- Channel Nine’s pre-game Origin coverage criticized
- Network strangely promoted the Paris 2024 Olympic Games
- Comedian Andy Lee strange choice to be open to camera
- Opals veteran Lauren Jackson talks Olympics
Channel Nine’s pre-game Origin coverage from Melbourne has come under fire after the free-to-air network blatantly used the opportunity to promote the Paris Olympics next month.
Australian basketball great Lauren Jackson bizarrely appeared on television screens across the country talking about the Games ahead of rugby league’s crown jewel.
The Opals star then declared: “I never thought I’d be here talking to you on a night like this,” and Jackson will find no argument from the bewildered Australian sporting public.
Comedian Andy Lee then performed the opening piece on camera, despite being from Victoria and a prominent Carlton Blues AFL fan.
It wouldn’t be Origin if Nine didn’t make a noise that lasted for centuries.
And true to form, Angus Crichton’s youth rugby club, the Young Yabbies, unlike their youth league team, the Young Cherrypickers, shone in fielding players from the NSW Blues team.
Fortunately, when the performance of the national anthem arrived, Australian Idol 2024 winner Dylan Wright was nowhere to be seen.
In the series opener on 5 June in Sydney, Wright was savagely attacked by football fans after performing a stripped-down, guitar-based rendition of Advance Australia Fair to a packed house at Accor Stadium.
Channel Nine’s pre-game Origin coverage from Melbourne has been criticized (pictured is Andy Lee, doing the opening piece on camera, despite being from Victoria and a prominent Carlton Blues AFL fan)
Australian basketball great Lauren Jackson bizarrely appeared on television screens across the country talking about the Olympics in July ahead of rugby league’s crown jewel.
Liam Martin of the Blues (right) celebrates with Stephen Crichton after scoring the first try in the second game at the MCG.
Queensland players were left stunned after NSW took a 28-0 first half lead.
Wright’s low-tempo performance was labeled “devilish” and “hipster” by her enraged followers on social media.
NRL officials clearly read the room, with Sheridan Adams’ rendition of the national anthem impressive from start to finish.
Aunt Joy Murphy’s welcome to the country attracted some criticism on social media, mainly because of the stain on her face.
One viewer posted: “Looks like he fell face first into a pile of snow.”
On the field, NSW raced to a 34-0 half-time lead thanks to tries from Liam Martin, Zac Lomax and Brian To’o as they looked to square the series.
