NRL CEO Andrew Abdo has confirmed the competition will investigate the idea of playing a preliminary final match on a Sunday.
In a move that last happened in 2005, the NRL could shuffle away from the Friday and Saturday night schedule to allow for a family friendly Sunday afternoon game to be played.
It will likely depend on the location of the game, and the TV results from Sunday afternoon's Week 1 qualifying final, where the Canberra Raiders are set to play the Brisbane Broncos, but Abdo, speaking to The Daily Telegraph, admitted it was a possibility as they look for clear air away from the AFL, and to continue to work with fans.
“We'll look at it all and assess it after this weekend,” Abdo was quoted by the publication.
“We're always looking at ways to improve.
“We've had a record year in regards to attendance and (TV) viewership and we know that Sunday afternoon is a special and traditional spot for rugby league during the regular season.
“We're very cognizant with our fans' time, so that timeslot is very popular with families and young kids being able to attend.
“Also, it's clean air. We can own the sporting landscape on Sunday afternoon. There's no other sport on and also, it does help the teams in the finals to have that extra recovery time.”
The Raiders conventionally would have played on the Friday or Saturday in Week 1 of the finals as minor premiers, but in a move to give themselves the maximum amount of recovery time, and also likely avoid dragging fans out in an evening time slot on a Friday or Saturday in the notoriously cold city, requested to play on Sunday.
The NRL accepted that demand, and scheduled the Raiders and Broncos as the final game of the weekend.
A surprise was revealed at the same time, with the NRL confirming the semi-finals in Week 2 would be played on Saturday and Sunday.
The loser of the Raiders and Broncos game will likely host the Sunday afternoon game against the Cronulla Sharks, who got the better of the Sydney Roosters in Saturday night's elimniation final.
The Saturday night Week 2 semi-final will be played at Homebush provided there are no late changes to the schedule, with the Canterbury Bulldogs to clash with the Penrith Panthers.
It will also clear the runway for the NRL to give the NRLW a prime time, stand alone slot on Friday evening as their finals commence next weekend with, for the first time, an expanded three-week format.
The move for a preliminary final on a Sunday afternoon will also factor in that the Melbourne Storm would currently host the second of that weekend's matches - it would mean, if the conventional schedule is kept - they would have host just hours after the AFL grand final.
It's believed there are no plans to change the grand final from the twilight kick-off it currently occupies though, with three games still needing to be played at Homebush on the first Sunday in October.
