In the ongoing tug-of-war for Thursday night TV dominance, it was a tale of two codes, and two very different wins.
Seven’s AFL broadcast of Fremantle vs. Collingwood pulled the bigger crowd, reaching a total national TV audience of 1,775,000. But when it came to who actually stayed glued to the screen, Nine’s NRL coverage had the edge, averaging 627,000 viewers nationally compared to AFL’s 591,000.
The 2025 Women in League Round kicked off at CommBank Stadium, where the Dolphins edged out the Eels 20-16 in a gritty contest.
Parramatta entered with some promise, having lifted their performance since the return of star halfback Mitch Moses. But poor execution again cost the blue and gold, who remain anchored to the bottom of the ladder with a 2-7 record.
After going winless on the road this season, The Dolphins overcame a 12-6 deficit with 20 minutes left—thanks largely to a masterclass from Isaiya Katoa.
Over in Perth, Jamie Elliott lit up Optus Stadium, kicking six goals—including three in the final term—to power Collingwood to a hard-fought 14-point win over Fremantle.
Despite resting key players, the undermanned Pies dug deep to beat the Dockers 97 to 83 and reclaim top spot on the ladder.
Fremantle, under mounting pressure after last week’s poor showing, brought more energy and intensity but couldn’t convert it to scoreboard dominance.
