|
YORK CITY SOUTH |
New Frontiers
Rugby League Play Offs
Apologies for the tardiness in the publication of this issue. Blame the Rugby League play offs. Here at Frontiers Tower, we’ve been absorbed (or such it be absurd) in the play offs as they finally dawdle to a conclusion.
For starters, the majority of teams get to enter, rendering the regular season virtually redundant, bar from a little plaque awarded to the League winners and a special press conference for one of the top 5 finishing sides. At least I thought it was top 5, but thinking again, the press conference is bestowed on a Top 3 side, if I'm right. Keeping up at the back?.
We’ve got Qualifying Play Off Semi Final games, Preliminary Semi Finals, Qualifying Semi Finals, Pick Your Own Opponent Semi Finals and probably more besides. Or, if you prefer QPO, PSF, QSF and GF.
"Pick Your Own" is an honour which could be bestowed on the third highest placed side from the regular season. For the final round of semi finals, the highest placed team left in the last 4 get to choose who they play. They hold a press conference to announce their opponents. Imagine say Warrington having the choice of who they play in the major semi final. The excitement is too much, let me sit down. "We’re Warrington and we’d like to play Wakefield". The other 2 clubs left have to play each other.
The Final? Sometime soon, no quite sure when or where. Or why.
You can finish in the bottom half of the league and be champions, Imagine Sunderland being crowned Premiership winners and you get the idea.
At least our own York Knights had a more coventional end of season play off. Lose one game and out.
I suspect the Premiership will latch on fairly quickly. With 20 clubs, take the top 12 (or maybe more), the play offs would be never ending. It might suit the big 4, lose a game and it doesn’t matter. There’s another semi final a week later.
Watching to The Qualifying Semi Final a few weeks ago, there's so many semi finals, I don't recall who was playing, but it got me thinking. if there is a Qualifying Semi Final, presumably there is also a Non Qualifying Semi Final. I can see the Big 4 (incidentally when typing "4", I hit uppercase and got a "$", how appropriate) hatching an idea. A Non Qualifying play off for entry into the Big $, lose and you're not in and win and you're out.
Disclaimer: The opinions and views stated in New Frontiers are solely those of New Frontiers and do not necessarily represent those of York City Football Club or York City South (a branch of The York City Football Club Supporters Club).
Email Chris, New Frontiers editor & YCS site webmaster