Blame the NRL. Obviously Nine are an absolute DISGRACE with the way they hoard sport and then drip feed it out at a time of their own choosing. However you can only expect that they would act in the interests of their shareholders by prioritising higher ratings over the wishes of league viewers.
The NRL is a toothless tiger on this issue. Gutless, hopeless.
According to the news today:
The Nine boss suggested both matches this weekend be played on Saturday and shown live - Warriors-Roosters at Mt Smart at 6.30pm (Sydney time) and then Brisbane-Melbourne at Suncorp Stadium at 8.30pm.
Gallop, though, stood his ground and kept the Friday evening match.
The NRL-Nine contract states all finals games must be shown live - but Nine claims precedents have previously been set, including last year, about delayed telecasts.
The NRL's response should not be to say "oh well" and throw its hands up in the air.
If it's in the contract - SIMPLY STEAMROLL THE BASTARDS - you cajole or threaten the pricks until you get your own way. You say they might lose the rights. You threaten to move the Grand Final to the 3pm time shift. You sue them for breach of contract or threaten to retract the rights. You basically do whatever you have to do to get your own way.
If the NRL can't get a final shown live despite it explicitly being written into the contract, then they are an even more incompetent organisation than the spineless, reactive, do-nothing administration staffed by ex-footy players and worthless hangers-on with minimal business experience than we all thought they were.