NRL planning Sunday night footy comeback

THE NRL is planning to play up to 10 matches each season on Sunday nights - three of them beamed in from Perth.

Shane Mattiske

THE NRL is planning to play up to 10 matches each season on Sunday nights - three of them beamed in from Perth.

NRL management is looking to play a Sunday twilight game every two or three weeks, kicking off at 6.30pm.

Some Sunday evening games would be played before traditional Monday public holidays and during the daylight savings months.

It is understood the Sunday night game would be moved from one of the Saturday 7.30pm timeslots. NRL officials believe the Sunday evening game would attract healthy television ratings and would not jeopardise the weekly Monday night match.

"We've also considered looking to daylight saving and holiday weekends to create further Sunday twilight games," NRL interim chief executive Shane Mattiske confirmed.

Another weekend timeslot would help the NRL convince television networks to shell out the $1 billion it wants for the broadcast rights.

The three commercial stations seeking rugby league - Ten, Nine and Seven - are keen to discuss Sunday night matches. The AFL already plays Sunday nights.

The success of last weekend's game between Manly and New Zealand in Perth has only increased the NRL's desire for more games there, with officials eyeing three matches a season.