KEY POINTS:
Skipper Steve Price has defended the National Rugby League's playoff system, saying he believes the New Zealand Warriors have earned the right to a home semifinal.
The McIntyre system has been used for the eight-team finals series for the past 10 seasons but continues to have its critics.
They point to the fact that the Warriors ended the regular season in eighth spot, but still get to host a semifinal on Friday night against the Sydney Roosters, who finished fourth.
The Roosters' defeat to Brisbane last Friday night is one half of the reason they have had to travel across the Tasman.
The other is the Warriors' feat in achieving what no other eighth-placed team had done under the McIntyre system - beat the minor premiers in week one of the playoffs.
Their shock 18-15 result over Melbourne on Sunday handed them one last appearance at Mt Smart Stadium this year.
Price understandably had no complaints about where the Warriors found themselves.
"You earn the right, I suppose," he said of home advantage.
"The team that lost loses that right. It happened to us last year."
Twelve months ago, the Warriors were in the same situation as the Roosters are now.
The finished fourth in the minor premiership, but were beaten by Parramatta 12-10 at home in a qualifying final.
They had a second life, but had to travel to North Queensland, where they wilted in the tropical heat to go down 49-12.
Price said being on home turf was no guarantee of victory, but it was a help.
"It's a football field and it's where you have to go to play that game of football," he said.
"We just happen to be at a place where we play our home games. It's not going to win us the game, but it's certainly a bonus."
Rooster Nate Myles had no gripes either, saying the Warriors had deserved the chance to run out in front of their own fans after their display against the Storm.
"We put ourselves in this position, so we're going to have to go over there and perform really well to beat them."
Canberra skipper Alan Tongue, whose Raiders were eliminated by the Warriors' result over the Storm, was also happy with the status quo.
"People have questioned the top-eight system," he said.
"The Warriors have shown that they'd worked hard enough to get into eighth position, and if you turn up, you get to have a crack at it, and if you play your best footy, you can knock off the top side."
Last week, coaching guru Warren Ryan, a long-time opponent of the McIntyre system, attacked the format for discarding rankings after week one.
He also said the system could lead to bad anomalies where two top-four sides were suddenly in a sudden-death encounter against one another in week two of the finals.
That hasn't transpired this time around, but the other semifinal this weekend does feature a heavyweight clash between two of the title favourites, with Brisbane hosting Melbourne on Saturday night.
Warriors
Lance Hohaia, Aiden Kirk, Brent Tate, Jerome Ropati, Manu Vatuvei, Michael Witt, Nathan Fien, Ruben Wiki, Ian Henderson, Steve Price (capt), Simon Mannering, Ben Matulino, Micheal Luck. Interchange: Grant Rovelli, Evarn Tuimavave, Sam Rapira, Logan Swann
Roosters
Anthony Minichiello, Brent Grose, Setaimata Sa, Sia Soliola, Sam Perrett, Braith Anasta (capt), Mitchell Pearce, Mark O'Meley, James Aubusson, Lopini Paea, Nate Myles, Anthony Tupou, Craig Fitzgibbon. Interchange: Mickey Paea, David Shillington, Anthony Cherrington, Mitchell Aubusson.
Referee: Tony Archer
- NZPA
