Seems an odd choice, really just the 25 minutes?
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I suspect they are worried that the Intrust post game will give them a poor news lead in audience.
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It’s surprising the Intrust Cup finals are being shown on the main channel at all in AFL states, The Block repeats would rate far higher.
It’s the equivalent of Seven deciding to air the SANFL preliminary finals live into Sydney after never broadcasting a game from that competition into that market ever before.
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One difference is that SANFL Finals games are not part of the AFL Grand Final Day build up.
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Correct. No state league plays matches on GF day
Brisbane and Townsville will return to stage 2 COVID restrictions at 4pm today for two weeks.
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Panthers v Rabbitohs: It’s an epic Grand Final
EXCLUSIVELY LIVE ON CHANNEL 9 AND 9NOW
COVERAGE FROM 11.00AM AEDT THIS SUNDAY
It’s a Sydney derby for the ages as the 2021 NRL season culminates in a spectacular finish with the Penrith Panthers and South Sydney Rabbitohs facing off inthe NRL Telstra Premiership Grand Final this Sunday, EXCLUSIVELY LIVE on Channel 9 and 9Now from 6.30pm AEDT.
Despite the challenges posed by COVID-19, both teams have set the competition on fire this season and now sit on the verge of rugby league glory.
The Panthers are out to avenge last year’s Grand Final loss to the Storm, while the Rabbitohs have broken a run of three straight preliminary final defeats for a shot at their first premiership title since 2014.
Channel 9’s Grand Final coverage will begin at 11.00am AEDT with an all-star Sunday Footy Show lineup on hand to lend their expertise and cover all the big stories of Grand Final week.
First up, the QRL Preliminary Finals kick off at 1.15pm AEDT with a double-header, LIVE from Suncorp Stadium. The Wynnum Manly Seagulls meet the Tweed Seagulls in Preliminary Final 1, before the North Devils play the Burleigh Bears in Preliminary Final 2. The winners go through to the Grand Final on October 10 at Moreton Daily Stadium.
At 6.30pm AEDT, the pre-game entertainment begins with a host of homegrown talent, including award-winning singer-songwriter Kate Miller-Heidke and Aussie rock legend Ian Moss.
TV viewers can get even closer to the game with 9Now’s four exclusive streams. These will include Spidercam, Coach Cam and dedicated player cams focused on the superstar playmakers from both teams: Cody Walker from the Rabbitohs and Nathan Cleary from the Panthers.
Premiership glory awaits in the ultimate battle of season 2021 when the Panthers and Rabbitohs meet in what promises to be an epic Grand Final.
NRL GRAND FINAL DAY SCHEDULE – SUNDAY, OCTOBER 3
11.00am AEDT on Channel 9 and 9Now – Sunday Footy Show
1.15pm AEDT on Channel 9 and 9Now – QRL Preliminary Final 1 – WYNNUM MANLY SEAGULLS V TWEED SEAGULLS, LIVE from Suncorp Stadium
3.05pm AEDT on Channel 9 and 9Now – NRL Grand Final Preview, LIVE from Suncorp Stadium
3.45pm AEDT on Channel 9 and 9Now – QRL Preliminary Final 2 – NORTHS DEVILS V BURLEIGH BEARS, LIVE from Suncorp Stadium
5.35pm AEDT on Channel 9 and 9Now – NRL Grand Final Preview, LIVE from Suncorp Stadium
6.00pm AEDT on Channel 9and 9Now – Nine News
6.30pm AEDT on Channel 9 and 9Now – Pre-match Entertainment featuring Kate Miller-Heidke and Ian Moss LIVE from Suncorp Stadium
7.30pm AEDT on Channel 9 and 9Now – NRL GRAND FINAL – PANTHERS v RABBITOHS, LIVE from Suncorp Stadium
SUNDAY NRL FOOTY SHOW – LIVE from Suncorp Stadium at the special time of 11.00am AEDT on Channel 9. Host Erin Molan will cover all the action ahead of the QRL Preliminary Finals and the NRL Grand Final with Peter Sterling, Brad Fittler, Sonny Bill Williams, Darren Lockyer, Ruan Sims, Paul Gallen, Billy Slater, Paul Vautin, Wally Lewis, Danika Mason and Emma Lawrence.
QRL PRELIMINARY FINAL 1 – Wynnum Manly Seagulls v Tweed Seagulls – LIVE from Suncorp Stadium at 1.15pm AEDT on Channel 9.
Host and commentators: Peter Psaltis, Wally Lewis, Scott Sattler and Darren LockyerQRL PRELIMNARY FINAL 2 – North Devils v Burleigh Bears – LIVE from Suncorp Stadium at 3.00pm AEDT on Channel 9.
