By Patrick Avenell

SYDNEY, NSW: There’s a lot going on this weekend, with both the NRL and AFL Grand Finals being played, daylight saving being introduced and a public holiday for some States on Monday.

First up, the AFL Grand Final replay between Collingwood and St Kilda will be played tomorrow (Saturday 2 October) at the MCG, starting at 2:30pm local time (please refer to below for interstate times). This game will on Channel 7 and 7mate. Unlike the drawn decider last Saturday, this game will not be shown in 3D.

The reason for this is reportedly because Channel 9 needs the spectrum to ensure it can broadcast the NRL Grand Final in 3D on Sunday afternoon (3 October 2010). This game will be contested between minor premiers St George Illawarra and the Sydney Roosters. The Dragons are looking for their first premiership as a joint venture, whilst the Roosters are playing for their 13th premiership and their first since 2002.

The game will be shown in 3D on digital channel 40 (in available areas) and in 2D on Channel 9 and Gem (or local affiliates) from 5:10pm local time.

Before setting any recording devices for this game, however, please note that daylight saving will come into effect in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory at 2am on Sunday morning. Clocks are wound forward 1 hour when implementing daylight saving. Western Australia, Queensland and the Northern Territory do not have daylight savings time.

Thus, from Sunday morning, the following time differences will be in place:

New South Wales, Victoria , Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory will observe the same time (AEDT).
South Australia will be half-an-hour behind AEDT.
Queensland will be 1 hour behind AEDT.
The Northern Territory will be 1.5 hours behind AEDT.
Western Australia will be 3 hours behind AEDT.

To add even more interest to this weekend, New South Wales, South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory will be celebrating the Labour Day public holiday on Monday 4 October 2010. Please make a note of this if this absence from work will affect your interstate commerce.

AFL Grand Final Start Times:

Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory: 2:30pm
South Australia, Northern Territory: 2pm
Western Australia: 12:30pm

NRL Grand Final Start Times:
New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory: 5:10pm
South Australia: 4:40pm
Queensland: 4:10pm
Northern Territory: 3:40pm
Western Australia: 2:10pm

Patrick’s Tips: St Kilda by 1 point and St George Illawarra by 1 point.