All eyes turn to the MCG… um, wait … Optus Stadium as footy fever strikes

One sleep to go before the AFL Grand Final, and Optus Stadium in Perth is a nice, neutral ground for the footy match that stops a nation. Judging by WA support for both Dogs and Demons in previous matches, the crowd won’t lack for colour — and one can be certain the big swinging you-know-whats of the west’s business, finance and social life will be there. 

Meanwhile, who needs Q+A (428,000) when you have The Front Bar — 668,000 nationally, 326,000 in Melbourne (second highest audience nationally) and 27,000 in Sydney. A front bar night for all, really, as The Front Bar pushed Melbourne — sorry, Seven — to a win in the main AFL markets and nationally.

There are preliminary finals for the NRL — Sea Eagles v Bunnies tonight, Storm v Panthers tomorrow afternoon — and Rugby Union (Australia v Argentina) on Saturday night. Up against the AFL, so good luck to ’em.

And Sunday night on the ABC launches the miniseries Fires — good reviews so far, but is it too early to dramatise the terrible infernos of 2019-2020?

Breakfast: Sunrise, 459,000/268,000; News Breakfast, 371,000/257,000; Today, 339,000/209,000
Regional Top 5: Seven News, 595,000; Seven News 6.30, 577,000; 7pm ABC News, 370,000; Home and Away, 355,000, Nine News, 350,000

Network channel share:

1. Seven (30.6%)
2. Nine (26.3%)
3. Ten (19.8%)
4. ABC (15.3%)
5. SBS (8.0%)

Network main channels:

1. Seven (21.7%)
2. Nine (17.7%)
3. Ten (12.4%)
4. ABC (10.8%)
5. SBS ONE (3.5%)

Top 5 digital channels: 

1. 7TWO (3.9%)
2. 10 Peach (3.4%)
3. 10 Bold (3.2%)
4. 7mate (3.0%)
5. GO (2.5%)

Top 10 national programs:

1. Seven News — 1.643 million
2. Seven News 6.30 — 1.609 million
3. Nine News  — 1.308 million
4. Nine News 6.30 — 1.277 million
5. 7pm ABC News — 1.087 million
6. Home And Away (Seven) — 954,000
7. A Current Affair (Nine) — 949,000
8. Home and Away late (Seven) — 890,000
9. The Chase Australia 5.30pm (Seven) — 843,000
10. 7.30 (ABC) — 836,000

Top metro programs: 
1. Seven News  — 1.048 million
2.  Seven News 6.30 — 1.032 million

Losers: So many…

Metro news and current affairs:

1. Seven News — 1.048 million
2. Seven News 6.30 — 1.032 million
3. Nine News  — 957,000
4. Nine News 6.30 —907,000
5. 7pm ABC News — 717,000
6. ACA (Nine) — 658,000
7. 7.30 (ABC) — 546,000
8. The Project 7pm (Ten) — 441,000
9. Foreign Correspondent (ABC) — 367,000
10. Ten News First (ABC) — 231,000

Morning (national) TV:

1. Sunrise (Seven) — 454,000/256,000
2. Today (Nine) — 364,000/249,000
3. News Breakfast (ABC) — 336,000/221,000
4. The Morning Show (Seven) — 269,000
5. Today Extra (Nine) — 195,000
6. Studio 10 (Ten) —  55,000

Top five Pay TV programs:

1. Credlin (Sky News) — 74,000
2. The Bolt Report (Sky News) — 68,000
3. Aussie Gold Hunters (Discovery) — 66,000
4. Paul Murray Live, Newsday, Alan Jones (Sky News) — 60,000