The battle of Thursday night footy was back last night with the AFL taking out the prize, by a narrow margin.
Richmond stunned Carlton with a thrilling comeback victory, overturning a 41-point deficit to win by 13 points in front of 80,009 fans at the MCG.
The young Tigers, widely tipped to struggle this season, showed resilience and flair, with No.1 draft pick Sam Lalor starring on debut, kicking two crucial goals—including the one that put Richmond in front for the first time.
Tom Brown’s clutch goal after the three-quarter time siren tied the game, setting the stage for a frenetic final term where Richmond’s pressure forced Carlton into costly errors.
Despite strong performances from Jacob Weitering and Patrick Cripps, the Blues squandered their chances, kicking 1.6 in the last quarter.
Seth Campbell’s acrobatic backflip celebration capped off the night as Richmond defied expectations to secure a famous opening-round win. The epic showdown did the numbers for Seven with a total TV national reach of 1,831,000 and a national average of 671,000.
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Over on Nine it was the NRL that did the numbers, falling slightly short of the AFL with a total TV national reach of 1,488,000 and an average of 555,000.
Newcastle’s undefeated start to the NRL season continued with a dominant 26-12 victory over a lackluster Dolphins side, powered by a Kalyn Ponga masterclass.
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The Knights skipper was everywhere—dictating play from first receiver, creating opportunities on both edges, and delivering dazzling moments that left commentators in awe. Ponga had a hand in all four first-half tries, including a sublime setup for Dane Gagai that Andrew Johns called “world-class.”
The Knights built a commanding 20-0 lead before halftime, with Bradman Best and James Schiller crossing the line twice. Despite a late effort from Isaiya Katoa, who was the Dolphins’ lone standout, the visitors struggled with errors and discipline.
With Ponga at his brilliant best and the Knights firing on all cylinders, Newcastle’s season is shaping up to be something special and if one things for certain, it will surely continue to do the numbers for Nine.
