Why NRLW could be huge winner from an afternoon NRL grand final change
The NRLW's soaring popularity could see the women's competition earn a stand-alone grand final day, as the NRL considers moving the men’s decider back to an afternoon timeslot from 2028.
The NRLW could be rewarded with a TV ratings windfall by earning a stand-alone grand final day, if the NRL makes the move back to an afternoon decider.
The major scheduling prospect has emerged amid the ARL Commission’s determination and desire to continue to grow the thriving women’s game, coupled with the extraordinary response to this year’s NRL final series, which included three consecutive Sunday afternoon finals.
A return to an afternoon NRL grand final would need to be agreed upon in the next TV broadcast deal.
If the move is rubber stamped, we could get an afternoon grand final for 2028 which is the first year of the new TV deal.
Along with that decision, is the impact of when the NRL also schedule the NRLW grand final.
The Roosters and Broncos women’s team are drawn to play at 4pm on Sunday at Accor Stadium with the Warriors (NSW Cup premiers) and Burleigh Bears (QLD Cup premiers) battling for the State Championship at 1.20pm.
By shifting the NRL grand final to an early afternoon time-slot in the future, the women’s game has simply become too popular both with crowds and TV ratings to be played prior to midday.
It raises the genuine possibility of the NRLW grand final being played on a stand-alone Saturday night, as was the case with last week’s preliminary final between the Roosters and Sharks.
ARLC chairman Peter V’landys wouldn’t be drawn on if any discussions had been held by the ARLC about a stand-alone women’s grand final, but failed to hide his enthusiasm for last Saturday night’s timeslot, where the NRLW clash was able to attract eyeballs without competition from rival codes.
“The beauty of the Sunday football is that it gives an opportunity for NRLW as well, so they get space on their own to promote themselves,” V’landys said.
“I watched the Cronulla-Roosters game, which was the only game that was on, and it was fantastic.
“Having that clean air, helps your cause. They had the Saturday to themselves and that’s another benefit of having the Sunday afternoon situation.
“I’m a big fan of the women’s game and believe in the women’s game and the commission has been working hard to look at ways we can take it to the next level.
“The players are delivering. I have never any sport that has evolved as quickly as women’s rugby league in ability, in skill, in entertaining football, so we’ve got a great product there.’’
Ahead of this Sunday’s 7.30pm grand final kick-off between the Storm and Broncos at Accor Stadium, V’landys confirmed the NRL would raise the discussion of a Sunday afternoon grand final during the current TV negotiations.
While also confirming that the NRL would turn to AI technology to create the 2026 draw, as first revealed by News Corp last April, V’landys said the NRL’s extraordinary success with Sunday afternoon football during the final series is major cause for optimism from passionate fans hoping for a return to Sunday afternoon grand finals.
“It’s certainly part of the consideration,” V’landys said of including afternoon grand finals in the next TV deal.
“I think it’s proven that Sunday afternoon football is very successful.
“We looked at it last year and I said to our management team, we’ve got to move to Sunday afternoon for finals. They all looked at that strange, but the beauty about Sunday afternoons, it’s a premium time.
“It’s also clean air, so you’ve got nothing else on at that particular point in time. Our games have been so good that it’s attracted more people in the prime time.
“All credit goes to the players, and they’ve lifted to a level that is unbelievable. Some of these games and the efforts they’ve put in are extraordinary.
“The thing is Sunday afternoon has certainly proven to be a winner, and we’re going to have to convince a lot of people, including the broadcasters, that Sunday afternoon was the way to go. Now they’ve seen it for themselves, it might make it a bit easier.”
Of the decision to use AI technology to arrange next season’s draw, V’landys said: “I’ve never seen anything quite like it, the variables that are in it. The broadcasters get a pick, the clubs get a pick, there’s the Magic Round, there’s Vegas, there’s all these different factors.
“What we’ve done this year, we’ve got a program that uses AI because of all the different requests and algorithms. And the State of Origin is naturally a major factor in it.
“This is the first year we’ve used this program.”
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