Your guide to the Ultimate NRL Grand Final Viewing experience

The NRL Grand Final is on this Sunday following the AFL Grand Final on Saturday so we’re in for an epic weekend of TV sport – but a lot of people are doing it all wrong when it comes to the best experience in your home!

For some people, these tips will be obvious, but let me tell you theres a huge number of people who are just missing out on the simplest things!

Watch in High Definition HD!

Your watching the NRL on “Channel 9” and the AFL will be on “Channel 7” – but please, please, watch Channel 70 for the AFL and Channel 90 for the NRL.

Channel’s 9 and 7 on your TV are actually Standard Definition and that’s not the best quality available, in fact, it’s shocking. The number of TVs that are not capable of showing or receiving HD would be less than 3% now, so trust me, press 9-0 on your remote and you’ll be blown away by how much better it looks!

9Now has it all – and more!

For the NRL things get far more interesting with the 9Now app.

Firstly, if you don’t have an antenna so cannot receive Free to Air TV then fire up the 9Now app on your Smart TV and press the LIVE TV option to see the NRL in full 1080p 50fps.

You can watch the game LIVE via 9Now on your smartphone, tablet, smart TV or connected TV set top box like Fetch or Chromecast with Google TV.

The live stream on 9Now is not only HD, but it’s also 5.1 surround sound.

But, if you have a big-screen TV and are watching Channel 9, and really want to immerse yourself in the coverage, grab your Tablet, Phone, Laptop or any second screen with the 9Now app and there’s even more live content.

During the NRL Grand Final, 9Now will feature four additional live feeds. There will be a live stream of the coaches boxes, with each coach on screen split screen side by side for the whole game. Get their reaction as it happens!

If you want to really take in the plays from a new angle, the Spider Cam that zips around the stadium is another live stream you can view.

Finally, for the die-hard fans of either the Panthers or the Broncos, 9Now will have a dedicated player cam following Jarome Luai and another following Reece Walsh.

You won’t miss a moment of the action, and you can make this a true multi-screen experience.

We checked the 7Plus website and app and couldn’t see anything similar for the AFL Grand Final – sorry!

Bump up the Sound!

If you’ve got a great TV and know how to get the best picture, then consider upping your sound game with a soundbar.

It’s not too late to buy one this weekend they are easy to setup and you’ll be blown away by the change to viewing anything, not just sport.

Here’s three great options under $500 which will turn things around this weekend, and for all your viewing going forward!

• LG SN4 – $349 – JB HIFI
• JBL Bar 300 Soundbar – $429 – JB HIFI
• Sonos Ray – $499 – JB HIFI

Go big or go home!

Now, if you’ve got the coin, and the room, let me tell you this – plain and simple. There’s nothing better than a big, beautiful TV on the wall for these big events.

Here’s two options at the high end of the spectrum for you to consider.

Firstly, LG’s 77 INCH OLED  – at $5795 from JBHIFI it’s not the most expensive LG OLED, nor is is the biggest. But a 77 inch OLED is hella impressive to see and watch. Take my word for it.

For $6,995, having hit the stores just this past week, the Hisense 100 Inch MINI LED TV is the biggest physical screen TV you can buy right now, and that price is outrageously good. Harvey Norman will happily take your cash, maybe ask them to throw in delivery, if not installation. Not sure you’re going to get it all done by Sunday night though.