NRL loses out to AFL in TV ratings

The NRL Grand Final between the Storm and Panthers attracted big ratings, with 2.967 million viewers tuning in to watch the match on Sunday night.

The match, which kicked off at 7.30pm, got 2.103 million watchers in metro markets, well up on the 1.866 million who tuned in for last year's game.

However, the game was still well short of it's biggest rival, the AFL Grand Final.

The match, which was for the first time held at night, attracted a whopping 3.812 million viewers.

This was the biggest audience for an AFL Grand Final since 2016.

Many predict that this came off the back of Victorians being at home, with no one being able to gather at parties and pubs.

SEN presenter Gerard Whateley called the gap in figures a drubbing.

“3.8 million versus 2.9 million in round figures. That is a walloping,” he told SEN’s Whateley.

“That is a proper walloping in the AFL’s favour.”