It's that time of year again: the end of the football season. The weather is warming up and the competition is hot and there's no better time to invite your mates over for a viewing party.
A viewing party, or a "watch party", is exactly what it sounds like: everyone watches the game together. Hosting a good viewing party is simpler than it seems - especially if you have a great TV and the right kitchen appliances.
Read our guide so you can become the host with the most all the way to the final siren.
Pre-game: choose the best TV for watching sport
A good viewing party starts with a great TV setup. The whole point of a viewing party is to watch the game together, so the TV is the most critical part to get right.
The most important things to consider are picture quality, brightness and screen size.
Sports-friendly picture quality
Sport is full of fast movements and transitions, so you'll need a TV with tech designed for smooth motion.
Choose an Ultra HD TV with motion smoothing technology, where the TV's processor analyses the content and adds extra frames to create a smooth motion effect.
Also look for a TV with a higher refresh rate. A TV's refresh rate is how many frames the TV can display per second. The higher the refresh rate, the smoother the motion on the screen will be.
Brightness for every match condition
If you're watching the AFL Grand Final, you already know that it's on during the day. Choose a TV that's bright enough that you can see the action during the day.
Some TVs feature ambient brightness adjustment: the TV detects the light in the room and adjusts automatically. This is handy for a watch party that starts during the day and lasts long into the night.
Bring the stadium home with a big screen
A large screen TV is essential for immersive viewing. We always recommend getting the biggest TV you can for your budget. This ensures you get the best viewing experience for game day as well as long-term satisfaction with your TV.
Read more about choosing the right size TV here.
Our pick: the best TV for fast, smooth motion
For smooth motion without compromise choose an OLED. We love the LG 65" OLED B4 4K UHD Smart TV with its advanced OLED panel, 120Hz refresh rate, and adaptive brightness control.
OLED panels have extremely fast response times, making them perfect for viewing fast sports action. Combine the incredible picture with 9.1.2-channel virtual surround sound and you'll feel like you're actually in the stadium.
The B4 OLED also supports all the top streaming services, and is smart home ready with built-in Chromecast and Apple Airplay.
We also love: the best TV with dedicated sports mode
If you're a diehard sports fan go for a TV with sports mode built-in. The Hisense 65" U7NAU 4K ULED Mini-LED TV comes with AI Sports Mode, which uses motion smoothing and noise reduction tech for brilliant sports viewing.
We also love this model for its bright ULED screen with Mini-LED backlighting. The U7NAU also automatically adjusts the screen brightness to suit the ambient light in the room.
It has a lightning fast 144Hz variable refresh rate (VRR) for smooth motion graphics whether you're watching sport, movies or gaming.
The U7NAU is also smart home ready, with support for Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, Apple Airplay and Apple Home platforms.
Both of these Smart TVs come in large screen sizes to suit any size room.
Before kick-off: prep food and chill drinks
A successful footy finals party isn't just about the screen; it's also about the food! The food needs to be tasty and the drinks must be cold.
Feed the crowd quick with an Air Fryer
The right air fryer can make game-day snack prep quick and hassle-free. Get your snacks and finger foods prepped during the pre-programming, healthier than deep frying.
Why an air fryer? Crispy snacks without the guilt
Air fryers cook with minimal oil, giving you crispy, delicious snacks that aren't drenched in grease. Perfect for chips, spring rolls, even chicken wings.
Speed and size matter
Our pick for Footy Finals air frying is the Russell Hobbs Satisfry Extra Large 8L Air Fryer. It's got a very decent 8L capacity, so you can whip up large batches of snacks quickly. Its rapid air technology ensures evenly cooked, crispy results every time.
Dishwasher safe for easy clean-up
No one wants to spend half-time scrubbing dishes. The Satisfry basket and drawer are dishwasher safe, so you can pop them straight in the dishwasher and get on with the game.
Have cold drinks on hand with a Bar Fridge
No viewing party is complete without cold drinks on hand. A quality bar fridge ensures that everyone’s favourite drinks stay chilled throughout the game. Put the bar fridge in the room with you so you don't miss a second of gameplay.
Our pick for the best bar fridge this Footy Finals
The Hisense 125L Bar Fridge offers plenty of space for cans, bottles, and even some game day snacks. Its compact size fits neatly in any room, so you can keep the drinks close to the action.
Adjustable cooling for every drink
This fridge comes with adjustable shelves so you can find space for all of your drinks. The reversible door design makes it super easy to fit into any space.
This model comes in white, silver or black to match your living room décor. Our pick is the silver for a modern touch to match most colour schemes.
Easy access, minimal noise
With its quiet operation, the Hisense bar fridge won’t drown out the game-day commentary, and the easy-access shelves ensure you can grab drinks without missing a play.
Half-time refuel: quick snacks in the microwave
Half-time is your chance to grab a quick snack without missing any of the action. A reliable microwave is the key to heating food up fast, so you can get back to the game.
Our pick for the best microwave for your Footy Finals half-time reheat
The Panasonic 27L Inverter Microwave Oven uses inverter technology to ensure your snacks are heated evenly and quickly. Perfect for warming up pies, leftovers, or popcorn before half-time is over.
Flatbed microwave convenience
This model is a flatbed microwave, meaning it has no turntable to spin during cooking. Instead of the turntable spinning, the heating element spins instead to ensure even cooking.
The advantage of a flatbed microwave is the space - a flatbed microwave has ~30% more cooking space. Fill it all the way to the sides with rectangular dishes without worrying.
Flatbed microwaves are also easy to clean, simply wipe the inside of the cavity out with a damp cloth.
Post-game clean-up
After the final siren, it's time to tackle the inevitable mess. Depending on the outcome, your emotions might be a mess but your lounge room doesn't have to be.
Choose a cordless stick vacuum: it's the easiest way to quickly clean up crumbs before you fall, exhausted, into bed to sleep the deep sleep of a winner.
Our pick for the best stick vac for a post-game clean-up
The Electrolux 2-in-1 Cordless Vacuum offers the flexibility to clean every corner of your party space. Its detachable handheld unit is perfect for quickly picking up crumbs from couches and snack tables.
Cordless freedom for quick clean-up
No cords = no hassle. With up to 35 minutes of runtime, you can easily cover the whole room without stopping to recharge, making clean-up fast and efficient.
Lightweight design for easy handling
Its lightweight, ergonomic design allows you to manoeuvre effortlessly around furniture and tight spaces, so you can wrap up the cleaning and unwind sooner.
This model also features a BrushRollClean function, where an internal blade removes tangled hairs and fibres so they don't clog up the machine.
The final play
A footy finals viewing party is all about great company, tasty snacks, and the right appliances to make it a success. With the right setup, you’ll be the host everyone remembers, from pre-game to post-game clean-up. Come see us at Bi-Rite to get your appliances sorted before the season ends!
