I asked this on the VT but thought I'd post it here too.

Say in theory Saints finish 1st, Leeds 2nd. Both win their qualifying play off and go through to the qualifying semis along with 2 other teams.

Could Saints choose to play Leeds thus denying Leeds home advantage in the hope of knocking them out before the final and leave the other two lower ranked teams to play each other?

If this is correct then if I were Saints that's what I'd do, much better chance of knocking us out at their home ground than in the final.

Up until now I didn't think finishing top was that much of an advantage.

If Leeds finish top I think I'd rather play Saints in the final than at HQ in the semi.

that's my understanding, but I wouldn't put my swimming pool on it.

I agree with your tactics too.

My understanding is that they can't do that. As I understand it, the highest placed winning club from week one can only choose an opponent who is playing/wins in week 2, when they have the week off.

If the finishing positions are as they are now, the only way Saints could chose Leeds is if we lost at home in week one, then won in week 2.

I think Saints would be able to chose leeds!

What if Saints and Leeds lose their first week games, who do third pick to play?

I think that is spot on.

If 4th loses against 1st and 3rd against 2nd in 1st week, and then 4th and 3rd win next round to get through to final eliminator, the team finishing 1st can only pick one of those.

1st posters thoughts wont happen though. Can see Leeds finishing 1st.

On the superleague website rlhttp://www.superleague.co.uk/page.php?id there is no mention of any restrictions in who you can choose.

[i"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."[/i

It's a bit of a joke we can get this close to the playoffs without being explained the exact rules.

If 3 and 4 win in week one, then 1 and 2 win in week two, where are the qualifying games held? That's another one I'm not sure on, in previous years it was always highest placed finisher, but is that still the case?

Teams 3 and 4 would be at home regardless.

You win in Week One, your prize is a home game.

You know, I havent even bothered thinking about how this works until now and I didnt understand it when I started reading the thread and understand it even less now.

wigan.rlfans.com/fusion_pages/in ... age_id=878 knock yourselves out!! the highest ranked team can choose who they like

wigan.rlfans.com/fusion_pages/in ... age_id=878 knock yourselves out!! the highest ranked team can choose who they like

That's how I understand it, the highest ranked winning team from week one can choose who they like, at home, in week 3. So, as the original post speculates, if it is Sts and Leeds 1 and 2 and they both win in week 1, (which isnt beyond the realms of possibility), then I can definitely see Sts picking Leeds so they play us at KR instead of Old Trafford, making that game the Grand Final!!!

I see what your saying but the highest ranked team not picked get home advantage. If you get picked you lose that right!! That's added power to the pick!! But Im still thinking it poisoned chalice!