There were plenty of highlights in Saturday’s Roosters v Dragons clash at Jubilee Oval, but none quite as unexpected as Dragons Winger Sione Finau’s post-try performance.
After crossing the line for the Dragons, Finau put four points on the board and broke into the now-iconic Telstra “whistling man” walk, complete with the slow strut and shoulder lean. The crowd knew it instantly.
@braaydo.nrl Sione Finau does the whistle Telstra ad celebration for Try July 🤣💀 #funny #nrlmemes #nrl #nrledits #tryjuly #trycelebration #sionefinau ♬ original sound – braydo.nrl
The celebration was part of Sportsbet’s Try July campaign, which donates $5,000 to the Australian Skin Cancer Foundation and the Player Hardship Fund for every try celebration.
The Telstra ad he was mimicking has taken on a life of its own since launching last September. It features two animated characters on a dreamy journey, set to a whistled version of Dolly Parton’s Islands in the Stream. While intended as a metaphor for connection, it quickly became one of the most talked-about spots of 2025.
Telstra chief marketing officer, Brent Smart, summed it up best in a post to LinkedIn last week: “We’ve had a bunch of people make TikTok videos doing the walk and whistle from our ad, some positive, some negative, but all of them taking the time to engage with our brand… and we love that.”
So much so, Telstra remixed the ad for a one-time appearance during the State of Origin decider, pulling real TikTok recreations into the broadcast.
@hecticfred AYRIB TELSTRA 😂 #nrl #nrltiktok #nrlhighlights #nsworigin #stateoforigin ♬ original sound – Hecticfred
Bulldogs winger Jacob Kiraz even joined in with his own take, notching up over 600,000 views.
@bronsxerri Is this our winger @Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs ♬ original sound – Fresh NRL
Along with a wealth of recreations, the ad has also been hit with harsh criticism, with a trend emerging of punters sharing the ad on social media with a caption like: “when your team is down by 20 and this stupid ad comes on”.
@doggiezontop #CapCut #Fyp #foryou #foryoupage #telstrawhistleguy #Nrl ♬ original sound – doggiezontop
Love it or hate it, Telstra has managed to cement itself in popular culture in a way that many modern ads have not done. In an era where advertising is often fleeting and quickly forgotten, this campaign has cut through the noise, sparked conversation and left a lasting impression.
It’s safe to say this one might just be heading for the history books, joining the ranks of iconic Australian ads like “Not Happy Jan” and “Sic ‘Em Rex”, commercials that didn’t just sell products, but etched themselves into the national psyche.
Just last year, B&T posed the question: What is the greatest Aussie ad of all time? That sparked heated debate and a flood of nostalgia. Could Telstra’s newest offering soon find itself named in the same breath as those legends? It’s certainly looking that way. If memorability, public response and cultural impact are the markers of a great ad, then Telstra may have just delivered one of the most standout campaigns in recent memory.
