They could air news ar 5pm, have kick off at 5.40pm… no need for 30-60 minutes of pre match drivel.
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Of course who could forget that 100-minute classic between the Wests Tigers and Roosters in 2010?
From memory, Nine went to the Panthers-Raiders qualifying final about 10 or 20 minutes into proceedings.
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Nine is the only place to see every NRL finals game live
The NRL finals script is ready to be written as 2023 premiership glory beckons, beginning this Friday night at 7.00pm on Channel 9HD and 9Now.
- EVERY NRL FINALS GAME LIVE AND FREE
- NRL GRAND FINAL EXCLUSIVE, LIVE AND FREE
- NRLW TAKES OVER THURSDAY NIGHT PRIME TIME
It all comes down to the premiership powerhouse Panthers, the bucking Brisbane Broncos, the war-ready Warriors, the ever-dangerous Storm, the circling Sharks, Prince Ponga’s crusading Knights, the resurgent Roosters, and Ricky’s Raiders.
Nine is the only place you can see every NRL finals game including the Grand Final live and free, with the best commentary team in the game: rugby league Immortal Andrew Johns, premiership-winning captains Cameron Smith, Johnathan Thurston, Brad Fittler, Paul Vautin, Paul Gallen and Darren Lockyer, and multiple premiership winners Phil Gould AM and Billy Slater.
Broncos v Storm will ignite finals footy on Friday night in Brisbane at 7.00pm.
The Storm are always imposing with Cameron Munster, Harry Grant and Ryan Papenhuyzen under the tutelage of Craig Bellamy, and they have the wood on the Broncos, winning their last 14 games in a row at Suncorp Stadium.
However, Brisbane has banded behind an exciting new generation of Broncos, who are ready to claim some silverware with aces like Reece Walsh, Pat Carrigan and Selwyn Cobbo guided by the wise hand of Adam Reynolds.
A scintillating Saturday of live and free NRL finals fixtures will fire up from 11.00am, following an NRLW double-header featuring the top of the table Knights v Roosters clash, where Millie Boyle takes on the Knights team she captained to a premiership last season, before the NRL Panthers and Warriors Qualifying Final from 3.15pm.
The Panthers’ quest for a third successive premiership starts at their home ground against a Warriors outfit with the whole of New Zealand riding them and playmaker Shaun Johnson in peak form. Adding spice to this encounter is the battle of the coaches – the Warriors’ Andrew Webster, once an understudy to Penrith’s Ivan Cleary.
Then it’s elimination time and Saturday night’s alright for fighting when the Sharks and the Roosters put it all on the line to advance to week two of the finals.
A very special Sunday service in a land of the rugby league gods will take place from 3.15pm, when Kalyn Ponga leads the defence of the Knights kingdom in Newcastle against the Canberra Raiders in a do-or-die knockout.
The Knights have now won nine games in a row, breaking their longest winning streak since 2001, and a sold-out McDonald Jones Stadium awaits a fanbase starved of success. But while depleted, the Raiders, with Jack Wighton in his final season with the Green Machine, will be up for this absorbing joust.
Nine’s Wide World of Sports coverage of the NRL Finals is hosted by James Bracey and Danika Mason, with sideline reporter Emma Lawrence and commentators Mat Thompson, Brenton Speed and Peter Psaltis.
Straight off the field and onto Nine throughout the finals will be the playing ambassadors Nathan Cleary, Millie Boyle, Adam Reynolds, Ryan Papenhuyzen, Reece Walsh and Cameron Murray.
BROADCAST SCHEDULE
Thursday, September 7
NRLW ON THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTY – SHARKS v DRAGONS from PointsBet Stadium
Sydney/Brisbane 7.30pm LIVE on Channel 9HD and 9Now
Melbourne 7.30pm LIVE on 9GemHD and 9Now
Adelaide 7.00pm LIVE on 9GemHD and 9Now
Perth 5.30pm LIVE on 9GemHD and 9Now
Friday, September 8
QUALIFYING FINAL – BRONCOS v STORM from Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Sydney/Brisbane/Melbourne 7.00pm LIVE on Channel 9HD and 9Now
Adelaide 6.30pm LIVE on 9GemHD and 9Now
Perth 5.00pm LIVE on 9GemHD and 9Now
Saturday, September 9
11.00am – NRLW WRAP
11.30pm – NRLW TIGERS v BRONCOS
1.30pm – NRLW KNIGHTS v ROOSTERS
3.15pm – QUALIFYING FINAL: PANTHERS v WARRIORS from BlueBet Stadium, Penrith
Sydney/Brisbane/Melbourne 3.15pm LIVE on Channel 9HD and 9Now
Adelaide 2.45pm LIVE on 9GemHD and 9Now
Perth 1.15pm LIVE on 9GemHD and 9Now
7.00pm – NRL ELIMINATION FINAL: SHARKS v ROOSTERS from PointsBet Stadium, Cronulla
Sydney/Brisbane/Melbourne 7.00pm LIVE on Channel 9HD and 9Now
Adelaide 6.30pm LIVE on 9GemHD and 9Now
Perth 5.00pm LIVE on 9GemHD and 9Now
Sunday, September 10
THE SUNDAY FOOTY SHOW – from 11.00am with Billy Slater, Andrew Johns, Brad Fittler and Danika Mason.
