I just realised that the decision to pre-book Brisbane and South Sydney as well as the GF winner makes it very difficult to have both the NRL Grand Final winner and the NRL Grand Final runner up playing in the WCC tournament.

That can happen if South Sydney makes it to the Grand Final and loses -- i.e. is the runner up -- which would mean that the GF winner will be either Penrith, Manly or Canterbury, none of whom will be as big draw cards as Sydney Roosters (unless Canterbury has by then signed Brett Stewart and Brett Morris, which they are trying to do, and James Graham plays).

That can also happen if South Sydney makes it to the GF and wins, and the NRL chooses the runner up as the new third team, which would be one of Penrith, Manly and Canterbury.

In both those cases, if South Sydney makes the GF, then the NRL can send the top two NRL teams (i.e. the grand finalists) plus Brisbane.

However if South Sydney does not make it to the GF, then the NRL can only send the GF winner as the third team, and the runner up in the GF will not go to England.