On the eve of the NRL finals, it is sadly necessary to
try to explain to the uninitiated and even the initiated just how the eight team
finals system works. And by the end of my explanation you are forgiven if you
are not much the wiser.

You need to note, first of all, where the
eight teams finished on the premiership ladder – Eels 1, Dragons 2, Broncos 3,
Tigers 4, Cowboys 5, Storm 6, Sharks 7 and Sea Eagles 8. Tonight it’s four against five, tomorrow it’s two against
seven and three against six, and on Sunday, one against eight in what are known
as the qualifying finals.

That’s all fairly simple, but it gets very complicated
in round two next weekend. The two highest ranking winners from this weekend have a bye next week and head straight for the
preliminary finals on 24-25 September.

It is likely that the two highest ranking winners might
come from the Eels, Dragons and Broncos – but if they lose this weekend then
they have to line up in the “sudden death” semi finals next weekend.

This weekend the two lowest ranking losers will be eliminated and
unlikely though it may be, the Broncos and the Tigers – who finished in
the top four – could see their seasons end this weekend if the teams
placed 5, 6, 7 and 8 all win. The more likely scenario is that the Eels
and the Dragons will win and get a weekend off. If that happens, both
the Broncos and Tigers will advance to the semi finals even if they
lose. But once they get beyond this weekend, it is all sudden death.

On Saturday week, the 4th highest ranking
winner will meet the 2nd highest ranking loser, while on the Sunday,
the 3rd highest ranking winner will meet the highest ranking loser. Then in the third week of the finals series,
it’s the 2nd highest ranked winner from this weekend versus the
2nd semi final winner, and the highest ranking winner from
this weekend versus the 1st semi final winner.

It is a complicated system and one, in my view, that doesn’t
adequately reward teams for their efforts during the season. It doesn’t make
sense to me that – unlikely though it might be – the teams finishing
3rd and 4th on the table might not advance beyond this
weekend. But it’s too late to change that now, and one hopes
that when the competition is expanded in 2007, the way the finals series is
structured will be reviewed.

I also need to give the Nine Network another touch up,
even though all four qualifying finals this weekend will be shown live in New
South Wales and Queensland. As Crikey readers from Victoria, Tasmania and Western
Australia have pointed out, they won’t get live, or even near live coverage of
the finals … and that’s despite the fact Nine’s coverage of the AFL has
finished.

Not even the Melbourne Storm v Brisbane Broncos
qualifying final tomorrow night will be shown live in Melbourne. And if Melbourne, or any other, viewers think they can
get the game at a reasonable hour on
Fox, they will have to wait till 7am on Sunday. Thanks for
nothing!