The episode features the quintessentially Australian experience of “half-time pizzas, the kick of the footy in the backyard, and screaming over the neighbour’s fences to each other,” Daniels said.

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Interstate rivalries are part of the “fabric of Australian culture”, Daniels said, but she’s not sure what overseas audiences of the globally syndicated program might think of the deep passion the characters show in the episode.

While the ABC says it is not explicitly stated in the episode that the characters are watching the State of Origin, fans have quickly jumped onto the Blues and Maroon rivalry.

But it’s the end of the episode that Daniels says reflects the heart of Australian sport: the interstate rivalry is put behind them to support Australia against New Zealand.

“It’s such a joyous celebratory show of Australian culture, and obviously incredibly popular,” Daniels says. “The heart and humour [creator] Joe Brumm has weaved through every episode is just magic.”

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