Caine’s idea to re-invent the NRL finals

WITH the NRL finals just one weeks away from starting, excitement is beginning to build for what will be a great four weeks of footy.

Already seven teams have booked their spot for finals action, with the final spot still up for grabs between the Roosters, Dolphins, and to a lesser extent, the Sea-Eagles.

For those finals-bound sides, there is still plenty of competition to finish as high as possible and claim a top four finish or home final.

But in the eyes of Joel Caine, he would like to see more incentives based on where a team finishes to raise the stakes.

Caine proposed that the NRL should allow the minor premiers and fifth place to select their opponent for the first week of finals.

Speaking on Saturday League Kick off, Caine believes this change would create more competition in the home and away season, and gives a unique advantage that no other side gets.

“In my opinion, the minor premiers from a player’s point of view and from a coach’s point of view, they get no real advantage over team two,” Caine said.

“You both get a home final. Yes, there is $100,000 that goes to the club. But the players and coaching staff get nothing out of it.

“I think if you finish minor premiers, you should get to choose who you play out of 3rd or 4th.

“And likewise for fifth. So, fifth gets to choose who they play out of seventh or eighth.”

To use this year as an example, it would mean that the Raiders would choose to either play the Bulldogs or the Broncos in their qualifying final, with the Warriors then getting their pick out of the Panthers or the Roosters in the elimination final.

It would certainly add another dimension to the finals.

For instance, the prospect of the teams in 3rd, 4th, 7th or 8th being selected by either 1st or 5th could see a chip on their shoulder mentality develop, showing that they are not easy beats, creating plenty of spice.

While the teams in 1st or 5th can select a more favourable match-up as a reward for their regular season performance.

The NRL finals are set to begin on September 12.

BY NICHOLAS QUINLAN/SEN