Swimmers to upstage NRL stars
THE greatest swimmer in the world will tonight push Benji Marshall and other NRL stars aside in a move by Channel 9 that will anger league fans.
The NRL and Nine have agreed that tonight's match between Parramatta and Wests Tigers will be played at 8pm because Nine is televising the world swimming championships in Melbourne.
Nine wants to show the match live, with kick-off now back 30 minutes from the customary 7.30pm kick-off.
Nine has bumped the league back to telecast the swimming, which will include a 100m butterfly semi-final involving US champion Michael Phelps, arguably the greatest swimmer Australia has seen.
But the decision means the second Friday night game - Brisbane versus Penrith at Suncorp Stadium -- will not finish on air until 11.45pm.
Although Eels officials were reluctant to criticise Nine, club sources say the decision will cost Parramatta $100,000 in ticket sales, catering and merchandising.
A crowd of about 15,000 is expected tonight but that figure could have been higher had the match kicked off earlier.
Parramatta chief executive Denis Fitzgerald declined to comment on the scheduling drama while NRL chief executive David Gallop backed Nine.
"It's not ideal but it is the world swimming championships," Gallop said. "Nine is well known for its excellent coverage of sport."
Asked would the 8pm kick-off affect tonight's crowd, Gallop said: "No. I wouldn't expect it to impact too much.
"Effectively it's only 20 minutes later than normal. The games haven't been starting until 7.40pm to 7.45pm."
Nine's head of sport Steve Crawley gave reasons behind his channel's decision.
"We asked the NRL if the clubs would put kick-off back 15 minutes and the clubs agreed," Crawley said.
"People can now see Michael Phelps in action and Libby Lenton, Jodie Henry and Leisel Jones go for gold.
"In the past we have been criticised for putting events on delay. The clubs and the NRL supported our move to show the match live.
"Last year the television audience didn't get to see matches until 8.30pm. This game will still be earlier than that at 8pm."
The controversy comes as the Broncos management slammed a television-driven scheduling decision that has left the premiers with less than four full days to prepare for their grand final rematch with Melbourne Storm.
The Broncos are furious they have been scheduled to meet the Knights in Newcastle at 7pm on Sunday, April 22, before backing up against Storm in Brisbane the following Friday.
The unusual scheduling of a Sunday night game was made to accommodate coverage of the trans-Tasman Test between Australia and New Zealand at Suncorp Stadium on Friday, April 20.
Given it will telecast only one game on the Friday night, Nine will instead show two NRL games on the Sunday.
The Eels v Bulldogs game will be shown at 4pm, with the Knights and Broncos game shown that evening.
"It came as a complete shock to us," Broncos managing director Bruno Cullen said.
"To schedule a game without any notification or consultation is a bit frustrating."
