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Channel 9 cops backlash over 'deplorable' State of Origin move as commentary divides NRL fans

TV viewers were left infuriated by the coverage of the Origin decider on Wednesday night.

sam goodwin
Sports Editor
·4-min read

NRL fans are once again savaging the Channel 9 coverage of State of Origin, with many calling for the broadcast rights to be shared with Fox Sports in the future. During the NRL season, Fox League shows every game during the regular season, and only a select few are broadcast on free-to-air on Nine (on Thursday night, Friday night and Sunday afternoon).

Only State of Origin games and the grand final are exclusive to Channel 9, but fans are demanding that be changed. Angry TV viewers were infuriated on Wednesday night when Nine decided to run ads during the live broadcast without there being a major stoppage in play.

Darren Lockyer, Brad Fittler and Andrew Johns, pictured here during State of Origin.
Darren Lockyer, Brad Fittler and Andrew Johns on Channel 9's coverage. Image: Getty

The ads would normally only be shown when there's a break in play, but the frenetic nature of Wednesday night's game meant it was played at such speed that ads had to be shown during live play. The score was only 2-2 at half-time, and because the play rarely stopped, fans were shown commercials when there wasn't actually a break.

One of the Channel 9 ads during State of Origin 3.
Channel 9 shoved ads into the live broadcast that were bigger than the window featuring the game. Image: Channel 9

One person wrote on social media: “Tense game, no stoppages, so let’s just have an ad blasted during gameplay. Run a silent ad along the bottom or something. Give me strength.”

The major point of contention was the fact the ads took up the majority of the screen, and the game was consigned to a smaller window to the side. Another TV viewer labelled it 'deplorable', while others suggested it was further reason why Fox should share the coverage.

And it wasn't just the ads causing headaches for fans. Many also took to social media to criticise the Channel 9 commentary team, with Andrew Johns copping the most heat. Brad Fittler, Cameron Smith, Darren Lockyer and Paul Vautin all copped barbs from fans, but the majority of the vitriol was levelled at Johns.

The NSW and Newcastle legend has some great insights into the game, as he showed when he called on Mitchell Moses to take control right before he scored his match-sealing try. But Johns also has his fair share of dud moments, and Wednesday night was no different.

At one stage in the first half he said "great kick" when Reece Walsh heaved the ball downfield, but it ended up going straight to Dylan Edwards on the full before Johns had seen where it landed. There was another bizarre moment in the second half when the Maroons were penalised for Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow blocking Zac Lomax during a bomb, but Johns and fellow commentator Mathew Thompson both claimed the penalty was for late contact on Mitchell Moses.

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The Channel 9 commentary team are often criticised for being out of touch, and NRL fans weren't happy they couldn't tune in to Fox Sports on Wednesday night. Fox do their own commentary for Origin games, but it's only available as a replay after the live game has concluded.