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THE Wests Tigers will ask the NRL to review its controversial home final policy after being pitched into an unenviable trip to frosty Canberra on Friday night.
Both Tigers boss Stephen Humphreys and skipper Robbie Farah last night joined a host of former greats in questioning the fairness of top-four sides having to travel to meet lower-ranked opponents after dropping just a single game.
After losing to the Raiders, the second-ranked Panthers will also face a hostile crowd when they tackle the Roosters (sixth) on Saturday night.
But it's the Tigers' journey to Canberra that yesterday sparked most outrage, given the Raiders only confirmed their finals spot in the last round and the joint venture side were one of the most consistent teams of 2010.
"We don't want to be seen as whingeing, because we knew the rules and we have to accept the challenge of beating the Raiders in Canberra," Humphreys said.
"But I think it needs to be reviewed [at the end-of-year CEOs conference].
"The big factor is the travel and having your preparation interrupted by something you can't plan for. The big thing is a team having to travel interstate or overseas to face a team outside the top four."
Farah said the Tigers remained upbeat about saving their season on hostile turf, but believed the system is unfair in principle.
"Like Stephen said, we knew the rules and we have to play by them," he said.
"But I think it's something they've got to look at. We play 26 weeks and finished third. Now because of one loss we have to travel away with our season on the line. But whatever the case, we're confident we can do the job."
One Penrith player, upset at having to travel 70km east to play the Roosters, said: "Can you believe it?"
The NRL responded yesterday by stressing the clubs voted to take second-week finals to regional cities.
Benny Elias, the Balmain great, was stunned his club had to now travel to Canberra in a sudden-death match.
"It's a disaster again," Elias said. "It is an enormously tough call on the Tigers. I don't think it's fair but rules are rules and you have to abide by them."
Penrith's greatest player, Greg Alexander, was equally stunned that his club would be by-passing Homebush for Moore Park.
"The NRL has to answer questions about this," he said.
"We have been banging on about this for years - about the scheduling and where the games are played.
"I know game allocations and the McIntyre system are separate but the McIntyre system stinks, it's rotten and ordinary. It runs a poor second to the AFL system."
Mark Geyer, the ex-Penrith Test forward, added: "It's totally unfair. We finished second, the Roosters finished seventh. We lost a game by two points and now they get a home semi-final."
NRL chief operating officer Graham Annesley explained why his organisation takes week two semi-finals to regional cities.
"Before we implemented this, all the finals were in Sydney and no one outside of Sydney got to watch them," Annesley said.
"The clubs voted on this in the clear light of day."
I can't recall the Telegraph publishing a similar story when we were forced to play a semi in another country when we dropped our first semi in 2008.
Both Tigers boss Stephen Humphreys and skipper Robbie Farah last night joined a host of former greats in questioning the fairness of top-four sides having to travel to meet lower-ranked opponents after dropping just a single game.
After losing to the Raiders, the second-ranked Panthers will also face a hostile crowd when they tackle the Roosters (sixth) on Saturday night.
But it's the Tigers' journey to Canberra that yesterday sparked most outrage, given the Raiders only confirmed their finals spot in the last round and the joint venture side were one of the most consistent teams of 2010.
"We don't want to be seen as whingeing, because we knew the rules and we have to accept the challenge of beating the Raiders in Canberra," Humphreys said.
"But I think it needs to be reviewed [at the end-of-year CEOs conference].
"The big factor is the travel and having your preparation interrupted by something you can't plan for. The big thing is a team having to travel interstate or overseas to face a team outside the top four."
Farah said the Tigers remained upbeat about saving their season on hostile turf, but believed the system is unfair in principle.
"Like Stephen said, we knew the rules and we have to play by them," he said.
"But I think it's something they've got to look at. We play 26 weeks and finished third. Now because of one loss we have to travel away with our season on the line. But whatever the case, we're confident we can do the job."
One Penrith player, upset at having to travel 70km east to play the Roosters, said: "Can you believe it?"
The NRL responded yesterday by stressing the clubs voted to take second-week finals to regional cities.
Benny Elias, the Balmain great, was stunned his club had to now travel to Canberra in a sudden-death match.
"It's a disaster again," Elias said. "It is an enormously tough call on the Tigers. I don't think it's fair but rules are rules and you have to abide by them."
Penrith's greatest player, Greg Alexander, was equally stunned that his club would be by-passing Homebush for Moore Park.
"The NRL has to answer questions about this," he said.
"We have been banging on about this for years - about the scheduling and where the games are played.
"I know game allocations and the McIntyre system are separate but the McIntyre system stinks, it's rotten and ordinary. It runs a poor second to the AFL system."
Mark Geyer, the ex-Penrith Test forward, added: "It's totally unfair. We finished second, the Roosters finished seventh. We lost a game by two points and now they get a home semi-final."
NRL chief operating officer Graham Annesley explained why his organisation takes week two semi-finals to regional cities.
"Before we implemented this, all the finals were in Sydney and no one outside of Sydney got to watch them," Annesley said.
"The clubs voted on this in the clear light of day."
I can't recall the Telegraph publishing a similar story when we were forced to play a semi in another country when we dropped our first semi in 2008.
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