It must play the semi final if there are, at least, two hopeful results in other qualifying finals, regardless his result. Is eliminated with a loss AND, at least, two upsets (He has a 12,5% of winning the tournament).  5th: Same as 4th (but play away his qualifying final against 4th).  6th: Advances to preliminary final with a win AND 7th and 8th win their qualifying finals. It must play the semi final with a win AND, if there is, at least, one hopeful result, OR, if he loses, if there are BOTH hopeful results in remaining qualifying finals. Is eliminated with a loss AND one upset, at least, in remaining qualifying finals. (He has a 9,375% of winning the tournament).  7th: It cannot advance straight to preliminary final. Advances to semi final with a win and is eliminated with a loss (He has a 6,25% of winning the tournament).  8th: Same as 7th (but he has a more difficult opponent in week 1 -1st instead 2nd).  1st, 2nd, 7th and 8th depend on themselves. 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th depend on their results and other qualifying finals results  The 2010 NRL Final Series: At the qualifying finals, team 1 won and so went straight through to the preliminary finals. Team 4 also went through to the preliminary finals, because they won while teams 2 and 3 lost. However, teams 2 and 3 were not eliminated, but played again in the semi finals, because two teams ranking lower than them on the ladder also lost. Those two losing teams ranking lower than them, teams 5 and 8, were eliminated. The major advantages of the system are the number of different combinations of teams which could make the final game and that no matches are repeated in the first three weeks. When compared to other final eight systems, many of which split the participants into two groups, the McIntyre system means only two of the 28 possible combinations (1v7 and 2v8) are impossible in the grand final. The top two teams after the regular season are rewarded by being given a 'second life' within the finals. If either of these two teams lose to their much lower-ranked opponents in the first week, then one of the two losing teams ranked lower than them are eliminated, which means the 1st- and 2nd-ranked teams can withstand a loss in the finals and their season will continue, albeit with significant disadvantages.