferior for-and-against, the Sea Eagles will finish second behind Melbourne and play at Brookvale Oval against the team finishing seventh. Wests Tigers hold that position but any of the nine teams vying for the remaining five final eight berths after the Storm, Manly and the Cowboys could finish seventh in two weeks' time.

"It's quite a change to the system this year," NRL chief operating officer Graham Annesley said. "Under the McIntyre system, everyone gets re-ranked after the first week, and we have had plenty of examples of lower-ranked teams winning. We've never had team eight beat team one yet but eventually that is going to happen, and you wouldn't rule it out this year."

Manly chief executive Grant Mayer said the possibility of having to beat the Warriors, Cowboys, Broncos and Storm in their home towns underlined the importance of winning at Brookvale first up.

But he predicted there would be calls to review the system if the Sea Eagles were forced to play successive finals matches away from Sydney. "I think they would have to look at it if that was to happen," Mayer said. "If a team was to finish eight points ahead of their nearest rivals in second place, it would seem a bit tough for them to then have to travel interstate or to New Zealand to play a team that finished lower than them."

The changes to the play-offs format offer a huge advantage to non-Sydney teams, and the third-ranked Cowboys last week addressed their players to advise them of the importance of ensuring they remained in the top four to get a home final in week one.

Remarkably, however, most coaches contacted by the Herald were unaware of how the system worked.
GROUND BREAKERS

How the finals system works:

WEEK ONE: HOME VENUE FINALS

Teams finishing 1 (v , 2 (v 7), 3 (v 6), 4 (v 5) host finals at home grounds

WEEK TWO: HOME CITY FINALSFinals in home city of third- and fourth-highest ranked winners (v 2 highest ranked losers)

WEEK THREE: HOME REGION FINALSFinals in home region of first- and second-highest ranked winners from Week One (v winners from Week Two)

WEEK FOUR: GRAND FINALTelstra Stadium, Sunday night, September 30

[Thunderstruck]

September 30? I thought NRL GF was early October

[Surandy]

TS, the NRL schedule the GF to coincide with NSW/ACT's Labor Day public holiday (coincidently this is the same day for SA too) which falls on the first Monday in October. As the 1st of October is a Monday this year so the NRL falls in September.

Remarkably, however, most coaches contacted by the Herald were unaware of how the system worked.

Thanks for the article Buzz, the above line makes me laugh. Can you imagine the screams from Sydney once clubs, supporters and some media outlets/personalities, realise that there may not be any finals played in Sydney in week 2 and/or 3? 

[Hailstorm]

TS, the NRL schedule the GF to coincide with NSW/ACT's Labor Day public holiday (coincidently this is the same day for SA too) which falls on the first Monday in October. As the 1st of October is a Monday this year so the NRL falls in September.

Thanks for clarifying that one. I was wondering why some years the NRL and AFL grand finals are on the same weekend and other times they are on other weekends. That explains it... 

[Buzz]

Those outside of the "premier state" also see it as a reason why the game will never expand. Sunday nights is great if the Monday is a public holiday. But for Brisbane, Tits, Cowboys, Warriors and Storm it's a shocker (almost a third of the league). Supporters that is - team probably won't care when the GF is played, as long as they're in it!

[Andy]

Thankfully I have the Monday off work regardless. 

[Tigger]

Thankfully I have the Monday off work regardless. 

Ohhhh yeahhhhh!!! I love working in a school - holidays all over the place!!!!! 

[sliat_1981]

Those outside of the "premier state" also see it as a reason why the game will never expand. Sunday nights is great if the Monday is a public holiday. But for Brisbane, Tits, Cowboys, Warriors and Storm it's a shocker (almost a third of the league). Supporters that is - team probably won't care when the GF is played, as long as they're in it!

Tits?
I beg your pardon!

[Mike_The_Undertaker]

Should be an article in tomorrow's (Wednesdays) The Age regarding the NRL aiming for a prelim final at the Dome (should results go our way) where they are hoping to make the top 3 or 4 sporting events at the Dome for crowd figures. If Storm win week 1 of the finals, expect a huge push of publicity to secure a huge crowd. If I can find the article, will post it - but feel free to post if you find it first!

Really, why would that many more people come to a home final that wouldn't come to an H&A game during the season?

[nacho]

Should be an article in tomorrow's (Wednesdays) The Age regarding the NRL aiming for a prelim final at the Dome (should results go our way) where they are hoping to make the top 3 or 4 sporting events at the Dome for crowd figures. If Storm win week 1 of the finals, expect a huge push of publicity to secure a huge crowd. If I can find the article, will post it - but feel free to post if you find it first!

Really, why would that many more people come to a home final that wouldn't come to an H&A game during the season?

simple.
people want to jump on the bandwagon

[Tigger]

It'll also be a novelty, just like the SoO.

[Hailstorm]

And it wouldn't be any old final. It would be for a spot in the Grand Final.

[mrpc]

Those outside of the "premier state" also see it as a reason why the game will never expand. Sunday nights is great if the Monday is a public holiday. But for Brisbane, Tits, Cowboys, Warriors and Storm it's a shocker (almost a third of the league). Supporters that is - team probably won't care when the GF is played, as long as they're in it!

Tits?
I beg your pardon!

Tits = Gold Coast Titans.

[Bourbon Rat]

Really, why would that many more people come to a home final that wouldn't come to an H&A game during the season?

Even though people keep saying Melbourne is 'the sporting capital' & that we LOVE sport most Melbournians are armchair sports fans who usually only love going to EVENTS & once offs - Melbourne V whomever @ the dome for a spot in the Grand Final would qualify as an Event