The NRL is the most popular rugby league code in the world, with matches dominating televisions on the weekends, and stadiums filled with enthusiastic crowds, and the 22nd season of the current format of this elite competition promises to be one of the most exciting yet. Entering the 2019 finals Sydney are the defending champions and will be looking to become the first-ever to win consecutive Grand Finals since the competition turned national, but they have plenty of challengers, and using the options listed here you can enjoy the action at home on TV, or when streaming the matches live with a mobile device.

Must See NRL 2019 Finals TV

The 2019 NRL Grand Final will see a good old fashion David v Goliath battle when the reigning premiers, the Sydney Roosters, will look to become the first side in over 25 years to win back-to-back NRL titles when they take on the Canberra Raiders, who are looking to win their first title since 1994. The week will mainly evolve around the Roosters, who will go into the game as favourites, and expectation to confirm their status as one of the better sides this century with their second title on the bounce and their fourth title this century.

The Roosters played the Melbourne Storm in the Prelim last Saturday night in was a brutal encounter, with the verdict going their way 14-6 in what was a game largely about defence, especially in the first half when Melbourne had momentum. Their attack at times was a bit clunky and it will need to be on song to beat the Raiders, who are the fairytale of 2019. The Raiders looked like they were building something special in 2016, but the next two years, they didn’t make Finals and pressure was mounting on coach Ricky Stuart, but with a key focus on defence this year, that saw them finish top four and get to the big dance courtesy of a 16-10 win over the Rabbitohs, led by Josh Papali, who is currently regarded by some as the best forward in the game, with consistency to his game being a real highlight. With the inclusion of English star John Bateman, the Raiders will go in with confidence of springing an upset, like they did when winning their first title in 1989. There should be a fair amount of on-field action, and no doubt some memorable moments will be made during this must watch NRL Grand Final match.

Among the action this week being broadcast Live on the Fox League channel (Foxtel/Kayo) with no ad-breaks during play, that will either be limited by geography or not be available on the NRL Free to Air (Network Nine) this week includes:

NRL 2019 Grand Final LIVE TV Fixtures (Sydney time)

Date	Event	Time	Channel
Sunday October 6	NRL State Champ Final	LIVE: 1.30pm	Kayo Sports / Foxtel / Nine
Sunday October 6	NRL Women’s Grand Final	LIVE: 4.05pm	Kayo Sports / Foxtel / Nine
Sunday October 6	NRL Grand Final Pre Game	LIVE: 6.30pm	Channel Nine
Sunday October 6	NRL Grand Final Raiders v Roosters	LIVE: 7.30pm	Channel Nine
Sunday October 6	NRL Grand Final Replay	10pm – 12am	Foxtel / Kayo Sports
Monday October 7	NRL Grand Final Replay	9.30am – 11.00am	Foxtel / Kayo Sports

Above matches shown as Sydney time, adjust for regional differences. Fox League (Foxtel/Kayo) will show NRL TV replays through-out the following week, so you can enjoy the games no matter your schedule.

Rugby League on Live TV

If you enjoy Rugby League action then the Fox League channel (Foxtel/Kayo Sports) is the place for you, televising the NRL and every team Live and in HD with no ad-breaks during play before the grand final, including full match replays not available on Free to Air TV.

Watch the NRL Online

If you’re a resident of Australia and don’t have access to Fox League you may wish to review Foxtel Now, which offers Rugby fans an opportunity to watch the NRL live online with compatible mobile and internet connected devices (Grand Final excluded).

Stream the NRL Free

Alternatively, Kayo Sports have a 14 day trial offering. With the Kayo trial you will have access to these exact same Fox League broadcasts, and can stream the NRL free and Live using eligible mobile devices (grand final excluded). Kayo also have a split-view feature so you can watch up to four Live events at the same time, ensuring you never miss a key moment of the wide range of sport found in the Kayo TV guide. This offer also applies to existing Telstra customers, to get started just visit the website listed below.

Watch the NRL while 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, yearly, 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.

NRL on Free to Air in Australia

Once again here in 2019, the NRL Premiership season will consist of twenty-five rounds. The majority of games will be played from Thursday to Sunday, with Wednesday and Monday matches reserved for special occasions, and rounds 12 and 16 shortened to accommodate the 2019 State of Origin. Friday will see multiple day-evening double headers, and the first Monday match will be introduced on Easter weekend, April 2nd.

The Free to Air NRL coverage on Nine Network will include live telecasts of the games on Thursday and Friday nights, as well as Sunday afternoon. Likewise, the last five Saturday night games will be shown on Network Nine in the lead up to the Finals series. Fox League (Foxtel and Kayo Sports) will televise every game in every Round Live before the Grand Final, with up to five exclusive matches each week including those on Super Saturday and Sunday night footy, on the NRL dedicated channel.

