Yes, the AFL continues to set the benchmark for crowd attendances, pulling a stunning 196,620 fans through the MCG gates for last weekend’s preliminary finals.
But in music to the ears of NRL bosses it’s been a very different story when it comes to the all-important 2025 finals television ratings.
According to figures reported by the Daily Telegraph, the NRL out-rated the AFL’s corresponding week two finals fixtures by a clear margin, 14 per cent, while also significantly increasing on its own ratings figures from the 2024 finals series.
Last weekend’s NRL semi-finals drew a combined average of 3.8 million viewers across New Zealand and Australia, up more than 34 percent on last season.
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Sunday afternoon’s Bulldogs-Panthers blockbuster at Accor Stadium alone attracted 2 million viewers across the screens of Nine, Fox and Sky (NZ).
It was also the most streamed NRL finals game of all time, adding further weight to growing calls for the return of a Sunday afternoon grand final.
The ratings boost comes at the ideal time for Peter V’Landys and Andrew Abdo, as the NRL continues to negotiate what it hopes will be the richest broadcasting deal in the game’s history.
With the fairytale run of the Canberra Raiders now over, along with that of Sydney’s best-supported team in 2025 the Canterbury Bulldogs, NRL officials will be paying close attention to week three ratings figures, hoping the current trend continues.