Summary
Final eight system The final eight system is played over four weeks: ;Week one • 1st qualifying final: 1st ranked team hosts 4th ranked team. • 2nd qualifying final: 2nd ranked team hosts 3rd ranked team. • 1st elimination final: 5th ranked team hosts 8th ranked team. • 2nd elimination final: 6th ranked team hosts 7th ranked team. The eight finalists are split into two groups for the opening week of the Finals Series. The top four teams have the best chance of winning the premiership and play the two Qualifying Finals. The winners get a bye through to Week Three of the tournament to play home Preliminary Finals, while the losers play home Semi-Finals in Week Two. The bottom four teams play the two Elimination Finals, where the winners advance to Week Two away games and the losers' seasons are over. ;Week two • 1st semi-final: Loser of 1st QF hosts winner of 1st EF • 2nd semi-final: Loser of 2nd QF hosts winner of 2nd EF ;Week three • 1st preliminary final: Winner of 1st QF hosts winner of 2nd SF • 2nd preliminary final: Winner of 2nd QF hosts winner of 1st SF ;Week four • Grand final: Winner of 1st PF meets Winner of 2nd PF. Final ten system The final ten system plays over five weeks, using mostly the same bracket: ;Week one • 1st wildcard final: 7th ranked team hosts 10th ranked team • 2nd wildcard final: 8th ranked team hosts 9th ranked team • Teams ranked 1st to 6th all have a bye to the second week ;Week two • 1st qualifying final: 1st ranked team hosts 4th ranked team. • 2nd qualifying final: 2nd ranked team hosts 3rd ranked team. • 1st elimination final: 5th ranked team hosts lower ranked WC winner. • 2nd elimination final: 6th ranked team hosts higher ranked WC winner ;Weeks three through five Weeks three through five follow the same bracket as weeks two through four of the final eight system. ==Advantages for ladder positions==
Advantages for ladder positions
Final eight system Under the final eight system, the final eight teams are broken up into two halves of four teams which are in turn split into two pairs each. The higher a team's position on the ladder, the greater benefits they receive. The top half of the ladder has two key advantages. These teams only need to win twice to reach the grand final (either a qualifying or semi-final and a preliminary final), and they have the benefit of the double-chance; since the qualifying final is non-elimination, losers still have a second chance to reach the grand final by winning their two other finals. Teams in the top six get the benefit of at least one home final; the top two teams play two home finals. ;First and second The top two seeds host their first two finals: the qualifying final and whatever final they play next (Preliminary Final if they win, Semi-Final if they lose). They also have the benefit of only needing to win twice to reach the grand final. If they win the qualifying final, they earn the bye to the Preliminary Final; otherwise they get the double-chance and can still reach the Preliminary Final by winning the Semifinal. ;Third and fourth The next two seeds visit for the qualifying final but then host their next final. Like the top two, these teams only need to win twice to reach the grand final. Winning the qualifying final earns them the bye to the Preliminary Final; losing gives them the double-chance via the Semi-Final. ;Fifth and sixth Fifth and sixth place host their Elimination Final and visit any other finals they reach. These teams must win all three of their finals (Elimination, Semi-, and Preliminary Finals) to avoid elimination. ;Seventh and eighth The last two teams visit throughout the finals and also must win all three of their finals to avoid elimination. Final ten system Under the final ten system, the teams ranked 5th and 6th retain their advantages from the final eight system. Teams ranked 7th and 8th gain a home wild card final, but must win five consecutive finals to win the premiership instead of four, while teams ranked 9th and 10th must win five consecutive away finals to win the premiership. ==See also==