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NRL 2019 Finals: guide

Nine will be the only place to watch the NRL Grand Final Live.

Nine will be the only place to watch both the NRL Grand Final Live, and in HD.

On Friday Night Finals Footy, the Canberra Raiders play the South Sydney Rabbitohs at GIO Stadium in front of a sellout, hostile home crowd. The Raiders have momentum on their side and a lot to play for, having last appeared in an NRL Grand Final 25 years ago in 1994, when they defeated the Bulldogs.

Both teams are virtually unchanged from their previous game, although the Bunnies have lost damaging centre James Roberts through injury.

Having conceded 56 points in their past two games, Souths must tighten up their defence against a side who pride themselves on theirs. The three Burgess brothers, Sam, George and Tom, will have to defend Souths’ wall in what is being dubbed “The Battle of Britain”, when they line up against their English compatriots Josh Hodgson, Elliott Whitehead and John Bateman.

Souths have already braved the mad Canberra fans this season, beating the Green Machine, and they will be quietly confident of doing it again.

On Saturday Night Finals Footy, the Grand Final match-up many expected comes one week early as the two sides who made the decider last year meet again. The Sydney Roosters and Melbourne Storm have clashed twice this year in games that were match-of-the-year candidates, with a single point or two splitting the difference, indicating another grandstand finish is on the cards.

The Roosters have been in ominous form for several weeks but they will be without enforcer Jared Waerea-Hargreaves against a monster Melbourne pack that includes Nelson Asofa-Solamona, Jesse Bromwich and the tough Dale Finucane.

Roosters co-captain Jake Friend is trying to make a miracle return from injury and will be given until match day to prove his fitness. Whether Friend or young replacement hooker Sam Verrills runs out, they will be marking Cameron Smith, arguably the best player in the world, who burns for revenge after the Storm’s loss to the Roosters in the 2018 Grand Final.

Should the Storm prevail, it will be the final game for champion halfback Cooper Cronk, at the hands of the team where he made his name.

Round three of the NRL finals also sees the final regular round of the NRLW season, continuing on Saturday night when the Broncos face the Warriors, and on Sunday as the Dragons face the Roosters, with Grand Final spots still up for grabs.

As happened in the inaugural season of NRLW last year, all four teams are still eligible to qualify for the Grand Final, making every game crucial.

Friday – September 27

1st Preliminary Final – Raiders vs Rabbitohs

Sydney 7.00pm Live on Nine
Brisbane 7.00pm Live on Nine
Melbourne 7.00pm Live on 9Gem
Adelaide 6.30pm Live on 9Gem
Perth 5.00pm Live on 9Gem

1st Preliminary Final – Raiders vs Rabbitohs, Live from GIO Stadium at 7.00pm AEST on Nine.
Host and commentators: Erin Molan, Paul Vautin, Peter Sterling, Billy Slater, Danika Mason, Brad Fittler, Johnathan Thurston, Darren Lockyer, Mat Thompson.
9Now extra feeds available: Player cam, coach cam, match statistics.
Live Blog on WWOS: Darren Lockyer.
NRL on Nine Instagram Takeover: Brad Fittler.

Saturday – September 28

NRLW – Broncos vs Warriors

Sydney 5.00pm Live on 9Gem
Brisbane 5.00pm Live on 9Gem
Melbourne 5.00pm Live on 9Gem
Adelaide 4.30pm Live on 9Gem
Perth 3.00pm Live on 9Gem

2nd Preliminary Final – Roosters vs Storm

Sydney 7.00pm Live on Nine
Brisbane 7.00pm Live on Nine
Melbourne 7.00pm Live on Nine
Adelaide 6.30pm Live on 9Gem
Perth 5.00pm Live on 9Gem

Saturday Footy – NRLW Round 3: Broncos vs Warriors, Live from the Sydney Cricket Ground at 5.00pm AEST on 9Gem.
Host and commentators: James Bracey, Peter Psaltis, Ruan Sims, Phil Gould, Allana Ferguson.

2nd Preliminary Final – Roosters vs Storm, Live from the Sydney Cricket Ground at 7.00pm AEST on Nine.
Host and commentators: James Bracey, Ray Warren, Phil Gould, Andrew Johns, Brad Fittler, Billy Slater, Johnathan Thurston, Danika Mason, Paul Gallen.
9Now extra feeds available: Player cam, coach cam, match statistics.
Live Blog on WWOS: Paul Gallen.
NRL on Nine Instagram Takeover: Billy Slater.

Sunday – September 29

NRLW – Dragons vs Roosters

Sydney 1.00pm Live on Nine
Brisbane 1.00pm Live on Nine
Melbourne 1.00pm Live on 9Gem
Adelaide 12.30pm Live on 9Gem
Perth 11.00am Live on 9Gem

Sports Sunday – Sunday at 10.00am AEST, Live on Nine. This week: host James Bracey is joined by Australian netball superstar Liz Ellis, former AFL champion Shane Crawford, recently retired Cronulla Sharks legend Paul Gallen, journalist Neil Breen, and more.

Sunday NRL Footy Show – Live from 11.00am AEST on Nine. Host Erin Molan will cover all the action of the third week of the finals so far with Peter Sterling, Brad Fittler and Darren Lockyer, with guests including Adam “Mad Dog” MacDougall, Mark Hughes and Robbie O’Davis.

Sunday Footy – NRLW Round 3: Roosters vs Dragons, Live from Leichhardt Oval at 1.00pm AEST on Nine.
Host and commentators: James Bracey, Phil Gould, Jo Barrett, Peter Psaltis, Allana Ferguson.

Sunday Footy – Canterbury Cup NSW: Grand Final – Newtown Jets vs Wentworthville Magpies, Live from Bankwest Stadium at 3.00pm AEST on Nine for NSW viewers ONLY.
Host and commentators: Peter Psaltis, Jamie Soward, Danika Mason.

Sunday Footy: Intrust Cup QLD Grand Final – Wynnum Manly Seagulls vs Burleigh Bears, Live from Dolphin Stadium at 3.00pm AEST on Nine for QLD viewers only.
Host and commentators: Mark Braybrook, Scott Sattler, Adam Jackson.

Monday, September 30:

100% Footy – 9.50pm AEST on Nine. 100% Footy is the home of the strongest opinions in rugby league from the people who count. Phil Gould returns with Paul Gallen, alongside Darren Lockyer, journalist Neil Breen and host James Bracey.

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