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Regional | NRL

Vodafone Warriors could make NRL finals with 'Wildcard Weekend' concept

A new concept floated by the NRL could feature a 'Wildcard Weekend' which will give any NRL team that has just missed out a chance to play in the finals.
The concept is that the NRL will retain the current final eight system, however the final two places in the top eight would be determined by two wildcard games.
The wildcard games would be played after Round 25, before the first week of the finals.
The top six teams will get the reward of having a week off, whilst the wildcard weekend takes place, and teams 7 to 10 on the ladder will play against each other to take the final two spaces in the finals the week after.
Last year the Vodafone Warriors placed eighth overall in the NRL competition and made a finals appearance after winning 15 of their 24 matches.  They hadn’t made a finals appearance before this since 2011.
“The NRL are hoping this will keep interest with the fans and hope they will be engaged for longer, and players can play in games with the hope that they make the finals,” says NRL Head of Football Graham Annesley.
All NRL clubs have been briefed about the proposed idea, they’ve also received documentation on the concept. There has been a lot of research and analysis to support this concept, however, “it is only a concept,” says Annesley.
The fans will also be able to give their own opinion on this new model and the NRL have welcomed any feedback.
The earliest the new idea could be implemented is 2020 as there isn’t a spare weekend this year before the finals for the wildcard teams to play “even if it had overwhelming support,” according to Annesley.

HOW THE NEW FORMAT WOULD WORK:

Wildcard weekend: (One) 7th v 10th, (Two) 8th v 9th

Finals week one: 5th v Wildcard Two, 6th vs Wildcard One.

Normal finals format to follow.