Game on as networks jockey for big matches
Roy Masters | August 8, 2008
TONIGHT'S Sea Eagles versus Storm match at Brookvale Oval will probably decide the minor premiership, forcing the coaches to gamble with their selection of players over the remaining four rounds, resting some while simultaneously seeking to preserve their positions on the ladder.
The broadcasters are engaged in a similar battle over matches, with Channel Nine desperate to outfox Fox Sports, particularly since James Packer sold 75 per cent of Nine but retained his half share of Fox Sports.
While the winning coach at Brookvale will spend August guessing ahead, Nine has already done so with what appears to be a bizarre choice of games in round 25, the penultimate weekend of the regular season.
The NRL broadcasting agreement awards Nine the first two choices of the round of eight matches, followed by Fox Sports' two choices, then Nine has the fifth pick, leaving Fox with the final three matches.
Nine tends to schedule the two best matches for its prime-time Friday night double-header, while Fox Sports' top choice goes to Monday night and the next selection is the 5.30pm Saturday game.
For round 25, Nine has opted for a Friday night double of Wests Tigers versus Sharks and Roosters versus Rabbitohs. The first match is expected to have a major bearing on the NRL ladder but why choose Roosters-Rabbitohs over, say, Sea Eagles-Titans, which Fox Sports claimed for Monday night? Or Knights-Storm, which Fox Sports seized for 5.30pm Saturday?
Surely, the story of the weekend will be the winners and losers in the battle for the final eight.
Why choose the Rabbitohs, who have almost no chance of reaching the semis?
Why abandon Nine's year-long strategy of having a Friday match involving one of the NRL's three Queensland clubs in favour of four Sydney clubs?
Does Nine believe the Titans will be on their knees by round 25 when they meet the Sea Eagles?
The answer to Nine's strategy lies in the following round's Roosters-Dragons clash at Sydney Football Stadium.
Nine wants it for Friday, September 5 - a match between two Sydney teams with semi-final ambitions and strong followings, a recipe for a top-rating evening.
Teams playing the previous Monday night are not permitted to play Fridays.
Had Fox Sports' round 25 Monday night choice been either Dragons-Eels (Fox Sports Saturday 7.30pm), or Roosters-Rabbitohs, Nine wouldn't have secured its round 26 Roosters-Dragons match.
"I've got to guess what Fox will do on a Monday night," said Matt Callander, Nine's head of NRL programming. "I expected them to take Roosters versus Rabbitohs for Monday night, so I had to protect our round 26 first choice by taking Roosters-Rabbitohs ourselves. Our second pick for round 26 will probably be Broncos versus Knights but it hasn't been locked in when it is played."
The Suncorp Stadium match will be Wayne Bennett's last regular season game as Broncos coach, a guaranteed ratings winner in Queensland whether it is played on Friday or Sunday.
Occasionally, Nine's third-choice game has ended up as one of its two Friday night matches.
NRL chief operating officer Graham Annesley says: "Sometimes, when Nine give me their first two choices, they won't nominate when the games are to be played because they're waiting to see what Fox Sports do. Then they'll tell me one of their earlier choices was a Sunday match."
Nine can't quarantine both of its Friday night matches, meaning its chances of locking in Broncos-Knights in round 26 can't be assured. Fox could have chosen Bulldogs-Broncos or Knights- Storm as their round 25 Monday night match, scuttling Nine having the Broncos-Knights in a round 26 Friday night double-header.
Annesley revealed Fox almost chose Knights-Storm but the two clubs already had 11 Monday night matches, while the Sea Eagles had only one and the Titans four.
"Monday night is our major hurdle," Callander said of the game of guess and bluff. "It rules the roost."
Nine's choice of the Bulldogs-Broncos for its Sunday match in round 25, ahead of three other matches, will surprise, considering the Dogs' recent one-sided collapses. However, the Bulldogs have played in Nine's two highest-rating games this year.
Tonight's Manly-Melbourne match might be a turn-on to some but it won't switch on the TV sets like the Roosters-Dragons round 26 showdown.
