AFL finals off to a flying start, with over a million watching Lions tame Tigers

What a great game. There isn’t a goalpost high enough to settle the argument about that Brisbane goal so the Tiger Army has yet another legend to hold dear for eternity (as they battle to match those “we wuz robbed” stories across at the Wobbles).

It was the high-quality game the AFL would have been craving to kick off the finals. The Swannies play the Dees tonight at the G, so hopefully another great game. 

The NRL game last night (be still, my flicking thumb) saw Parramatta probably end Melbourne Storm’s reign as a top four contender for a while. A big rebuild is needed at AAMI Park.

The AFL final was watched by 1.065 million on Seven (the third most watched program on the night nationally) and topped Foxtel with 321,000. The NRL was watched by 600,000 on Nine and 273,000 on Foxtel.

And there was other stuff on the TV — Q+A laboured hard for not much return: 233,000 nationally, almost forgotten.

Network channel share:

1. Seven (39.3%)
2. Nine (24.6%)
3. Ten (15.2%)
4. ABC (13.7%)
5. SBS (7.20%)

Network main channels:

1. Seven (29.1%)
2. Nine (17.6%)
3. Ten (10.5%)
4. ABC (9.2%)
5. SBS ONE (3.9%)

Top 5 digital channels: 

1. 7mate (5.1%)
2. 7TWO (3.7%)
3. ABC Kids/Plus (2.4%)
4. 9Life (2.2%)
5. 10 Bold (2.1%)

Top 10 national programs:

1. Seven News — 1.310 million
2. Seven News 6.30pm — 1.307 million
3. AFL: Brisbane v Richmond (Seven) — 1.065 million
4. Nine News 6.30pm — 1.006 million
5. Nine News — 987,000
6. 7pm ABC News — 821,000
7. A Current Affair (Nine) — 769,000
8. The Chase Australia 5.30pm (Seven) — 768,000
9. NRL: Parramatta v Melbourne (Nine) — 600,000
10. 7.30 (ABC) — 538,000

Top metro programs: none with a million or more viewers.

Regional top 5: Seven News, 488,000; Seven News 6.30pm, 482,000; The Chase Australia 5.30pm, 304,000; AFL Final 1, 279,000; 7pm ABC News, 265,000.

Losers: Tigers, Storm.

Metro news and current affairs:

1. Seven News — 822,000
2. Seven News 6.30 — 825,000
3. Nine News 6.30pm — 744,000
4. Nine News — 738,000
5. 7pm ABC News — 566,000
6. ACA (Nine) — 511,000
7. 7.30 (ABC) — 382,000
8. The Project 7pm (Ten) — 267,000
9. 10 News First — 247,000
10. Foreign Correspondent (ABC) — 244,000

Morning (national) TV:

1. Sunrise (Seven) — 358,000/218,000
2. Today (Nine) — 285,000/193,000
3. ABC News Breakfast — 255,000/158,000
4. ABC News Mornings — 184,000
5. The Morning Show (Seven) — 196,000
6. Today Extra (Nine) — 137,000
7. Studio 10 (Ten) — 28,000

Top 5 pay TV programs:

1. AFL: Brisbane v Richmond (Fox Footy) — 321,000
2. NRL: Parramatta v Melbourne (Fox League) — 273,000
3. AFL: Thursday Night Footy on Fox (Fox Footy) — 225,000
4. NRL: The Late Show With Matty Johns (Fox League) — 86,000
5. AFL: Chewing the Fat (Fox Footy) — 67,000