Rugby Legue

NRL PRELIMINARY FINALS LIVE AND FREE ON CHANNEL 9 AND 9NOW QUEENSLAND HOPES RIDING ON COWBOYS TO BEAT THE EELS PANTHERS V RABBITOHS GRAND FINAL REMATCH ON SATURDAY NRLW SEMI-FINALS AND PRIME MINISTER’S XIII IN SUNDAY FOOTY FEAST A ticket to the big dance – the 2022 NRL Telstra Premiership Grand Final – is up for grabs this weekend in two epic preliminary finals Live and Free on Channel 9HD and 9Now. Only four teams remain: the pride of Queensland – the North Queensland Cowboys, the Parramatta Eels out to break the longest premiership drought in the NRL, the South Sydney Rabbitohs on a huge revenge mission, and the premiership powerhouse that is the Penrith Panthers. From Friday night at 7.00pm, it’s lights, camera, action in Townsville when the Cowboys host a preliminary final for the first time in the club’s history, against an electric Eels outfit led by Mitchell Moses that is ready to shoot down their doubters and bring an end to 36 years of premiership heartache. Written off at the start of the season, the Cowboys will have the whole state of Queensland saddling up with them to ride into the Grand Final, behind wrecking ball Jason Taumalolo and the X-factor of their superstar centre Valentine Holmes. On Saturday night at 7.00pm, the immovable force of the Panthers, the minor premiers, meets the unstoppable force of the Rabbitohs, Latrell Mitchell, in a mouth-watering 2021 Grand Final rematch. The Rabbitohs have a score to settle after finishing runners up, but will need to find a way to stop another halfback masterclass from Panthers playmaker Nathan Cleary. A Sunday feast at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane will round out the weekend with four straight games, beginning with two action-packed NRLW semi-finals and the Women’s and Men’s Prime Minister’s XIII against Papua New Guinea. Nine’s Wide World of Sports will have the best in the business covering a scintillating weekend of footy. Hosted by James Bracey, rugby league Immortal Andrew Johns, premiership-winning captains Cameron Smith, Johnathan Thurston, Brad Fittler, Paul Vautin, Paul Gallen, Darren Lockyer, and multiple premiership winners Billy Slater and Phil Gould AM, will make sure you don’t miss a thing. In commentary, Mat Thompson, Peter Psaltis and Ruan Sims will call the action with Danika Mason, Allana Ferguson and Emma Lawrence on the sidelines. NRL PRELIMINARY FINALS BEGIN FRIDAY AT 7.00PM ON CHANNEL 9   BROADCAST TIMES   FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 NRL PRELIMINARY FINAL 1: COWBOYS v EELS, Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville NSW/ACT 7.30pm LIVE on Channel 9 and 9Now QLD 7.30pm LIVE on Channel 9 and 9Now VIC/TAS 7.30pm LIVE on 9Gem and 9Now SA 6.30pm LIVE on 9Gem and 9Now WA 5.30pm LIVE on 9Gem and 9Now Commentary – Cameron Smith, Paul Vautin and Peter Psaltis. Panel – James Bracey, Brad Fittler and Andrew Johns. Sideline – Johnathan Thurston and Danika Mason SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 QLD CUP GRAND FINAL: REDCLIFFE DOLPHINS v NORTHS DEVILS 3.00pm LIVE on Channel 9HD (QLD ONLY) and 9Now NRL PRELIMINARY FINAL 2: PANTHERS v RABBITOHS, Accor Stadium, Sydney NSW/ACT 7.30pm LIVE on Channel 9 and 9Now QLD 7.30pm LIVE on Channel 9 and 9Now VIC/TAS 7.30pm LIVE on 9Gem and 9Now SA 6.30pm LIVE on 9Gem and 9Now WA 5.30pm LIVE on 9Gem and 9Now Commentary – Billy Slater, Phil Gould and Mat Thompson. Panel – James Bracey, Phil Gould and Paul Gallen. Sideline – Brad Fittler and Danika Mason   SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 SUNDAY NRL FOOTY SHOW from Allianz Stadium from 11.00am AEST on Channel 9 Hosted by Danika Mason with Andrew Johns, Billy Slater and Brad Fittler NRLW SEMI-FINAL: KNIGHTS v DRAGONS, Suncorp Stadium, 2.00pm LIVE on Channel 9HD and 9Now Hosts – Emma Lawrence and Darren Lockyer. Commentary – Ruan Sims and Peter Psaltis Sideline – Allana Ferguson NRLW SEMI-FINAL: ROOSTERS v EELS, Suncorp Stadium, 3.50pm LIVE on Channel 9HD and 9Now Commentary – Mat Thompson and Allana Ferguson. Sideline – Darren Lockyer and Emma Lawrence WOMEN’S PRIME MINISTER’S XIII v PAPUA NEW GUINEA, Suncorp Stadium, 5.40pm LIVE on 9GemHD and 9Now MEN’S PRIME MINISTER’S XIII v PAPUA NEW GUINEA, Suncorp Stadium, 7.20pm LIVE on 9GemHD and 9Now Commentary – Mat Thompson and Cameron Smith. Sideline – Darren Lockyer and Emma Lawrence TONIGHT – TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20th at 9.40pm – 100% FOOTY. The home of the strongest opinions in rugby league from the people who count. Phil Gould with Paul Gallen, journalist Michael Chammas and host James Bracey. Catch-up on this week’s episode is available on 9Now or via podcast.