Next Thursday March 14, NRL on Nine returns with what the broadcaster is calling the biggest year of rugby league coverage yet, taking viewers closer to the action than ever.
Nine has released these details about season 2019:
Joining the commentary team in 2019 are three former superstar players: Billy Slater, arguably the greatest fullback of all time; the man widely considered to be a future Immortal, Johnathan Thurston and premiership winner, Origin and Kangaroos representative, Sam Thaiday.
Nine is unveiling three new rugby league programs in 2019. The first two, Thursday Night Golden Point and Friday Night Knock Off, are the post-game shows that will follow Macca’s Thursday Night Footy and VB Friday Night Footy.
Each week these two programs will explore the biggest stories from the biggest games, with insight from some of the best brains in rugby league, delivered with entertainment and humour. Viewers will get unprecedented, behind-the-scenes access to players and coaches around the grounds and in the sheds, offering an inside look at the pain and glory that comes with the toughest game of all.
The third new program, Sunday Kick Off, will give viewers all the last-minute news and updates they need every Sunday afternoon at 3pm AEDT ahead of Sunday Footy at 4pm AEDT – part of seven hours of straight NRL coverage every Sunday. This includes the returning Sunday Footy Show, along with the Canterbury Cup NSW and Intrust Super Cup (shown in NSW and Queensland respectively), which will showcase the next generation of NRL stars.
Also returning to get every week off to the right start is the round-table panel show, 100% Footy, where the experts debate the hottest topics in the game from every angle.
The 2019 season will kick off with the 2018 Grand Finalists, Melbourne Storm, playing the Brisbane Broncos at AAMI Park in Melbourne on Macca’s Thursday Night Footy, live on Thursday, March 14, from 7.30pm AEDT.
The next night, the Sydney Roosters, reigning premiers, take on their arch rivals, the South Sydney Rabbitohs, when rugby league returns to the Sydney Cricket Ground for VB Friday Night Footy.
The State of Origin juggernaut returns exclusively to Nine this year, bringing all the heart-stopping action of state against state, mate versus mate.
And a brand new programming concept will debut this season: Magic Round in round nine, when all 16 NRL teams converge on Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane to do battle over four exhilarating days.
NRL on Nine: Weekly Programming in 2019
100% Footy
Mondays from 10.00pm AEDT on Nine
Panel members: James Bracey, Phil Gould, Paul Gallen, plus weekly guests and the best rugby league journalists.
• Sydney 10.00pm on Nine
• Brisbane 9.00pm on Nine
• Melbourne 10.00pm on 9GEM
• Adelaide 9.30pm on 9GEM
• Perth 7.00pm on 9GEM
Macca’s Thursday Night Footy
Thursdays from 7.30pm AEDT on Nine
Host and commentators: James Bracey, Andrew Johns, Paul Vautin, Billy Slater, Ruan Sims, Johnathan Thurston, Danika Mason, Brad Fittler, Mat Thompson
• Sydney 7.30pm on Nine
• Brisbane 6.30pm on Nine
• Melbourne 7.30pm on 9GEM
• Adelaide 7.00pm on 9GEM
• Perth 4.30pm on 9GEM
Thursday Night Golden Point
Thursdays following Macca’s Thursday Night Footy on Nine
Host and commentators: James Bracey, Johnathan Thurston, Billy Slater, Paul Vautin
VB Friday Night Footy
Fridays from 7.30pm AEDT on Nine
Host and commentators: Erin Molan, Ray Warren, Phil Gould, Andrew Johns, Brad Fittler, Billy Slater, Sam Thaiday
• Sydney 7.30pm on Nine
• Brisbane 6.30pm on Nine
• Melbourne 7.30pm on 9GEM
• Adelaide 7.00pm on 9GEM
• Perth 4.30pm on 9GEM
Friday Night Knock Off
Fridays following VB Friday Night Footy on Nine
Host and commentators: Erin Molan, Billy Slater, Sam Thaiday, Brad Fittler
The Sunday Footy Show
Sundays from 11.00pm AEDT on Nine
Panel members: Erin Molan, Peter Sterling, Brad Fittler, plus weekly guests
• Sydney 11.00am on Nine
• Brisbane 10.00am on Nine
• Melbourne 11.00am on 9GEM
• Adelaide 10.30am on 9GEM
• Perth 8.00am on 9GEM
Canterbury Cup NSW/Intrust Super Cup QLD
Sundays from 1.00pm AEDT on Nine
Host and commentators: Peter Psaltis (NSW), Jamie Soward (NSW), Danika Mason (NSW), Scott Sattler (QLD), Mark Braybrook (QLD)
• Sydney 1.00pm on Nine
• Brisbane 12.00pm on Nine
• Melbourne 1.00pm on 9GEM
• Adelaide 12:30pm on 9GEM
• Perth 10.00am on 9GEM
Sunday Kick Off
Sundays from 3.00pm AEDT on Nine
Host and commentators: James Bracey, Andrew Johns, Allana Ferguson, Darren Lockyer, Ruan Sims
• Sydney 3.00pm on Nine
• Brisbane 2.00pm on Nine
• Melbourne 3.00pm on 9GEM
• Adelaide 2:30pm on 9GEM
• Perth 12.00pm on 9GEM
Sunday Footy
Sundays from 4.00pm AEDT on Nine
Host and commentators: James Bracey, Andrew Johns, Allana Ferguson, Peter Sterling, Darren Lockyer, Ruan Sims, Brad Fittler, Mat Thompson
• Sydney 4.00pm on Nine
• Brisbane 3.00pm on Nine
• Melbourne 4.00pm on 9GEM
• Adelaide 3:30pm on 9GEM
• Perth 1.00pm on 9GEM