Thanks to Craig Spence of the RFL, we've got this one all tied up



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Hi David,



We have a press release on the very subject due out next week.



The two winners in Week 1 cannot play each other in Week 3. Therefore Saints would not be able to choose Leeds proving both win in Week 1. The winning team from Week 1 with the highest league ranking can only choose from the winners of week 2.



If Saints were to win in week 1 and Leeds lose, then Saints could decide to pick them.



On current league placings if HKR were to beat Saints and then play each other in Week 3 then HKR would have home advantage.



Hope this helps



Craig

So the highest placed winner in Week 1 gets to chose who to play.



If HKR win at Saints, but Saints win in Week 2- do Saints lose the advantage of who to play?

Yes, highest placed winners from week 1 so Saints would lose the advantage if they lost in Week 1.



I hope Eamonn McManus realises now we couldn't pick Leeds if they won in Week 1

Does anyone else think this system is a bit... stupid?





Just seems odd that people can pick who they want to play.

yes the nrl would never do this

I thought I had it right but I'm totally baffled by this system. It's making a simple system unnecessarily complicated if you ask me.

Trying to get this right for me website. Is this correct....











Typical RFL though this to explain months and months after the top 8 system was introduced. I still don't have a clue if this is happening a Reserve & Academy level either - i've just guessed it is doing?

Fantastic, exactly as i said it should be, you lose in weel one, you dont get home ad in week 3!

still think this is an unnecessarily complex idea, and I've still not seen them confirm how long after the game the highest placed team will get to choose their opponent.

Seems straightforward to me what dont you understand about it?

It will take a year or two to bed in like the top 5/6 started off but give it two years and lets see.

it wont get two ears it'll change before then

I haven't heard anyone from any clubs publicly supporting the idea of teams picking who they want to play. The RFL wanted it so probably made it an unconditional part of expanding the playoffs to eight teams, knowing full well that the clubs wouldn't reject that.

Don't know it until it happens if you ask me. Could be a winner. Innovation and all that. People don't seem to like change, so you'll see very little support for it.