|
The McIntyre System was devised by Ken McIntyre, and is the finals series system used by the National Rugby League and certain other rugby league competitions for determining the teams will play in the grand final. It uses the top 8 finishers in the competition, who play each other over three weeks, with two teams eliminated each week.
The system has been used in the NRL since 1999 and has caused some controversy over its logic. The major problem many fans and media have with the system is that it allows the possibility for the teams that finish third and fourth on the ladder to be eliminated in the first week of the finals, although this has never happened in its history. In fact, only once (1999) in its use has the team finishing first failed to make the grand final. The major advantages of the system are that it provides the best chance that the top 2 teams after the regular season will meet in the grand final, and that no matches are repeated twice in the first three weeks.
How it Works
Week 1
- 1st Qualifying Final: 1st vs 8th
- 2nd Qualifying Final: 2nd vs 7th
- 3rd Qualifying Final: 3rd vs 6th
- 4th Qualifying Final: 4th vs 5th
The teams are then ranked depending on whether they won or lost, then on their position on the ladder before the finals.
The two lowest ranked losers are eliminated from the finals, whilst the two highest ranked winners progress straight to Week 3.
Week 2
- 1st Semi Final: 4th highest ranked winner vs 2nd highest ranked loser
- 2nd Semi Final: 3rd highest ranked winner vs 1st highest ranked loser
The two losing teams are eliminated, the two winning teams progress to Week 3.
Week 3
- 1st Preliminary Final: 2nd highest ranked winner (from Week 1) vs winner of 2nd Semi Final
- 2nd Preliminary Final: 1st highest ranked winner (from Week 1) vs winner of 1st Semi Final
The two losing teams are eliminated, the two winning teams progress to Week Four.
Week 4
- Grand Final: winner of 1st Preliminary Final vs winner of 2nd Preliminary Final
Competitions
In addition to the NRL, the McIntyre System is also used in the Rugby League National League Three in Great Britain.
See also
History in the NRL
- 1999
- Week 1: Teams 7 and 8 eliminated, teams 1 and 2 progress to Week 3
- Week 2: Teams 4 and 5 eliminated
- Week 3: Teams 1 and 2 eliminated
- Week 4: Teams 3 and 6 in Grand Final
- 2000
- Week 1: Teams 6 and 8 eliminated, teams 1 and 3 progress to Week 3
- Week 2: Teams 4 and 5 eliminated
- Week 3: Teams 3 and 7 eliminated
- Week 4: Teams 1 and 2 in Grand Final
- 2001
- Week 1: Teams 6 and 8 eliminated, teams 1 and 3 progress to Week 3
- Week 2: Teams 2 and 7 eliminated
- Week 3: Teams 4 and 5 eliminated
- Week 4: Teams 1 and 3 in Grand Final
- 2002
- Week 1: Teams 6 and 8 eliminated, teams 1 and 3 progress to Week 3
- Week 2: Teams 2 and 7 eliminated
- Week 3: Teams 3 and 5 eliminated
- Week 4: Teams 1 and 4 in Grand Final
- 2003
- Week 1: Teams 7 and 8 eliminated, teams 1 and 2 progress to Week 3
- Week 2: Teams 4 and 5 eliminated
- Week 3: Teams 3 and 6 eliminated
- Week 4: Teams 1 and 2 in Grand Final
- 2004
- Week 1: Teams 5 and 8 eliminated, teams 1 and 4 progress to Week 3
- Week 2: Teams 3 and 6 eliminated
- Week 3: Teams 4 and 7 eliminated
- Week 4: Teams 1 and 2 in Grand Final
|
