Preliminary finals

The McIntyre System, or systems as there have been five of them, is a playoff system that gives an advantage to teams or competitors qualifying higher. The systems were developed by Ken McIntyre, an Australian lawyer, historian and English lecturer, for the Victorian Football League in 1931.

The first McIntyre System, the Page–McIntyre system, also known as the McIntyre Final Four System, was adopted by the VFL in 1931, after using three systems since its foundation in 1897, the major system and predecessor to the Page–McIntyre system being the "amended Argus system" that had operated from 1907 to 1923 and 1925 to 1930.

McIntyre also devised the McIntyre Final Five System for the VFL for 1972, the McIntyre Final Six System for 1991 (which was revised for 1992) and the McIntyre Final Eight System for the 1994 season.

The AFL and its fans grew dissatisfied with some of the outcomes the McIntyre Final Eight system might allow, and replaced it with another final eight system in 2000.

McIntyre finals systems are used prominently throughout Australia. Most Australian rules football leagues, from professional down to suburban, use a McIntyre finals system. The New South Wales Rugby League/National Rugby League has used the McIntyre Final Four and Final Five at different times throughout its history, and used the McIntyre Final Eight System from 1999 until 2011. The Page–McIntyre system is also used in the ANZ Championships (netball), the Australian Baseball League and Women's National Basketball League. It was also used in the A-League (soccer) before that competition expanded its finals series to a top-six format. It is also used in the Indian Premier League (cricket).

Under the name Page playoff system, the McIntyre Final Four is commonly used in softball and curling events, especially in Canada. The system was also used in the Rugby League National League Three in Great Britain for the 2004 season.

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