Wildcard concept scrapped, NRLW decider promoted at ARLC meeting

Radical plans to revamp the NRL finals series won’t be going ahead, while the NRLW grand final has been confirmed as the lead in to the men’s decider.

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The NRL’s ambitious wildcard weekend concept was officially scrapped at a commission meeting on Wednesday.

The proposal — a 10-team finals system where the first six automatically qualify for the post-season, and the other four teams play knockout games to decide the last two spots — received lukewarm responses from clubs and fans alike.

ARLC Chairman Peter Beattie said the move was scuttled after consultation with stakeholders.

“There are two things that this commission is driven by and that is consultation and innovation,” Beattie said.

The NRLW grand final will be played before the men’s decider. Picture: Cameron Spencer

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“We sought input from a range of stakeholders on the concept of a wildcard weekend and while it is fair to say that there was strong support in some quarters, on balance, the Commission has determined that the finals series will remain as is for the time being.

“We will always look for ways to improve and grow our game, and that includes looking at all options across our regular season and finals series to engage with wider audiences, boost our broadcast figures and promote our commercial partners.”

Beattie also confirmed the commission had ratified a decision for the women’s premiership grand final to be played prior to the NRL decider.

The commission also decided to scrap the NRL finals wildcard concept. Picture: Dean Lewins

The state championship between the NSW and Queensland reserve grade premiers will kickstart grand final day at ANZ Stadium on October 6.

Beattie also deemed the inaugural magic round a success with television audiences up two per cent compared to the 2018 season round average.

Crowds reached more than 135,000 during the four days, with an average crowd of 33,000 per day — an increase of 12.5 per cent on last year’s average crowd for the same round.

“Magic Round was a fantastic experience for our fans, our players, our broadcasters and our sponsors,” Beattie said. “Suncorp Stadium and Brisbane was the perfect backdrop to launch this multi-day event which is another example of our game looking to expand our boundaries and increase our entertainment brand.”