‘Greatest of all time’: Survivor Australia blows fans away with stunning tribal council

Even superfans for the Survivor franchise could barely believe what they were watching as Sunday night’s episode ended.

SPOILER WARNING for Australian Survivor.

Sunday night’s episode of Australian Survivor was hyped up as one of the greatest in the history of the decades-old global franchise, and it didn’t disappoint.

The episode culminated in a bitter tribal council, with beefcake villain Simon shooting multiple barbs at notorious schemer George, before the latter expertly blindsided his foes, leading to the ejection, out of nowhere, of Simon’s ally Fraser.

Simon’s face says it all. Picture: Ten

The schemer extraordinaire. Picture: Ten

The topsy turvy tribal council, and George’s ability to run rings around his tribemates, left Simon’s faction isolated – and left viewers singing George’s praises.

Here is but a modest sample of the reaction. Note the enthusiasm of superfan and two-time contestant Nick Iadanza.

If you don’t think that was the greatest #survivorau tribal of all time, I don’t think we would get along.

— Osher Günsberg (@oshergunsberg) February 12, 2023

That. Was. INCREDIBLE.
The way he was thinking so many steps ahead he’s now got:
- a loyal 4,
- left 2 players in the minority who literally cannot work together,
- and could have flushed Simon’s idol in the process as the cherry on top

All hail King George #SurvivorAU

— Bethanie Blanchard (@beth_blanchard) February 12, 2023

🔥 pulled over Jordie from Simon
🔥 fractured all the Villain men
🔥 took out fodder while keeping the divisions in
🔥 won the vote with his 3 person minority
🔥 assured Stevie long term
❌ didn’t flush Simon’s idol
🔥 the idol isn’t real

A stellar night for George#SurvivorAU

— Shannon Guss (Gaitz) (@ShannonGaitz) February 12, 2023

That is the greatest play in any form of Survivor. David’s All Star pantomime removal of Daisy was masterfully executed but fuelled by pettiness. George just pulled together a My Left Foot-tier pasting that blows a fifty foot hole through the entire game. Staggering. #SurvivorAU

— Cam Tyeson (@camtyeson) February 12, 2023

Wild to see GEORGE reduce SIMON from hero to zero within 1 tribal! #savage#SurvivorAU

— Jonathan LaPaglia (@JLa_Paglia) February 12, 2023

Superb. Marvelous. Unbelievable. Ground-breaking. Unreal. Yet somehow real. Jaw-dropping. Truly unfathomable series of events. #SurvivorAU

— Nick Iadanza (@nickiadanza) February 12, 2023

I wholeheartedly believe that was the best tribal in franchise history.

What else is in the running?

- Parv double idol in HvV
- Ep 2 rock draw in @Survivor_SA
- Ciera forcing rocks in BvW

Hit me with your thoughts. #SurvivorAUpic.twitter.com/eZ4sa0otzo

— Nick Iadanza (@nickiadanza) February 12, 2023

If you aren't satisfied with what is easily the best tribal in #SurvivorAU history then you my friend are the problem.

— Nick Iadanza (@nickiadanza) February 12, 2023

George is the best player in the history of @Survivor_AU and this is going down so far as the best season of #SurvivorAU and tonight's episode is close to the best episode of International Survivor. Bow down to the #SurvivorAU Gods.

— Matt Tarrant (@MattTarrant) February 12, 2023

Speaking to 10Play after his elimination, Fraser opened up about what it had been like in perhaps the most tense tribal council in Australian Survivor history.

“That was the boiling point, that is exactly how I’d describe it,” he said. “We were a tiny tribe at that point in the game and it was crazy to see almost how quiet it became.

“The tension was there since day one and had been building up between George and Simon, how everything unfolded was so unexpected but, at the same time, there had to be a point where everything erupted. And it definitely did.”

George’s big move saw Fraser the sixth person voted out of this season of Survivor - all but one of them from the Villains tribe, leaving them in a precarious position compared to the Heroes, who have only voted out controversial contestant Rogue so far.

Australian Survivor continues 7:30pm tonight on Ten.