The opening State of Origin match was the most watched TV program of the year after an 11.2 per cent spike in viewership from the corresponding match last year.

A national average audience of 3.755 million tuned in to watch NSW take a 1-0 lead in the series – a figure 38 per cent more than the next most-watched program of 2025, ABC’s election coverage. The Blues’ 18-6 victory was the highest-rating interstate clash since 2016 after it secured a national total television reach of 5.449 million.

The game broke streaming records for Nine Now, attracting 963,000 viewers, beating the previous record by 11 per cent. That makes it the second-highest rating BVOD (Broadcast Video on Demand) program of all time after a 26.7 per cent rise on last year’s Origin series opener.

Dragons

Former Australian Sevens star Nathan Lawson will make his NRL debut on the wing for the Dragons. Toby Couchman and Blake Lawrie replace Jack de Belin and Luciano Leilua in the starting pack. Valentine Holmes will back up from Origin I.

1. Clinton Gutherson 2. Tyrell Sloan 3. Moses Suli 4. Valentine Holmes 21. Nathan Lawson 6. Lyhkan King-Togia 7. Kyle Flanagan 17. Blake Lawrie 9. Damien Cook 10. David Klemmer 15. Toby Couchman 12. Jaydn Su’A 13. Hamish Stewart.
Bench: 8. Jack de Belin 11. Luciano Leilua 14. Jacob Liddle 16. Loko Jnr Pasifiki Tonga

Knights

Kalyn Ponga is a late out for Newcastle after playing in State of Origin on Wednesday night. Fletcher Sharpe moves to fullback with Jack Cogger joining Tyson Gamble in the halves.

6. Fletcher Sharpe 2. James Schiller 3. Dane Gagai 4. Kyle McCarthy 5. Fletcher Hunt 18. Jack Cogger 7. Tyson Gamble 8. Tyson Frizell 9. Phoenix Crossland 10. Leo Thompson 11. Dylan Lucas 12. Kai Pearce-Paul 13. Mathew Croker.
Bench: 14. Jayden Brailey 15. Jack Hetherington 16. Brodie Jones 17. Thomas Cant

Hello and welcome to our coverage of Friday night footy, with St George Illawarra taking on the Knights at Jubilee Stadium.

We’ve already had two doses of State of Origin this week, with the NSW men getting the job done in Brisbane on Wednesday before the Queensland women prevailed in Newcastle on Thursday, and now round 13 of the NRL season kicks off with an intriguing battle of two last-start winners.

Shane Flanagan’s Dragons had made an impressive start to the season before a three-game losing streak against the Roosters, Tigers and Warriors, but bounced back to stun the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium ahead of last week’s bye.

Newcastle meanwhile had lost seven of their past eight games before last week’s win over Penrith in Bathurst.

Which of these bottom-eight sides will put together back-to-back wins and get their campaign back on track?