NRL on Nine

Television Nine Network
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##ROUND 17

Wide World of Sports will bring viewers the biggest and best NRL fixtures in Round 17, starting tonight when the famous Eels versus Bulldogs rivalry resumes LIVE and FREE on Nine.

Rugby league fans are all too happy to reminisce about the halcyon days of the 1980s when both teams dominated and a rivalry was born that still brings out the best in both clubs when they meet.

A win looms large in the course of the Eels’ season as they look to earn a finals berth that ends an eight-year drought. The kicking game of their halves, Corey Norman and Mitchell Moses, will be crucial, as will their combination with hooker Cameron King, who makes his first starting appearance in 2017.

Nine’s rugby league expert, Brad Fittler, says: “The Eels are a dangerous side that have a solid roster. They’re tough, no-nonsense and capable of scoring loads of points. I think they’ll be too strong for the Bulldogs tonight.

“The Bulldogs will lift for the occasion but they will be without their inspirational captain, James Graham, and have proven to be unpredictable in what has been a lacklustre season for them.”

Fittler’s player to watch: “Cameron King – after a horror run with injuries he hasn’t played an NRL game for 733 days. He was a promising junior who has all the skills to make it at NRL level and he could well be the difference tonight.”

On Friday Night Football, the biggest names in the game will be on display in a high-quality encounter between the Broncos and Storm at Suncorp Stadium.

Cameron Smith, Sam Thaiday, Billy Slater, Benji Marshall, Cooper Cronk and try-scoring freaks James Roberts, Suliasi Vunivalu and Josh Addo-Carr will all grace the field in a who’s who of the brightest talents in the NRL.

The Storm are unbeaten at Suncorp since 2009. They embarrassed the Broncos on their home turf last year with a 48-6 win which coach Wayne Bennett will have firmly etched in their memories.

Bennett has an ace up his sleeve by playing star halfback Ben Hunt off the bench, but will it be enough to outsmart his former understudy and Storm coach Craig Bellamy, whose team sits at the top of the table?

To cap off a huge round of NRL action on Nine, Sunday Afternoon Football will deliver another top-shelf encounter between the Rabbitohs and Panthers.

Shifting captain Matt Moylan from fullback to five-eighth, plus the return of Australian representative winger Josh Mansour, has injected new life into the Panthers after a slow start to the season. Meanwhile the Rabbitohs have unearthed power forward Angus Crichton, a shining light as they aim for a top eight finish.

Broadcast Times

Tonight – Thursday 29 June
Eels vs Bulldogs

Sydney 7.30pm LIVE on Nine
Brisbane 7.30pm LIVE on Nine
Melbourne 7.30pm LIVE on 9GEM
Adelaide 7.00pm LIVE on 9GEM
Perth 5.30pm LIVE on 9GEM

Friday 30 June
Broncos vs Storm

Sydney 7.30pm LIVE on Nine
Brisbane 7.30pm LIVE on Nine
Melbourne 7.30pm LIVE on 9GEM
Adelaide 7.00pm LIVE on 9GEM
Perth 5.30pm LIVE on 9GEM

Sunday 2 July
Rabbitohs vs Panthers

Sydney 3.30pm LIVE on Nine
Brisbane 3.30pm LIVE on Nine
Melbourne 3.30pm LIVE on 9GEM
Adelaide 3.00pm LIVE on 9GEM
Perth 1.30pm LIVE on 9GEM

RUGBY LEAGUE ACTION THIS WEEK ON NINE

  • SIX TACKLES WITH GUS – Nine’s James Bracey discusses the biggest rugby league issues of the week with NRL legend and expert commentator Phil Gould on Six Tackles with Gus. This week: What to expect in the Origin 2017 Decider; and Gus’s take on who will make the 2017 finals
  • THE NRL FOOTY SHOW – Tonight, June 29, straight after the footy. An emotional Johnathan Thurston talks exclusively to Erin Molan. Tune in for his unbelievable response when asked about his Origin future. Fatty Vautin, Beau Ryan and Darryl Brohman join Erin on the panel.
  • Available LIVE in every city across the country on 9NOW.
  • SPORTS SUNDAY – Sunday, July 2, at 10.00am. Frank and open debate on all the big issues in the week of sport. Tadhg Kennelly, Cath Cox, Richard Freedman and Neil Breen join Emma Freedman.
  • SUNDAY NRL FOOTY SHOW – Sunday, July 2, at 11.00am. Hosted by James Bracey who is joined by Andrew Johns, Brad Fittler and Adam MacDougall.

**Check local guides for details. Times will differ.

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Is this “Golden Point” graphic new?
I don’t think I’ve seen it before…

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Who do like to listen to when FOX and Nine air the same game, Ray Warren or Warren Smith?

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I prefer Warren Smith…

On another note, I just saw a promo down in Melbourne on 9Go advertising next week’s final Origin game, it billed it as “The greatest ever Origin” and the ad here prominently featured the big name Storm trio of Smith, Cronk and Slater.

The game here will be seen on 9 and 9HD from 7pm, same as NSW and QLD

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STATE OF ORIGIN – THE DECIDER

SPECIAL TIME 7.00PM WEDNESDAY

The stage is set for the ultimate showdown when Nine’s Wide World of Sports presents State of Origin – The Decider, exclusively LIVE and FREE on Wednesday, July 12, at 7.00pm.

