Since 1998 a play-off system has been used to determine the Super League

Super League

Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...

 champions. The format has changed over the years, starting with a play-off involving first five, then six teams and currently eight. The play-offs culminate in the Super League Grand Final

Super League Grand Final

The Super League Grand Final is the championship-deciding game of the Super League rugby league football competition...

.

Use of a play-off system to decide the Championship brought back a rugby league

Rugby league

Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...

 tradition. The Super League Premiership

Rugby League Premiership

The Rugby League Premiership was a competition for British rugby league clubs that operated between 1973 and 1995. As the Super League Premiership the competition continued to operate until 1997....

, which had previously taken place between the highest placed teams in the competition, was discontinued as the purpose of its original incarnation had been to take the place of the previous Championship-deciding play-off system.

Current play-off system

For the Super League XIV season in 2009, a top eight play-off system was introduced to replace the previous top six system.
This change coincided with an expansion of the competition from twelve to fourteen teams following the introduction of Super League licensing. The format is being introduced following consultation and discussion with the 14 member clubs in Super League. The series lasts four weeks, ending with the Grand Final.

The new eight team structure was developed by the RFL and, in their words, "is not a direct copy of other eight team formats operating in other sporting competitions" making it unique. The most significant feature of this system is that the highest ranked team from the regular season table winning a match in the first week of the play-offs will be able to select their opponents for their next game in Week Three. This selection opportunity is known as "Club Call" and is only possible for teams finishing in the top three during the regular season to achieve.

The RFL’s Chief Executive Nigel Wood stated that he believed the changes to show Rugby League as "innovative and progressive" and added that the "new feature will also create more opportunities for broadcasters and the media to generate exciting coverage". Leeds Rhinos

Leeds Rhinos

Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...

 Chief Executive Gary Hetherington praised the changes as reminiscent of the sport's innovation since 1895, noting that the new system rewards those teams that finish higher in the table. Huddersfield Giants

Huddersfield Giants

Huddersfield Giants are a professional rugby league club from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire who play in the European Super League competition. They play their home games at the Galpharm Stadium which is shared with Huddersfield Town F.C....

 Managing Director Richard Thewlis commented: "This is another ground breaking move from our sport which has our full backing. It is an innovative move that will bring high class, pressurised play-off Rugby League to more teams which can only help drive development of players and the competition."

The current engage Super League Play-off structure:

Week 1

Four matches will take place on Week One, effectively in two pools: the Qualifying Play-offs and the Elimination Play-offs

Qualifying Play-Offs

These matches involve the teams who finish in the top four.
They are:

1st v 4th
2nd v 3rd

The winners of these two games will progress directly to Week 3. The highest ranked winning club will have Club Call, whereby they choose their opponents in Week 3

The losers of these two matches will have another chance in Week 2 when they will be at home to the winners of the Week 1 Elimination Play-Offs.

Elimination Play-Offs

5th v 8th
6th v 7th

• The winners of both matches will progress to Week 2, losers are eliminated.

Week 2

There are two matches in Week 2, called the Preliminary Semi-finals.

Preliminary Semi-Final One

Highest ranked Qualifying Play-off Loser (1st, 2nd, or 3rd) v Lowest ranked Elimination Play-off Winner (6th, 7th or 8th)

• Winners to Club Call
• Loser eliminated

Preliminary Semi-Final Two

Lowest ranked Qualifying Play-off Loser (2nd, 3rd or 4th) v Highest ranked Elimination Play-off Winner (5th, 6th or 7th)

• Winners to Club Call
• Loser eliminated

Club Call

Club Call will take place on the second weekend of the play-offs and will be hosted by the highest ranked winning club from Week 1.

The host club will select who they play in Week 3 and can only select from the winners of the two Preliminary Semi-finals (Week 2) – they cannot choose the other Qualifying Play-offs winner.

The highest ranked club from the Qualifying Play-offs (Week one) must choose their opponents – they cannot cede the responsibility to the other Qualifying Play-offs winner.

The team with Club Call and the other Qualifying Play-off winners from Week 1 are guaranteed home advantage in Week 3. For example, should the teams that ended the regular season in 1st and 2nd place lose their opening play-off match, they could still find themselves playing away to the 3rd or 4th placed teams in Week 3.

Week 3

Two matches again, losers eliminated from each, winners go through to contest the Grand Final.

Qualifying Semi-Final One
Highest ranked QPO Winner v Club Call selected PSF winner

Qualifying Semi-Final Two
Second ranked QPO Winner v Club Call Non Selected PSF Winner

Week 4

Super League Grand Final

FAQs

Can any team have Club Call?

No. The highest ranked winning club from Week 1 will have Club Call, whereby they choose their opponents in Week 3. Only a team that ended the regular season in 1st, 2nd or 3rd can win Club Call.
Will the teams who finished 1st or 2nd at the end of the regular season be guaranteed home advantage in Week 3 should they progress?

No. The two highest rank teams after Week 1 (the team with Club Call and the other Qualifying Play-off winners) are guaranteed home advantage in Week 3. For example, should the teams that ended the regular season in 1st and 2nd place lose their opening play-off match, they could still find themselves playing away to the 3rd or 4th placed teams in Week 3.

Does the Club Call team have to choose their opponents or can they relinquish the responsibility to the other Qualifying Play-offs winner?

The highest ranked club from the Qualifying Play-offs (Week 1) must choose their opponents – they cannot relinquish the responsibility to the other Qualifying Play-offs winner. In addition, they can only select from the winners of the two Preliminary Semi-finals (Week 2) – they cannot choose the other Qualifying Play-offs winner.

