New top eight play-off format for engage Super League
From the 2009 season onwards, the engage Super League Championship will be decided by an exciting new play-off format involving the top eight teams in the competition
The format will also feature an innovative new element which sees one team given the opportunity to choose its next opponent.
The series ' expanded from the five and six team systems which have operated since 1998 - will be played over a four week period and will climax with the Grand Final at Old Trafford.
The losers in these two games will have another chance in the second week when they face the winners of the week one Elimination Play-Offs which involve the other four teams (the losers of these games will clearly take no further part).
In week three, the winners of the two Qualifying Play-Offs will play the winners from week two.
Significantly, the winning team from week one with the highest League placing will be allowed to select their opponents at this stage, thus adding a further element to this phase of the competition.
All the games in week three will be sudden death semi-finals with both winners progressing to the Grand Final at Old Trafford and both losers eliminated.
Commenting on the new format, the RFL's Chief Executive Nigel Wood said, "This new eight team engage Super League play-off series is a tremendous development for the sport and the competition.
"It will create great drama and bring an added dimension to what is already the most exciting period in the season. The increase in play-off places will also add more interest to the regular season by giving more matches added significance as clubs battle through the weekly rounds to give themselves a shot at the title."
Wood added, "By introducing the element that allows the highest placed Qualifier to select their semi-final opponents in week three, Rugby League has once again shown it is a highly innovative and progressive sport.
"This new feature will also create more opportunities for broadcasters and the media to generate exciting coverage. We look forward to working with the member clubs to implement the new system".
Meanwhile, a number of representatives of engage Super League clubs have voiced their enthusiasm for the new play-off series.
Leeds Rhinos Chief Executive Gary Hetherington said, 'I think, having expanded the engage Super League to 14 teams from 2009, that the time is right to expand the play-off system. Importantly this system does recognise those clubs who finish higher in the table and they get advantages for that.
"The option for the top ranked team to select their opponent in the final play-off game is new and different but I think the RFL should be congratulated for once again showing innovation and courage to continue to strive the improve the product on the pitch as our game has always done since 1895."
Huddersfield Giants Managing Director Richard Thewlis also commented: "This is another ground breaking move from our sport which has our full backing.
"It is an innovative move that will bring high class, pressurised play-off Rugby League to more teams which can only help drive development of players and the competition."
The new engage Super League Play-Off structure:
Week 1
Qualifying Play Off 1
1 V 4
Qualifying Play Off 2
2 V 3
Elimination Play Off 1
5 V 8
Elimination Play Off 2
6 v 7
Week 2
Preliminary Semi Final 1
QPO 1 Loser
V
EPO 1 Winner
Preliminary Semi Final 2
QPO 2 Loser
V
EPO 2 Winner
Week 3
Qualifying Semi Final 1
QPO 1 Winner
V
PSF 1 Winner *
Qualifying Semi Final 2
QPO 2 Winner
V
PSF 2 Winner *
Week 4
Grand Final
QSF1 Winner
V
QSF2 Winner
