THE RUNDOWN
- Heated Rivalry is a surprise smash hit hockey romance that tells the story of two rivals with an intense connection.
- The six-part series is available on HBO, but it is released in five drops.
- Heated Rivalry is an adaptation of the book series Game Changers, written by novelist Rachelle Goguen.
If you haven’t heard of Heated Rivalry, you will soon. Written by director Jacob Tierney for the Canadian streaming service Crave, it’s a little like Challengers if they removed the middle woman. That is, it’s a very spicy gay sports drama. It’s an adaptation of the best-selling Game Changers series written by romance novelist Rachelle Goguen, who publishes under the pen name Rachel Reid. Created, written and directed by Jacob Tierney of Letterkenny and Shoresy fame, the series depicts a year-long situationship between Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams), the reserved captain of the Montreal Metros, and his brooding Russian counterpart, Ilya Romanov (Connor Storie) of the Boston Raiders. It’s full of intense and kinky sex as well as genuinely heartwrenching moments. Essentially? Perfect for those with a The Summer I Turned Pretty–sized hole in their viewing schedule (so long as they’re willing to get a little more X-rated).
If you’ve already watched it, you’ll be wondering when the next episodes drop—and if you haven’t, you’ll be wondering where you can, and how much you have to catch up on.
Below is everything you need to know.
Where To Watch Heated Rivalry In Australia
Heated Rivalry was initially set to stream only on the Canadian service Crave, but after fan outrage, it premiered on HBO, where it is currently available.
How Many Episodes Are There In Heated Rivalry?
There are six episodes in Heated Rivalry, each between 43 and 49 minutes long.
When Do New Episodes Of Heated Rivalry Come Out In Australia?
| Episode | Title | Release Date |
| Episode 1 | Rookies | November 29, 2025 |
| Episode 2 | Olympians | November 29, 2025 |
| Episode 3 | ****** | December 6, 2025 |
| Episode 4 | Rose | December 13, 2025 |
| Episode 5 | I’ll Believe in Anything | December 20, 2025 |
| Episode 6 | The Cottage | December 27, 2025 |
Is Heated Rivalry Based On A True Story?
Like several movies recently — including Wayward — the story begins in 2008, when acceptance of queer relationships is in its infancy.
Heated Rivalry is a classic enemies-to-lovers romance narrative, and while it isn’t based on a true story, it is based on an extremely popular series. It’s the second novel in the interconnected world of Rachelle Goguen’s Game Changers series, in which each romance follows different players through the NHL (National Hockey League). While the original Game Changers series is YA, Heated Rivalry is decidedly adult. You only have to wait 13 minutes before there is a graphic sex scene.
The chemistry between Hudson Williams and Connor Storie even surprised the lead actors. Director Jacob Tierney said that after Williams did a chemistry read with Storie, he said: “The other guy was good, but Connor felt like he was going to pin me down and f–k me.”
The series ticks all the boxes romance lovers want: an enemies-to-lovers storyline, a secret relationship, and palpable sexual tension.
All we know is, we’re hooked.
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