And The Opponent Is....

Enough about Premier League football. How about Rugby League's innovative move to allow the top-seed (Leeds Rhinos) to choose their opponents (Catalans Dragons) in the Super League Semi-Finals? It's certainly a first in sports, as far as I know anyway, and I wonder if other sports with play-offs might think about introducing the idea. It could certainly liven up Wimbledon.

For football, it usually works out that one team storms into the play-offs with a strong run, yet finishes behind a team that started strong and managed to hang on. Letting the third placed team choose their opponent would be an interesting adjustment. Not only would you be choosing your opponent, but you would also be choosing the other contender's match-ups. I like it!

Paul Fletcher's blog on the BBC finishes with "But the play-offs are here to stay and I think it would make for great entertainment if the team in third was able to choose who they face.

I mean, just imagine how the bellicose Neil Warnock would react if his Crystal Palace team became the chosen opponents."

Given Palace's tremendous record in play-offs, I doubt that anyone would choose to face them!

Speaking of Palace, two weeks after losing at home to Scunthorpe 0-4, they travel to table-topping West Bromwich Albion and win. Betting on Palace may affect your wealth!