Super League 8 team play-off bracket

Top five

From Super League III

Super League III

-Dream Team:The Super League Dream Team for the 1998 season was: 1 Kris Radlinski 2 Jason Robinson 3 Gary Connolly 4 ? 5 Anthony Sullivan 6 Iestyn Harris 7 Gavin Clinch 8 Dale Laughton 9 Robbie McCormack 10 ? 11 Steele Retchless 12 ? 13 ?-External links:**...

 in 1998 until 2001

Super League VI

Tetley's Super League VI was the official name for the year 2001's Super League championship season, the 107th season of top-level professional rugby league football in Britain, and the sixth championship run by Super League...

 a play-off structure involving the top five

Top five play-offs

A play-off structure involving the top five teams was used to determine the winners of the Super League competition in British rugby league from 1998 until 2001. A top six play-off system was then introduced...

 teams was used to determine the winners of Super League

Super League

Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...

. Apart from the Grand Final all matches are staged at the home ground of the team placed higher in the final league table.

The same system was used in the NSWRL

New South Wales Rugby League

The New South Wales Rugby League is the governing body of rugby league in New South Wales and is a member of the Australian Rugby League. It was formed in Sydney on 8 August 1907 and was known as the New South Wales Rugby Football League until 1984 when forward thinking marketing managers decided...

's Sydney Competition 1973-1994, the Australian Super League

Super League (Australia)

Super League was an Australian rugby league football administrative body that conducted professional competition in Australasia for one season in 1997. Along with Super League of Europe, it was created by News Corporation during the Super League war which arose following an unsuccessful attempt to...

 in its only season 1997, the VFL

Australian Football League

The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...

, 1972–1990 and New Zealand's

New Zealand Rugby League

The New Zealand Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league football in New Zealand. The NZRL was founded on the 25 April 1910 in preparation for a tour of Great Britain that same year....

 Lion Red Cup

Lion Red Cup

The Lion Red Cup was a New Zealand domestic rugby league competition that ran from 1994-1996 sponsored by brewers Lion Nathan. It was created due to the increase in public awareness of domestic rugby league due to the Auckland Warriors being accepted into the Winfield Cup. The competition was a...

, 1994–1996, and Bartercard Cup

Bartercard Cup

The Bartercard Cup was the top level rugby league club competition in New Zealand from 2000 until 2007. For the entire life of the tournament it was sponsored by Bartercard. The cup was administered by the New Zealand Rugby League...

, 2000-2006.

From week two on the Top five play-offs system reflected exactly the Page playoff system

Page playoff system

The Page playoff system is a playoff format used primarily in softball and curling at the championship level. Teams are seeded using a round-robin tournament and the top four play a mix of a single-elimination and double-elimination tournament to determine the winner...

.

Top Five play-off schedule:

Week One

• Qualification Final: 2nd vs 3rd
• Elimination Final: 4th vs 5th
• Bye: 1st

Week Two

• Major Semi Final: 1st vs Winners of Qualification Final
• Minor Semi Final: Losers of Qualification Final vs Winners of Elimination Final

Week Three

• Preliminary Final: Losers of Major Semi Final vs Winners of Minor Semi Final
• Bye: Winners of Major Semi Final

Week Four

• Grand Final: Winners of Major Semi Final vs Winners of Preliminary Final

Super League 5 team play-off bracket

Top six

From 2002

Super League VII

Tetley's Super League VII was the official name for the year 2002's Super League championship season, the 108th season of top-level professional rugby league held in Britain, and the seventh championship run by Super League...

 to 2008

Super League XIII

Engage Super League XIII was the official name, due to sponsorship, for the 2008 Super League season by Engage Mutual. Twelve teams competed for the Minor Premiership over 27 rounds after which, the top 6 finishing teams entered the play-offs where they competed for a place in the Grand Final and...

 a play-off structure involving the top six

Top six play-offs

After a top five play-off system was used, a play-off structure involving the top six teams was used to determine the winners of the Super League competition in British rugby league from 2002 through 2008....

 teams was used to determine the winners of the Super League

Super League

Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...

 competition. Apart from the Grand Final

Grand Final

Grand Final is a predominantly Australian sport term used to describe a match that decides a league champion.It originated in Victoria and South Australia and has become specifically significant Australian culture...

, all matches were staged at the home ground of the team that finished higher in the final league table. A similar system was used by the Australian National Soccer League

National Soccer League

The National Soccer League is the former national association football competition in Australasia, overseen by Soccer Australia and later the Australian Soccer Association. The NSL spanned 28 seasons from its inception in 1977, until its demise in 2004...

 and is now used by the A-League

A-League

The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company...

 to decide its champions. From Week Two onwards, the Top Six play-offs system reflects exactly the Page playoff system

Page playoff system

The Page playoff system is a playoff format used primarily in softball and curling at the championship level. Teams are seeded using a round-robin tournament and the top four play a mix of a single-elimination and double-elimination tournament to determine the winner...

.

Top Six play-off schedule:

Week One

• Elimination Semi-final A: 3rd vs 6th
• Elimination Semi-final B: 4th vs 5th

Week Two

• Qualification Match: 1st vs 2nd
• Elimination Final: Winners of Elimination Semi-final A vs Winners of Elimination Semi-final B

Week Three

• Final Qualifier: Losers of Qualification Match vs Winners of Elimination Final

Week Four

• Grand Final: Winners of Qualification Match vs Winners of Final Qualifier

Super League 6 team play-off bracket