NRL on Channel 9 vs Foxtel/Kayo TV Guide

Day / Time / Event	Channel
Thursday Night	Nine / Foxtel / Kayo
Friday Evening	Foxtel / Kayo
Friday Night	Nine / Foxtel / Kayo
Saturday Afternoon	Foxtel / Kayo
Saturday Evening	Foxtel / Kayo
Saturday Night	Foxtel / Kayo
Sunday Game 1	Foxtel / Kayo
Sunday Game 2	Nine / Foxtel / Kayo
Holidays Game 1	Nine / Foxtel / Kayo
Holidays Game 2	Foxtel / Kayo

Must see NRL Rivalries on Aussie TV

There will be a number of fascinating contests during the 2019 Telstra NRL Premiership season, highlighted of course in the regular season by local derbies. Chief among them is the much-anticipated Queensland Derby between the Brisbane Broncos and North Queensland Cowboys, while the Western Derby which sees the Parramatta Eels battle the Penrith Panthers will warrant plenty of interest too. Also not to be overlooked are the annual Ron Coote Cup clashes between the South Sydney Rabbitohs and current Premier’s the Sydney Roosters – regarded as one of the most brutal rivalries in the NRL, these teams have had more Grand Final meetings than any other two clubs in league history. When it comes to modern-day rivalries, the matches between the Manly Sea Eagles and the Melbourne Storm certainly have to rate near the top.

NRL Regional Broadcast Times

Use this City and State chart to determine what time the match will start in your location, so whether enjoying the games at home or watching on mobile, you won’t miss a key minute. For example, based on their differences, games that kick off at 8.00pm in Melbourne will be broadcast at 7.30pm in Adelaide and at 5.00pm in Perth.

Sydney, NSW: 7.00pm
Melbourne, VIC: 7.00pm
Hobart, TAS: 7.00pm
Canberra, ACT: 7.00pm
Brisbane, QLD: 7.00pm
Adelaide, SA: 6.30pm
Darwin, NT: 6.30pm
Perth, WA: 5.00pm

List of Best NRL TV Shows in Australia

Looking for even more live NRL TV broadcasts and programs to keep you up to date during the 2019 season? Enjoy the off-field action with the wide-range of NRL shows offered by Channel Nine, Foxtel and Kayo. A list that includes features such as: The Sunday Footy Show, NRL 360, Big League Wrap, Sunday Night with Matty Johns plus more. Review the table below for details of the most popular NRL TV series, and stay on top of your favourite team and players even after the final whistle is blown.

Show	Description	Channel	Live TV Times
The Sunday Footy Show	Get your fix of news, analysis and high profile guests on footy’s biggest panel show	Nine/9Gem	Sundays at 11.00am Sydney
100% Footy	Join Phil Gould, Paul Gallen and James Bracey as they discuss the game’s biggest issues	Nine/9Gem	Mondays at 10.00pm Sydney time
Thursday Night Golden Point	Check out the biggest stories from the biggest games immediately following Thursday Night Footy	Nine	Immediately following Macca’s Thursday Night Footy
Friday Night Knock Off	Join some of the games’ best known names as they discuss Friday night’s results and more	Nine	Immediately following VB Friday Night Footy
Sunday Kick Off	Get the latest news and NRL updates ahead of Sunday Footy	Nine/9Gem	Sunday at 3.00pm Sydney time
NRL 360	Join Paul Kent and Ben Iken for a look at the NRL from all angles	Kayo/Foxtel	Monday-Wednesday at 6.30pm Sydney time
Queenslanders Only	Join Hannah Hollis and her rotating panel of League Legends for a parochial look at all things Queensland footy	Kayo/Foxtel	Tuesdays at 8.00pm Sydney time
League Life	Australia’s first all-female panel show sees discussion on the hottest topics in the NRL	Kayo/Foxtel	Wednesdays at 7.30pm Sydney time
Sunday Night with Matty Johns	Enjoy a mix of banter and analysis that only Matty Johns and his team can provide every Sunday night	Kayo/Foxtel	Sundays at 8.00pm Sydney time
Big League Wrap	Get a comprehensive wrap of the weekend’s matches, hosted by award-winning presenter Yvonne Sampson	Kayo/Foxtel	Mondays at 7.30pm Sydney time

Clubs and Rivalries

The North Queensland Cowboys seem to be virtually everyone’s second team, and there was hardly a Rugby League fan in the world that could begrudge the Cowboys their maiden premiership in 2015. Won in the most thrilling circumstances, the match saw superstar Johnathon Thurston booting home a field goal in Golden Point. Two years later they again reached the Grand Final, but 2018 was a disappointing year for the club as they dropped out of the finals. With Thurston retiring at the end of last season they will have their work cut out to challenge for the finals, but few would be surprised if they still manage to prove that 2018 was an anomaly.

The Sydney Roosters were the best side in the NRL last season, finishing atop the table and dominating the finals series to take out the 14th Premiership in their history. After defeating the Storm 21-6 in the Grand Final, the Roosters are arguably even better placed heading into 2019, and will likely be the team everyone else is chasing throughout the season. With no side having won back-to-back Premierships since the NRL began in 1998, they will be looking to make history this year.

2019 NRL Players to Watch

Cameron Smith has been a star of the league ever since his debut way back in 2002, and has been a major reason for the Storm’s success over the past decade and a half. A player capable of controlling the game like no other, Smith will be more important than ever in 2019 after the retirement of his teammate for the past 16 years in Billy Slater. He might be turning 36 this year and in his 18th season, but Smith is still one of the best in the business.

There will be plenty of eyes on Cooper Cronk again in 2019, a star player who, after moving to the Roosters after 15 years with the Storm, beat his old side in last year’s Grand Final while playing with virtually one arm. Cronk initially struggled to adapt to the Roosters system after so long with the Storm, but he returned to his best in the latter stages of 2018 and will be expecting to put in another big season as his side searches for back-to-back Premierships. You can watch Cronk and your other favourite players when you stream the NRL live online.