NRLW – COWBOYS v RAIDERS from 11.30pm
NRLW – TITANS v EELS from 1.20pm
3.15pm – NRL ELIMINATION FINAL – KNIGHTS v RAIDERS from Newcastle
Sydney/Brisbane/Melbourne 3.15pm LIVE on Channel 9HD and 9Now
Adelaide 2.45pm LIVE on 9GemHD and 9Now
Perth 1.15pm LIVE on 9GemHD and 9Now
Monday, September 11
100% FOOTY on Channel 9HD Syd/Bris
THIS WEEK ON 9NOW AND WWOS DIGITAL
Click on images to watch the latest episode
SIX TACKLES WITH GUS
FREDDY AND THE EIGHTH on 9NOW
THE BILLY SLATER PODCAST
NRLW WEEKLY
QLDER on 9NOW
NINE IS THE ONLY PLACE TO SEE
EVERY NRL FINALS GAME LIVE AND FREE
FROM FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 7.00PM
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It’s not often Victoria (and by extension Tasmania) gets three matches live on the main channel in week 1 of NRL finals.
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Make that 4.
And only once a year for NSW/QLD too, outside of Origin games.
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Will all LV matches be on 9?
I suspect not, otherwise I think Nine would have said in their 2024 Upgfronts that all LV games would be on Nine?
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Surprised Thompson is calling Panthers v Warriors.
Thought Psaltis might do that and Thompson gets Sharks v Roosters.
Psaltis called Broncos v Storm last night.
PQ is also looking a bit blocky and blurry at times - more so than I’ve seen before.
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Panthers v Warriors is the bigger game of the two, so it isn’t entirely surprising that Nine have put their no. 1 play-by-play on for it. Psaltis also called both NRLW games today, so if he is calling a final today (which he might given Brenton Speed would still be on US Open duties), he would need to have time for a break and to get to the ground.
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Ah ok, didn’t realise Psaltis did NRLW today… that would explain it.
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Brenton Speed called the Sharks vs Roosters match tonight.
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The NRL has released fixture for week 2 and 3 of 2023 finals.
NRL Telstra Premiership Finals Series – Week 2
Semi Final: Friday, September 15, 7.50pm (EST), AAMI Park
Melbourne Storm v Sydney Roosters
Semi Final: Saturday, September 16, 6.05pm (4.05pm EST), Go Media Stadium
New Zealand Warriors v Newcastle Knights
NRL Telstra Premiership Finals Series – Week 3
Preliminary Final: Friday, September 22, 7.50pm (EST), TBC
Penrith Panthers v Winner of Melbourne Storm/Sydney Roosters
Preliminary Final: Saturday, September 23, 7.50pm (EST), Suncorp Stadium
Brisbane Broncos v Winner of Warriors/Newcastle Knights
The Warriors-Knights semi final will be shown on Saturday afternoon in Australia, before the news.
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Will be very busy in Melbourne with both the NRL and AFL playing Semi Finals on the same night
Storm v Roosters at MRS
Carlton v Melbourne at MCG
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I’m surprised that Warriors-Knights semi final is starting at 6pm NZT before the news. Would have thought an 8.30pn NZT start after the news.
1 Like
The Warriors-Knights semi final will also overlap with the NRLW clash between the Dragons and the Broncos at Kogarah (3.15pm AEST kickoff). It will be interesting to see if the NRLW match is staying put. If the answer is yes, it will be bumped to 9Gem, while the NRL final airs on the main channel.
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Yeah i was curious to see the start time for the Warriors game…8.30pm NZ time would have been too late for locals.
Nine would have needed to move the news in SYD, MEL and BNE if they wanted any sort of prime time coverage.
I imagine they were happy to go with 4pm (6pm NZ) so news could stay at 6pm barring extra time.
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Updated schedule for NRL and NRLW (moved to prime time)
02:30 AEST LIVE: NRL FINALS FOOTY: Warriors v Knights Syd, Mel, Bri
Wide World of Sports presents the 2nd Qualifying Final with Warriors v Knights live from Mt Smart Stadium. Join our expert commentary team for all the action from kick-off to the final siren. Kick off at 4:05PM AEST.
07:40 LIVE: NRL WOMEN’S PREMIERSHIP Dragons v Broncos Syd, Bri
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Isn’t 90 minutes just a tad too long for pre-match?
Before you know it , it’ll be longer than the game itself.
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