Bringing fans more Origin than ever with an extended 30 minutes of pre-show coverage and a special tribute to Johnathan Thurston, Nine will have all angles covered in a colossal broadcast for The Decider.

The voice of rugby league, Ray “Rabs” Warren, will call the action from the spiritual home of Origin, “The Cauldron”, Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, alongside Peter Sterling, Phil Gould and Paul Vautin.

James Bracey will host Nine’s exclusive coverage, flanked by rugby league Immortals Andrew “Joey” Johns and Wally “The King” Lewis, along with Origin legends Darren Lockyer and Brad Fittler.

Johns, the last NSW halfback to win a series-deciding Origin match, gave his insight into how the Blues can conquer Queensland on their home turf for the second time in the 2017 series.

“The blueprint was Origin I – they need to get through their sets and power through the middle with their forwards, who I believe hold an advantage. After they win the battle upfront they have to turn the ball back on the inside and challenge the mobility and fatigue of Queensland’s forwards with NSW speed men like James Tedesco.

“It’s really important that they cut out the stupid errors, and I wouldn’t go targeting anyone from Queensland in particular. It needs to be a total team performance for 80 minutes, and if they can do this then the shield will be on its way back to NSW.”

Lockyer, a former Queensland captain, said: “I think NSW played poorly in the second half of Origin II and left the door wide open for Queensland. Without Johnathan Thurston it’s going be a tough task, but that’s what we have always thrived on.

“Cameron Munster and Ben Hunt make their debuts, while Michael Morgan needs to step up as a playmaker in the absence of Thurston. I like the style of players they are, they’re all physically strong despite their size, and more importantly they’re instinctive footballers.

“I’m confident that Queensland can get the job done. Morgan, Munster and Hunt are genuine footballers who won’t be overawed by the occasion. Cameron Smith, Cooper Cronk and Billy Slater will make them comfortable.”

Viewers can get up-to-date scores, tackles and live commentary with Wide World of Sports on social media: LIKE the big moments on Facebook and Instagram. Join the chat on Twitter using #Origin.

STATE OF ORIGIN – THE DECIDER, COUNTDOWN ON NINE:

  • SIX TACKLES WITH GUS – Nine’s James Bracey talks the biggest rugby league issues of the week with NRL legend and expert commentator Phil Gould on Six Tackles with Gus. This week: All the excitement ahead of The Decider; and Gus weighs in on the NRL pay dispute
  • NRL FOOTY SHOW – Tonight, Thursday, July 6, at 8.30pm. The 11-time Logie Award-winning NRL Footy Show leads off in the build-up to The Decider when Darren Lockyer and Konrad Hurrell join the panel, while Billy Slater and James Maloney cross live from both NSW and Queensland Origin camps.
  • SPORTS SUNDAY – Sunday, July 9, at 10.00am. Frank and open debate on all the big issues in the week of sport. Ian Healy, Adam MacDougall, Candice Warner and Andrew Webster join Emma Freedman.
  • SUNDAY NRL FOOTY SHOW – SOO Preview, Sunday, July 9, at 11.00am. Host James Bracey is joined by Origin legends Wally Lewis, Andrew Johns, Brad Fittler and Paul Gallen as well as Jillaroos star Allana Ferguson.

Broadcast Times

Wednesday, July 12, 2017
State of Origin – The Decider

Sydney 7.00pm LIVE on Nine
Brisbane 7.00pm LIVE on Nine
Melbourne 7.00pm LIVE on Nine
Adelaide 7.00pm LIVE on Nine
Perth 5.30pm LIVE on Nine

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QLD On-air Promo of #Origin 3

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NSW on-air promo of #Origin 3

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It’s live nationally…

Not sure if it’s in the contract with the NRL that Nine have to show it live nationally or not, or whether Nine have simply decided that there may be enough interest in the AFL states to warrant a live broadcast on the main channel and in HD.

Ratings for the first two games were pretty decent (I think it won it’s timeslot in Melbourne) so seems like the interest is there.

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Because it is now a major national sporting event (otherwise WA would not have bid for one game to be held at the new Perth Stadium in 2019). For many people in AFL states, it’s a good introduction to rugby league.

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State of Origin has been on worldwide for a while.

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Ray WArren calling the game in Brisbane. He has a fear of flying so instead he drove his car from Sydney to Brisbane.

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He flew up for the first game, and drove back home.

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THe thing is that Ray’s fear of flying gets much worse.

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It’s been highly anticipated that this will be the last season that he commentates anyway.

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Not what Nine execs were hoping for

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Personally, I think he is past it… there are plenty of other commentators that are better than Ray now… pretty much anyone from FOX League.

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The post-match presentation and post game show is being shown in full in Melbourne for possibly the first time ever…

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…and the post-match went way overtime too, finishing just after 11pm AEST.

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11.07 by my watch. Ninja Warrior encore on now.

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Well… There is no Footy Show tonight.

So no need to cut the broadcast?

Also, NRL don’t seem to make a big fuss about presentations (or at least that’s what viewers seem to translate).

Whereas the presentations are like a religion with the AFL.

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Given they have a cast of thousands on the stage, half of whom do nothing but stand for the cameras, I’d suggest they overstate it. Doesn’t help either when the MC sounds like a douche and just wants to keep talking because he loves the sound of his voice (admittedly comparisons to golden tonsils Craig Willis will inevitably end negatively).