Host and commentators: Peter Psaltis, Paul Vautin, Cameron Smith and Darren LockyerGRAND FINAL NIGHT: Telstra Premiership Grand Final – Panthers v Rabbitohs – LIVE from Suncorp Stadium at 6.30pm AEDT on Channel 9.
Host and commentators: James Bracey, Ray Warren, Phil Gould, Andrew Johns, Brad Fittler, Peter Sterling, Cameron Smith, Billy Slater, Allana Ferguson, Johnathan Thurston, Darren Lockyer and Emma Lawrence.
WIDE WORLD OF SPORTS RADIO ON 2GB & 4BC
• The WWOS TV brand that sports fans love has its very own radio show. From 6.00pm-7.00pm AEDT Monday to Thursday, hosts Mark Levy (2GB) and Peter Psaltis (4BC) talk with the biggest names in the world of Australian sport, including regular weekly guests:
o Monday: Billy Slater (2GB), Paul Vautin (4BC)
o Tuesday: Paul Gallen (2GB)
o Wednesday: Brad Fittler (2GB)
o Thursday: Ken Sutcliffe (2GB), Johnathan Thurston (4BC)
PODCAST – SIX TACKLES WITH GUS
• James Bracey discusses the biggest issues of the week with rugby league legend and expert commentator Phil Gould on Six Tackles with Gus.
Six Tackles with Gus – Podcast Available NOW on Spotify, Apple and Omny
Live and on-demand streaming for Channel 9’s NRL programming available on 9Now
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Does Nine REALLY need TWELVE hosts/commentators to cover the Grand Final?
I mean REALLY?
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I agree. Having twelve hosts/commentators is way too many for the Grand Final. I could lose 4 of them easily, and have 8 hosts/commentators. Id have:
1 host (James Bracey);
5 commentators/analysts before, during, after the game;
2 sideline commentators (one to check on players on the sideline/ atmosphere with the crowds; and one to check on injury updates “behind the scenes”)
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The annual “will Ray Warren retire?” article appeared in today’s Sunday Telegraph ahead of tonight’s season decider. His response:
“Don’t ask me if I’ll retire. I don’t want to talk about it. Put it this way, I’m not going into tonight’s game as if it’s my last”.
Surely with the number of times he’s been asked if he’ll retire, he would have gotten the hint that he should have done so before now.
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They have Peter Psaltis on double duty beforehand as well. Happens regularly now especially in radio but they do have a bloke called Ben Dobbin in their books as a reporter in Brisbane who has called both radio and TV, also Mark Braybrook whose callin for SEN, Drury Forbes whose called for QRL.com, Andy Raymond and Jason Costigan who all live in QLD to call one of those games.
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Nine just don’t have the big event feel for this GF coverage. It’s always just like they’re going through the motions. These Qld prelim finals are irrelevant. There’s no season review, no analysis. No crossing to various places.
Even the opening montage wasn’t a big event feel.
Time to lose the rights. They’re fucking hopeless.
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To be fair I think their coverage has been hobbled somewhat by the pandemic… as all their NSW hosts and commentators are stuck in Sydney.
They did have a tribute to Sterlo at the end of the Sundsy Footy Show, though a lot of it was cringeworthy cross dressing moments from that shows early days.
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Nine used to hold various grand finals prior to the NRL Grand Final. Finals including: the Jersey Flegg (third grade) to the Toyota Cup (under 20s) and Reserve Grade Final. In recent years, it was the final of the winners of the NSW and Qld Cup.
Unfortunately, Covid happend. And we have the prelim finals of the Queensland Cup instead. Not ideal, but i guess its the best they’ve got. Id rather have a longer preview of the NRL Grand Final instead of today’s second match.
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I still like having the 3 games, that’s what Grand Final Day has always been, agree that having QLD prelims isn’t ideal, but I prefer to that more of Nines talking heads.
Why couldn’t they broadcast it from Brisbane? They have presenters up there that they can use. Have an OB from Suncorp Stadium like Seven did for the AFLGF. Channel 10 from 2023 cannot come soon enough!
BECAUSE OF COVID!!! Why have a B-tec team when you can have the A-team doing it remotely? Don’t lose anything from being in a studio.
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…and Nine News reporters who also play a vital role in pumping the GF coverage up. Eg: We’d usually have Cameron Williams presenting Sydney Sport from Homebush, but for rather obvious reasons I’m sure he wouldn’t be at Suncorp this afternoon/evening!
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