Has the NRL stumbled upon its next annual fixture in the form of a yearly spoonbowl?
Friday night's loser-takes-all fixture between Wests Tigers and Parramatta has made a case for it.
The match is officially the Tigers' fastest-selling fixture in years, having sold out on Sunday, five days before kick-off at the typically hard-to-attend Friday 6pm slot in Campbelltown.
The game is also likely to command more focus than most others this weekend, with a clear motivation for both teams in an otherwise miserable and long end to the season.
The Eels are desperate to avoid adding to their already record-high 14 spoons, while the Tigers have spoken for weeks about avoiding a third straight last-placed finish.
"Everyone remembers first, everyone remembers second," Parramatta five-eighth Dylan Brown said.
"It's the same with the wooden spoon. Everyone remembers the wooden spoon, but no one remembers second-last."
Which begs the question: Could the NRL have this kind of hype around a spoonbowl each and every year?
The league are continually looking for 에그벳슬롯 new ways to shape the season.
/>A wildcard weekend remains a possibility, particularly once expansion takes the game to 20 teams. A bout between the bottom two teams could fit in perfectl
/>The main stumbling block would likely be with players, who would understandably not want to turn out in a game designed to determine the league's wors
/>Critics would also point to the fact the last-placed side could sit well below second-last, but that is no different to a grand final deciding the premier
/>"It's the grand final four weeks early," injured Eels halfback Mitch Moses told AAP.
/>"You don't want to come last, that's the thing. I'm not too sure if it would work. Hopefully I never play in one
/>But he can understand the hype.
/>"Both clubs have passionate supporters," Moses said.
/>"With Wests Tigers and Parramatta, I have been lucky enough to play for both clubs.
/>"The Tigers have been in some good form lately so that's why all their fans are coming out. And we had a win on the weekend
/>Genuine last-round spoonbowls between the two bottom-placed teams where the loser is guaranteed to finish last are incredibly rar
/>In the last 40 years, there have only been two.
/>Parramatta beat Gold Coast to avoid the spoon in 2011, while the most recent contest came in 2015 when Penrith handed the spoon to Newcastl
/>And for those who have played them, they mean more than a normal game.
/>"It definitely mattered that night," Panthers forward Isaah Yeo said of the 2015 match.
/>
"It was a lot more fun than having a wooden spoon. I think everyone will be tuned in Friday night, and you don't want to be the loser."
Friday night's loser-takes-all fixture between Wests Tigers and Parramatta has made a case for it.
The match is officially the Tigers' fastest-selling fixture in years, having sold out on Sunday, five days before kick-off at the typically hard-to-attend Friday 6pm slot in Campbelltown.
The game is also likely to command more focus than most others this weekend, with a clear motivation for both teams in an otherwise miserable and long end to the season.
The Eels are desperate to avoid adding to their already record-high 14 spoons, while the Tigers have spoken for weeks about avoiding a third straight last-placed finish.
"Everyone remembers first, everyone remembers second," Parramatta five-eighth Dylan Brown said.
"It's the same with the wooden spoon. Everyone remembers the wooden spoon, but no one remembers second-last."
Which begs the question: Could the NRL have this kind of hype around a spoonbowl each and every year?
The league are continually looking for 에그벳슬롯 new ways to shape the season.
/>A wildcard weekend remains a possibility, particularly once expansion takes the game to 20 teams. A bout between the bottom two teams could fit in perfectl
/>The main stumbling block would likely be with players, who would understandably not want to turn out in a game designed to determine the league's wors
/>Critics would also point to the fact the last-placed side could sit well below second-last, but that is no different to a grand final deciding the premier
/>"It's the grand final four weeks early," injured Eels halfback Mitch Moses told AAP.
/>"You don't want to come last, that's the thing. I'm not too sure if it would work. Hopefully I never play in one
/>But he can understand the hype.
/>"Both clubs have passionate supporters," Moses said.
/>"With Wests Tigers and Parramatta, I have been lucky enough to play for both clubs.
/>"The Tigers have been in some good form lately so that's why all their fans are coming out. And we had a win on the weekend
/>Genuine last-round spoonbowls between the two bottom-placed teams where the loser is guaranteed to finish last are incredibly rar
/>In the last 40 years, there have only been two.
/>Parramatta beat Gold Coast to avoid the spoon in 2011, while the most recent contest came in 2015 when Penrith handed the spoon to Newcastl
/>And for those who have played them, they mean more than a normal game.
/>"It definitely mattered that night," Panthers forward Isaah Yeo said of the 2015 match.
/>
"It was a lot more fun than having a wooden spoon. I think everyone will be tuned in Friday night, and you don't want to be the loser."