The battle of Thursday night footy was well and truly back last night with the Socceroos also entering the race.
Ultimately, it was the AFL that won the game with a total TV national reach of 1,600,000 and a nation average of 565,000. The Hawks, in desperate need of a win after poor performances against Collingwood and Brisbane served up a masterclass securing a 81-59 point victory over the Western Bulldogs.
Over on Nine, the NRL fell just short of the top spot with a total TV national reach of 1,323,000 and an average audience of 549,000. Manly Sea Eagles looked poised for another win away from home soil, scoring three tries to Newcastle’s none in the first half. But as the second half kicked off, the Knights decided they were having none of it, with a scoring spree from the 45th minute onwards, the team soared past the Sea Eagles to lock in a 26-22 point victory.
Over on Ten, the Socceroos entered the chat with an impressive total TV national reach of 1,190,000 and a national average just below the AFL and NRL at 456,000. In a match that tested nerves more than it entertained, the Socceroos just secured a 1-0 win against Japan 1-0 thanks to unlikely hero: left-back Aziz Behich, who scored with his non-preferred right foot in the dying stages. It was a scrappy end to a rocky qualification campaign that never quite found rhythm, but may still deliver Australia to a sixth consecutive World Cup.
While not yet mathematically guaranteed, Australia only need to avoid a 5-0 defeat to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday to book their spot in North America for 2026.
