‘Rewarding mediocrity’: Heated debate erupts over NRL wildcard finals plan... and when it’d work

Could the NRL introduce a wildcard weekend?

Debate has once again erupted regarding whether rugby league powerbrokers should re-work the current eight team series to include another week of finals football.

In 2019, the NRL briefed clubs on a proposal that would see a wildcard round introduced as early as 2020 before they backflipped on the move following public outrage.

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Now the concept has come in focus once again, with The Daily Telegraph’s David Riccio explaining how it could work next season on NRL360 on Tuesday night.

“Teams seventh through 10th play in a sudden death final. Seventh plays ten, eight plays nine and you’re knocked out,” Riccio said.

“You’re dragging nine and ten teams into the finals.”

In November last year, the AFL announced wildcard finals would be introduced into their competition in 2026, taking the place of the traditional pre-finals bye.

Over the weekend, 10th placed Carlton downed Melbourne who finished the regular season in seventh, while eighth seed Western Bulldogs bested Collingwood.

The team that finished fifth (Geelong) now plays Carlton, the lowest-ranked winner, while sixth (Adelaide) plays the highest-ranked winner out of wildcard weekend.

However, NRL360 host Braith Anasta raised the pressing question.

“Why are we rewarding mediocrity would be my question? Some teams would lose just as much as they win and still be playing finals,” Anasta said.

Looking at the current NRL ladder, the Sea Eagles and Bulldogs, the teams in ninth and 10th, would play post-season football with a losing record of 11 wins and 12 losses.

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“Even top eight, some people think that’s too many. But at least usually you have a 50/50 record,” Crawley said.

“The other things is, what’s the use of playing 27 rounds of a regular season and then at the end of the year say ‘oh, now we will have a top 10 and give a couple of teams a chance to jump the ladder’.

“They were never winning from that point anyway.”

Anasta also said an eight team finals series was “part of the game” and the norm for “so long” — but he did concede one factor could change his mind.

“We are heading towards an expanded competition,” Riccio said.

To which Anasta replied: “When all teams are in, I am probably willing to sit here and have a look at it”.

The NRL has already unveiled the Perth Bears and the PNG Chiefs, meaning 19 teams will be apart of the competition when the 2028 season begins.

Rugby league bosses have made no secret of their desire to announce a 20th team, which would join the NRL in 2029 to round out a 20-team competition.

The AFL introduced wildcard weekend pre-emptively before their own expansion to a 20-team competition.

“I know Collingwood played one of the sides that are huge and the fans really flocked. If our fans are really going to come,” league legend Gorden Tallis said.

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“Who cares about the AFL mate,” Anasta joked.

“I just think we have such a great product that is just flying.”

Tallis also provided an alternative opinion — explaining that a wildcard weekend could be a positive for teams who have been hampered by a wave of injuries.

With the pace of the modern game at an all-time high, clubs have endured mammoth casualty wards in recent years, often taking a toll on their hopes of making the top eight.

“I guess there’s merit to it if you lose your star players early in the season,” Tallis said.

“Then you don’t get off to a good start, and then they come back in round eight and you go on a run. But I get it.”

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