Since the inception of the NRL in 1998, one team has won more titles than any other side, the Sydney Roosters. They’ve accumulated a total of four premierships, and this year they will aim to become only the second side in Aussie rugby league history to win three titles in a row.
It will, however, be a tough ask for the back to back champions. They will be without recently retired Aussie great Cooper Cronk, as well as star full-back Latrell Mitchell, who has moved to another potential title challenger, The Rabbitohs. But the safe money remains on the Roosters, and the like of new additions in the shape of Kyle Flanagan and Josh Morris will mean they retain a strong squad with good depth.
Sydney Roosters History and Preview
The Roosters were founded in 1908, making them officially the oldest club in NRL. They have won an impressive 15 combined premierships (NRL/NSWRL), meaning they are the joint second most successful league team in Australia alongside St George Illawarra, one place behind South Sydney. As well as taking NRL titles in 2002, 2013, 2018 and 2019, the Roosters have lost in four Grand Finals, meaning they are always there or thereabouts. Find out how to watch the Roosters claim for a historic fifth NRL title during the 2021 premiership season below.
Sydney Roosters TV Rights and 2021 Broadcast Guide
Fortunately, there are several options for watching the Sydney Roosters live in Australia, including the Nine Network, Foxtel, Foxtel from Telstra and Kayo Sports. Network Nine is the official NRL free to air broadcaster and will show selected Roosters matches live during the 2021 Premiership season across channel 9 and 9GEM. Nine’s TV coverage is headed by Erin Moran, alongside a commentary team made up of Andrew Johns, Billy Slater and James Bracey. Nine also offers live streaming options during the 2021 NRL season with the 9Now app, but these are limited to the games they broadcast and do not offer full match replays.
For comparison and as shown in the TV schedule below, Foxtel, Foxtel from Telstra, and Kayo Sports will televise all 20 Roosters matches during the 2021 Premiership season. That’s every Sydney Roosters game in every scheduled round shown live with no ad breaks during play, on their dedicated Fox League channel.
As well as these live matches and the option to watch replays at a later time, Foxtel, Foxtel from Telstra and Kayo Sports will also have a wide range of NRL programming that includes NRL Tonight, The Big League Wrap and the Late Show with Matty Johns. There are lots of new faces in the studio this season as every live game will be fronted by Yvonne Sampson, Lara Pitt and Jess Yates, as they step up from smaller league shows. Match commentary has also been freshened up and now includes two former NRL giants in the shape of Cooper Cronk and Sam Burgess.
Watch the Roosters Live Online
If you enjoy Rugby League action then Fox League (Foxtel/Kayo) is the channel for you, televising all NRL teams and every Premiership round Live and in HD with no ad-breaks during play before the Grand Final, including the contests not available on Free to Air TV.
So if you’re a resident of Australia and don’t have access to Fox League you may wish to review the 10 day Foxtel Now trial, which offers rugby fans an opportunity to watch the Sydney Roosters online with compatible internet connected devices. Eligible platforms include PC, Mac, iOS or Android mobile devices, as well as Telstra TV, the Google Chromecast, Playstation 4 and more. Foxtel Now can also be renewed month-to-month, requires no set-up fees and can be accessed instantly.
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Alternatively, Kayo Sports have a 14 day free trial for new customers. With the Kayo trial you will have access to these same NRL broadcasts as Fox League, that’s every game of every round LIVE with no ad breaks during play, so you can stream the Sydney Roosters live using compatible mobile devices (Grand Final excluded). Devices include select PC and Macs, iOS and Android phones and tablets, Apple and Telstra TV, Google Chromecast, as well as Safari, Firefox, Chrome and Microsoft Edge browsers.
Kayo also has no lock-in contract or equipment fees, which means you can cancel anytime if you’re no longer using it. For fans who want to catch up on the action, Kayo Minis provide a 10-20-minute recap after play has concluded. Other game changing features include Interactive Graphics, SplitView, NoSpoilers and Key Moments, which provide highlights throughout the matches in real-time.
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Roosters Live TV Fixtures (Sydney time)
Fixtures shown as Sydney time, adjust for regional differences. The Free to Air broadcaster (channel 9) does not offer full Sydney Roosters TV replays and is limited by the new NRL broadcasting agreement.
| Date | Event | Time | Channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| TBC | TBC v TBC | LIVE: TBC | Nine / Foxtel / Kayo |
How to Watch the Roosters when Overseas
Watch NRL, the streaming service from Fox Sports, allows Rugby League fans outside of Australia to watch every minute of every game LIVE and ad-free, as well as providing access to all of the most important NRL shows. The service can be paid for either weekly ($20), monthly ($39) or yearly ($199), or you can simply buy a finals series pass meaning you can tailor your subscription to suit your needs. If you only need access during the finals series, the finals series pass is a great value option.
Watch NRL overseas: Weekly, monthly and annual options available
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NRL 2021 Free to Air vs Foxtel/Kayo TV Fixtures
As seen in the weekly TV line-up below, Foxtel (Fox League) and Kayo Sports will televise every NRL match live, and in HD where available, until the Grand Final. Channel Nine will televise a minimum of three live matches per week, with extra coverage of the games held on a holiday or for special events such as the 2021 State of Origin.
Thursday Night: Ch. 9/Foxtel/Kayo
Friday Evening: Foxtel/Kayo
Friday Night: Ch. 9/Foxtel/Kayo
Saturday Afternoon: Foxtel/Kayo
Saturday Evening: Foxtel/Kayo
Saturday Night: Foxtel/Kayo
Sunday Game 1: Ch. 9/Foxtel/Kayo
Sunday Game 2: Foxtel/Kayo
Sydney Roosters Rivalries
The annual head to head between South Sydney Rabbitohs and Sydney Roosters is considered one of the most fierce rivalries in NRL. The two sides are the most successful teams in New South Wales, but it’s mainly the Roosters that have had the upper hand. Back in 2005, the Rabbitohs broke a losing streak against their rivals that had lasted an incredible ten years. The two have a met on countless occasions during the final series, where the Roosters have had the upper hand more often than not. Both sides are capable of a victory come this year’s Grand Final, and it’s not beyond question that they could be the last two teams left in the competition come October 3rd.
Another team that Roosters’ fans look out for on the annual calendar is St George Illawarra. The first time these two met was all the way back in 1927, and their battles have remained pretty heated since. They share an equal amount of 15 combined NRL/NSWRL titles, and the Roosters will be looking to surpass their Woolongong rivals with another premiership this year. The Dragons are well off the pace in terms of their historical success, but putting one over the old enemies would be a sweetener, especially if it halted their path to the finals.
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