NRL Considers 10-Team Finals Shake-Up as Wildcard Weekend Could Arrive in 2027

The NRL is considering a major overhaul of its finals system, with a Wildcard Weekend potentially giving teams finishing ninth and tenth a pathway into the premiership playoffs as early as 2027.

The NRL could be preparing for one of the biggest changes to its finals system in years, with growing support for an expanded format that would give 10 teams a chance to compete for the premiership.

According to a report published by The Daily Telegraph, NRL executive chairman Peter V’landys has sought feedback from clubs about introducing a Wildcard Weekend, with broadcasters Nine and Fox Sports also kept informed of the discussions.

The proposal could be introduced as early as the 2027 season, when the competition expands to 18 teams with the arrival of the Perth Bears. If it does not happen next year, the format could be considered for 2028.

However, no final decision has been announced, meaning the current eight-team finals system remains in place unless the NRL confirms a change.

The concept has returned to the agenda following the AFL's introduction of its own Wildcard Finals Round in 2026, which has attracted attention across Australian sport.

The proposed system would introduce an additional weekend of sudden-death football before the traditional finals series begins.

Under the format previously outlined by the NRL in 2019, the top six teams would qualify directly for the finals, while clubs finishing seventh to tenth would compete for the remaining two places.

The match-ups would be:

Seventh vs tenth: The winner advances to the finals.

Eighth vs ninth: The winner advances to the finals.

Both matches would be sudden-death encounters, meaning the losing teams would have their seasons ended immediately.

The two winners would then join the top six clubs, creating an eight-team finals competition that could continue using the existing finals structure.

The top six would receive a direct path into the finals, while seventh and eighth would have the advantage of playing the lower-ranked opponents.

The format would give two additional clubs a realistic opportunity to extend their seasons, while creating two more high-stakes matches for fans and broadcasters.

The precise format for any proposed 2027 change has not yet been confirmed, and the NRL could still adjust the structure before making a final decision.

The biggest attraction is the potential to keep more clubs and supporters invested in the competition for longer.

Under the current system, only eight of the NRL's 17 clubs qualify for the finals in 2026. Teams that fall outside that group can effectively run out of meaningful targets before the regular season finishes.

A Wildcard Weekend could change that dynamic, giving clubs sitting ninth or tenth a reason to keep pushing deep into the final rounds.

It could also make the race for seventh to tenth more competitive, with clubs battling not only to reach the top eight but also to secure a favourable match-up.

There is of course a financial incentive too.

More meaningful matches could help attendance figures and television audiences late in the season, particularly when teams that would otherwise be eliminated remain in contention.

The NRL previously explored the concept in 2019, with its own analysis highlighting the number of matches that had little bearing on finals qualification.

The proposal was ultimately abandoned that year, but the league's expansion plans and the AFL's recent experiment have revived interest in the idea.

The biggest winners would likely be clubs that finish just outside the traditional top eight.

Under a 10-team system, ninth and tenth would no longer automatically mean the end of a team's premiership hopes. Instead, those clubs would have one final opportunity to qualify by beating a higher-ranked opponent.

Teams in seventh and eighth would also remain involved, although they would face the risk of losing their place in the finals before the main series begins.

The format could be particularly appealing in seasons when the ladder is tightly packed, with only a small number of competition points separating several teams around the cut-off.

For supporters, it would mean more games with genuine consequences. A club that had struggled through the middle of the season could still have a chance to make a late run, while a team that had worked hard to finish seventh could face a sudden-death test earlier than it would under the current system.

However, that same feature could become a point of contention. Critics may argue that a team finishing tenth should not receive a finals opportunity ahead of a club that has consistently performed better across the regular season.

The biggest argument against expansion is that it could dilute the achievement of qualifying for the finals.

The current top-eight system rewards consistency over 27 rounds. A 10-team format would allow a side finishing tenth to remain in contention, even if it had won fewer games than several clubs above it.

That concern is not new. When the NRL first considered a Wildcard Weekend in 2019, the proposal attracted debate over whether too many teams would be rewarded for finishing outside the traditional finals places.

There is also the question of player workload. An extra match would be required for teams competing in the Wildcard Weekend, potentially adding to the physical demands of a long season.

On the other hand, the top six could receive a week off before the main finals series, and the additional matches could provide more opportunities for clubs to build momentum.

Ultimately, the success of the system would depend on its design and whether the NRL can balance commercial benefits with the importance of rewarding regular-season performance.

The timing of the discussions is significant.

The Perth Bears are scheduled to enter the competition in 2027, taking the NRL to 18 teams. Papua New Guinea is due to join in 2028, while a 20th club is being targeted for 2029.

As the competition grows, the league will need to consider how its regular season and finals structure should evolve.

A 10-team finals series could be one way of accommodating a larger competition, although expansion alone does not guarantee that the change will be adopted.

The NRL will need to weigh feedback from clubs, players, broadcasters and supporters before deciding whether the benefits justify a new format.

With the 2027 draw expected to be released after the Rugby League World Cup, the coming months could be crucial in determining whether the proposal becomes reality.

The possibility is now firmly back on the agenda, but supporters should not mistake consideration for confirmation.

The NRL is assessing feedback and the potential benefits of an expanded finals series, with 2027 reportedly a realistic target. If the league decides against an immediate change, 2028 remains a possible alternative.

For now, the eight-team finals system remains the established format. But with expansion approaching and the AFL having introduced its own wildcard round, the NRL is facing renewed pressure to consider whether its finals structure is still the best fit for the competition.

If the proposal is approved, finishing ninth or tenth could soon mean something very different in rugby league.

The question is whether giving more teams a shot at the premiership would make the NRL finals more exciting or simply make qualifying for them less exclusive.