The NRL has seemingly decided to overturn its finals schedule because Ricky Stuart was upset about the Raiders potentially having a short turnaround between their last regular season game and their first final.
The Raiders lost 62-24 to the Dolphins last Sunday in their Round 27 clash, and after some lobbying by Stuart, Canberra has had their qualifying final against the Broncos at GIO Stadium moved to tomorrow.
The finals system the NRL is currently using came into operation back in 2012.
In every season since 2012, the 1 v 4 final, which is the Raiders v Broncos this year, has been held on a Friday or Saturday.
Why is it that Stuart and his Raiders team get special treatment this time, with their first final on a Sunday?
Further to that, it has been confirmed the week two semi-finals will be played on Saturday and Sunday this season, for the first time since 2007, because of the Raiders' request to play their first final on a Sunday.
Are Peter V'Landys and Andrew Abdo running the NRL or is Stuart?
Stuart's quotes on the issue were arrogant in the extreme.
“We’re minor premiers and we need the maximum turnaround as possible from the Sunday game," he said.
“That one extra day is what we deserve for being minor premiers."
Why weren't the minor premiers from any other season allowed to have an extra day of preparation before the finals as a reward for being minor premiers?
Why does Stuart think his Raiders deserve special treatment?
Also, why have the Raiders have been given a seven-day turnaround going into their first final, whereas the Bulldogs only had a six-day turnaround before their first final?
The Bulldogs' loss to the Sharks, which was their final regular season game, took place last Saturday night.
Yet they had to play their first final against the Storm on a Friday night, which was last night.
Dan is co-host of the SmartB Sports Update with John.
