The 2014 NRL Grand Final will be played on Sunday October 5th and will kick off at 7:20pm AEDT, with the South Sydney Rabbitohs entering the contest as favourites ahead of the Canterbury Bulldogs.
As is often the case with State of Origin, the kick off may be later than the announced time, and can be delayed by a few minutes after the pre-match entertainment and TV specials are completed.
2015 NRL GRAND FINAL KICKOFF TIME
The game will be broadcast live on Channel Nine, with coverage starting at 5:30pm on the free-to-air channel. The Under 20s and 2014 NRL State Championship Grand Final also broadcast through the day on Foxtel.
Note that daylight savings starts in the eastern states that day.
Shayne Hayne and Gerard Sutton will be the referees for the Grand Final. It is Hayne’s fourth time in charge of a decider, and it will be Sutton’s debut.
South Sydney reached the biggest game in the NRL calendar after defeating the Roosters last Friday night 32-22, while the Bulldogs beat the Panthers 18-12 on Saturday night to secure their place.
MORE NRL Grand Final:
» Does the NRL Grand Final start too late?
» Full NRL Finals coverage
» Brian Smith’s look at the NRL Grand Final
» NRL Grand Final preview: South Sydney vs Canterbury
» Hayne and Sutton to referee NRL Grand Final
It will be the first time the two sides have played in a grand final since 1967, when the Rabbitohs defeated the Bulldogs 12-10 at the Sydney Cricket Ground in the then NSWRL competition.
The last time the two sides met in a finals encounter was in 2012, the year the Bulldogs reached the grand final, only to be defeated by the Melbourne Storm.
In that game, Canterbury were winners 32-8 after finishing the season minor premiers.
This year, however, the Rabbitohs come in favourites after strong wins over Manly and The Roosters.
The teams are locked at a win each this year, with the Rabbitohs beating the Bulldogs by seven points in Round 25, while the Bulldogs won their earlier clash, with a tight 15-14 victory that was part of their amazing three-game streak of wins by just one point.
With over four million people tuning into the two preliminary finals last week, the NRL is expecting a record viewership for the 2014 decider.
Stay tuned to The Roar for the latest NRL news, opinion and video in the lead up to the decider!
malfuncion
Guest
rabbitos to win just on form 21 12
up in the north
Guest
Just watching TV at the moment and ch9 are saying they have coverage from 5:30. Go figure.
bob
Guest
Well said Beth, you are truly a dump ass
Nicholas
Guest
nrl are just a bit shlack.....
philemon pop
Guest
As we Papua New Guinea, we love to watch the NRL GF match telecasted live on our local EMTV and the game must kick off at 7:45hrs pm.
Ben Lewis
Guest
No actually it's the NYC Holden Cup game at 1:50 (Broncos v Warriors) and then the State Championship Panthers v Pride at 3:55. And I'm pretty sure they are both televised on Fox Sports, but that's not free to air so I'm hesitant to thank them for that. Am I the only person who thinks that a 7:55 Grand Final kickoff is awesome?
vanessa
Guest
so for us in qld what time does it start...we don't do daylight saving up here in the stix...
phil
Guest
The night GF is a sham, Gyngell says it's because of primetime bein 7:30 but the primetime is whenever the GF is on, the Superbowl is daytime! the AFL GF daytime! this is garbage to say it's cause of primetime! they can charge more for advertising during the GF then use primetime slot to charge premium for advertising after the GF and collecting twice for the advertising dollar!!! #gobacktodaytimegf!!!!!!!!!
up in the north
Guest
It doesn't work out too bad for us in Queensland this year -for a change- it'll probably start around 6.30 I guess, and Monday is a public holiday now. But I do miss the old days of all three grades being televised. I assume they're showing the Pride / Panthers game first?
Jim
Guest
7.20 kick off is too late. Mon. is not a public holiday in other states and think of the NZ fans who will have to wait until 11.30 pm to see full time - so much for encouraging kids who have to go to school the next day. As for the exact kick off time, I have seen about 5 different times published so far, varying from 6.30 to 7.30. It is about time the NRL tried to become a bit more professional in its communications and not appear as a rabble. Every other major (and minor) sport can start their games on the exact time!!!
David
Guest
I'm heading to Bangkok so I can watch it at a reasonable hour ,4.45 pm ,BBQ and a few beers just like it used to be ,kids can also join in ??
Ben Lewis
Guest
Unlike most people I disagree with a 5:15 kickoff; I think a 7:55 kickoff is great for the game. For everybody who claims that the children can't see out that long; I don't really see the logic in that. If they're really into it, then they'll easily make it. What child can get to sleep easy on Christmas Eve? Same with a league supporter, regardless of age. Plus, with a public holiday on the Monday, nobody (or at least by and large the majority) need worry about getting up early in the morning. Besides, although I can tell I'm gonna be in the minority here, there's something really dissatisfying about a twilight kickoff. Playing in the afternoon doesn't seem to carry the buzz and the excitement of playing at the night. The energy builds up the whole day and then it explodes when the ball gets kicked the first time. That's just my unique perspective anyway :P
Marwood Harimate
Guest
right who cares about television rights an ratings how the hell can u tel me u gonna get less ratings on an afternoon game. cmon u people pull yr head in we want a barby in the sun with an all mornin build upf4 an a few beers thats why AFL knows how 2 do it properly
bilbo
Guest
And public holiday next day in NSW
Edward Kelly
Guest
Kick off will be when Nine wants it to be and when its finished all its ads. Any word on the Grand Final being also shown on Gem in HD?
up in the north
Guest
Daylight saving starts on Sunday? Great. I didn't realise that. Could have been ugly.
Beth
Guest
its a bloody joke 7.20 kick off ? years a go it was a all day thing with BBQS & a few drinks, know you are lucky to see the game out THEY REALIE NEED TO LOOK AT IT dump asses
Squidward
Roar Rookie
Yeahs it's still kinda 620pm like DST But much prefer 3pm or 530 minimum like the last few before 2013
jamesb
Guest
I actually liked the twilight kick off, 5:15pm. Not too early, not too late. Bear in mind also that daylight savings begin on GF day
The Barry
Guest
The late kick off is really annoying. My kids are pumped about this game and the dogs making it but no way they can make it to 10pm. I haven't seen any stats but do night GFs rate higher than day ones? These are the games that create fans in the future. A few more ratings today but no one watching the game in 20 years.