The top 10 most watched games of 2017

Published by
Stephen Marson

The reigning premiers have been fan favourites all season long, with the Western Bulldogs featuring in five of the top 10 most-watched games on Channel 7 so far in 2017.

Games against Geelong, GWS, West Coast, Sydney and Collingwood have all seen over 800,000 fans tune in to watch, according to figures given to the Herald Sun on Wednesday.

The highest ranking game the Dogs feature in was their 23-point loss to Geelong at Simonds Stadium, which came in at number three with 942,000.

Just two weeks later against Adelaide, the Cats recorded the second highest figures with 964,000, although one match topped the million-figure free-to-air mark.

It's no surprise the ANZAC Day fixture was the most viewed, as 1.2 million people tuned in to see the Bombers get over the Pies by 18 points.

The ANZAC clash also leads all matches in Fox Footy's top 10 matches with 384,000, although West Coast's round four clash with Sydney comes in second on Fox Footy (361,000) despite not featuring at all in the Channel 7 ratings.

Amazingly, matches involving Sydney take up six of the top 10 spots in Fox Footy's list.

Most watched games on Channel 7 in 2017 (average national audience, metro and regional)

  1. Essendon v Collingwood, round 5 (1.2 million)

2. Geelong v Adelaide, round 11 (964,000)

3. Geelong v Western Bulldogs, round 9 (942,000)

4. Sydney v Collingwood, round 3 (931,000)

5. GWS v Western Bulldogs, round 6 (920,000)

6. West Coast v Western Bulldogs, round 8 (912,000)

7. Sydney v Essendon, round 14 (892,000)

8. Western Bulldogs v Sydney, round 2 (873,000)

9. Sydney v Hawthorn, round 10 (872,000)

10. Collingwood v Western Bulldogs, round 1 (868,000)

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 25: Joe Daniher of the Bombers celebrates a goal during the 2017 AFL round 05 ANZAC Day match between the Essendon Bombers and the Collingwood Magpies at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on April 25, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Adam Trafford/AFL Media/Getty Images)

Most watched games on Fox Footy in 2017 (average national audience, metro and regional)

1. Essendon v Collingwood, round 5 (384,000)

2. West Coast v Sydney, round 4 (361,000)

3. Sydney v Hawthorn, round 10 (326,000)

4. GWS v Western Bulldogs, round 6 (326,000)

5. Richmond v Melbourne, round 5 (316,000)

6. Melbourne v Sydney, round 15 (315,000)

7. Sydney v Collingwood, round 3 (308,000)

8. Western Bulldogs v Sydney, round 2 (306,000)

9. Sydney v Essendon, round 14 (302,000)

10. Geelong v Western Bulldogs, round 9 (297,000)

Published by
Stephen Marson