State of Origin produces shock TV ratings win over AFL in Perth as records tumble
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow of the Maroons celebrates after scoring a try during the State of Origin game two match between the Queensland Maroons and the NSW Blues at Optus Stadium in Perth.
Rugby league in Australia just keeps winning – this time in enemy territory – as Game Two of the Ampol State of Origin series outshines the AFL in the heart of footy country.
Queensland’s gripping 26-24 win over New South Wales pulled in more TV viewers in Perth than the combined audience for both AFL games played at Optus Stadium over the same weekend.
More than 190,000 Perth residents alone tuned in to watch the Origin clash live, making it the most-watched Origin broadcast ever in Western Australia.
That local number was in addition to a national total audience of 3.751 million, the highest for a second game in the series since 2015 and just a tick behind Game I, which remains the top-rated Australian TV program of the year with 3.755 million viewers.
The numbers put league ahead of both Saturday’s North Melbourne-Fremantle match (82,000 Perth viewers) and Sunday’s West Coast Eagles-Carlton game (90,000 Perth viewers) on the Seven Network.
Those AFL figures don’t include pay-TV or streaming viewership, but the Origin’s digital audience alone hit 957,000 on 9Now – a jump of nearly 30 per cent from last year.
The turnout at the stadium told a similar story. A sold-out crowd of 57,023 packed Optus Stadium for in Perth, surpassing attendance figures for the AFL.
And this, despite the near enough radio silence from local media in the lead-up. Perth’s biggest newspaper, The West Australian – owned by Seven West Media (the same company where the Perth Bears chief executive officer [CEO] just arrived from) which broadcasts the AFL – buried its lone Origin preview next to escort service ads at the back of the sports section, reported Code Sports.
In a positive sign for WA rugby league and for the NRL for that matter, it’s further proof that rugby league isn’t just holding its ground – it’s now has the power to grow in some of the country’s most entrenched AFL markets.
“The incredible match was the perfect showcase for rugby league in the state and the excitement we want to bring sporting fans with the Perth Bears,” said Perth Bears CEO Anthony De Ceglie.
“I was fortunate to spend a lot of time among the fans with [Bears coach] Mal Meninga and the buzz about the Bears was simply electric. Sports fans can’t wait.”
The so called buzz couldn’t come at a better time. The NRL’s expansion efforts are in full swing, with the Perth Bears set to join the competition in 2027 and a Papua New Guinea team following a year later.
On top of that, the Bears today named the successful NRL coach Ben Gardner as their inaugural assistant coach under Meninga, in what is another strong step in building the new franchise’s identity.
NRL headquarters were understandably pleased with the momentum: “State of Origin is a massive international sporting event and the audience growth across different markets continues rugby league’s momentum as the number-one sport in Australia and the Pacific,” NRL CEO Andrew Abdo said.
“Whether it’s State of Origin or the premiership, the players continue to perform brilliantly and rugby league is winning new fans as a result.”
Even Nine News – the exclusive broadcaster behind Origin – benefitted from the surge in attention.
Its Monday night bulletin beat rival Seven News in Perth for the first time this year, an unheard-of result in a city long dominated by AFL and Seven’s dominant presence out West.
What a statement to make for the NRL in enemy territory.
