The Brisbane Broncos’ dramatic 26-22 victory over the Melbourne Storm has rewritten the record books, delivering the highest-rating NRL Grand Final of all time and Australia’s most-watched program of 2025.
According to Nine, last night’s decider drew a National Total TV Reach of 6.41 million and an Average Audience of 4.46 million — a massive 33 per cent jump year-on-year, beating last week’s AFL Grand Final by 300,000 viewers.
Sydney led the way with 1.099 million viewers, followed by Brisbane (941,000) and Melbourne (734,000).
The game also shattered streaming records, pulling in 1.316 million viewers on 9Now, making it the biggest BVOD event in VOZ history.
The NRLW Grand Final between the Roosters and Broncos also hit new heights, notching a Total TV audience of 1.03 million, up 36 per cent on last year, which is a milestone moment for women’s sport.
Across the board, 2025 has been one of the NRL’s strongest broadcast seasons ever. The regular season and finals combined averaged 614,000 viewers per match, up 11.5 per cent year-on-year, with both broadcast and BVOD audiences climbing sharply. The finals series averaged more than 1.1 million viewers per game — the highest in VOZ history — while the preliminary final between Brisbane and Penrith drew 1.8 million, up 53 per cent.
Off the field, Nine’s supporting coverage also surged. “100% Footy” averaged 194,000 viewers per episode (up 66 per cent), reaching 5.6 million Australians across the season, while “NRL Sunday Footy Show” reached 3.6 million. New program “Freddy and the Eighth” pulled 97,000 weekly viewers in its debut on Channel 9 in Sydney and Brisbane.
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Nine’s Managing Director of Streaming & Broadcast, Amanda Laing, credited the network’s commitment to accessibility and storytelling for the record-breaking results. “This year’s phenomenal ratings are a testament to Nine’s unwavering commitment to being the true home of rugby league,” she said. “We believe the greatest game of all should be accessible to everyone… to see that reflected in record-breaking audience numbers is incredibly rewarding.”
Laing also praised the NRL’s leadership team, including Peter V’landys and Andrew Abdo, for their collaboration and shared vision in delivering the landmark season.
Nine’s Director of Sport, Brent Williams, echoed the sentiment, thanking the athletes and production crew who helped elevate the coverage. “Not only have the players and coaches captivated the nation, but their generosity in providing access for interviews and features has allowed us to showcase the personalities and stories behind the game,” he said. “I couldn’t be prouder of our team at Wide World of Sports — their passion for storytelling has raised the bar for sports broadcasting in this country.”