Episode 32 Recap: Contestants on The Block went head-to-head in the high-stakes Domain buyers jury, with strategy, secrets and rivalries sparking fireworks.

The Block’s buyers jury delivered drama, with wine cellar wars, dance floor tension and Alicia’s cutthroat moves dominating the night. (image – Channel 9)

It’s four days out from guest suite room reveals on The Block, but by Wednesday night the focus was firmly elsewhere. Instead of hammering nails and rolling paint, the contestants were scrubbing, styling and scheming for one of the biggest events of the season — the Domain Buyers Jury.

With 100 potential buyers plus locals set to inspect the houses, the stakes couldn’t be higher. The house voted most appealing by visitors would walk away with a massive $50,000 prize and, perhaps more importantly, the kind of momentum that can tilt the entire competition.

But with so much energy being poured into impressing strangers, the guest bedrooms, ensuites and in some cases kitchenettes were left lagging behind.

The Calm Before the Party

The pressure was already sky-high before anyone put on party shoes. Foreman Dan had pointed out the stark differences between houses, noting that Britt and Taz’s lush driveway lined with plants and a sauna made Han and Can’s bare frontage look like “worksite chic.” Han and Can didn’t take the comparison well, lashing out at the suggestion that they were falling behind.

Only House 4, Sonny and Alicia’s place, looked remotely on track to deliver both rooms by Sunday. The others, bogged down by styling and staging for the buyers, risked turning reveal day into a bloodbath.

Making a Statement

The evening’s event brought out the grand gestures.

Britt and Taz decked out their entryway with greenery galore, a sauna and even a cold plunge pool.
Sonny and Alicia rolled in their $260,000 caravan, parking it proudly in the driveway to hammer home that it came as part of the property.
Mat and Robby went bold with a huge sign bragging that they had the show’s only underground wine cellar.
But Emma and Ben had their own twist — secretly planning a cellar under their elevated home and unveiling blown-up 3D AI renders to show buyers what was coming.

Wine Wars Break Out

That revelation lit the fuse.

Down in House 5, Robby pulled Mat aside to tell him the bad news: they weren’t the only ones with a cellar after all. Mat’s temper flared instantly.

“F***ing get your own ideas!

You can’t win a thing so you try and copy our ideas.

F**k off.”

Not done there, he tossed in a “dumba**es” for good measure.

Robby speculated that Emma and Ben’s recent body corporate meeting had really been about sniffing out the costs of installing a cellar. He suspected they were using the guise of group discussion to gather intel.

Sonny tried to calm things down by sympathising with Mat, reminding him of the time he felt Han and Can had copied his heated bench idea during the bathhouse challenge. “I can tell you’re upset and we’ve been through this,” he told his mate.

Emma and Ben, however, played it cool. When Robby accused them of copying, Robby softened his line by saying “copying is the biggest form of flattery.” Ben’s dry retort — “I’m glad you’re flattered” — showed they weren’t rattled.

Buyers Have Their Say

As the 100 visitors strolled through the homes, vibes were high and drinks flowed. Judges weren’t present, but their opinions didn’t matter this time. It was the public who would decide.

When Scott Cam tallied the votes, the results had jaws dropping:

Emma and Ben: 24%
Mat and Robby: 23%
Britt and Taz: 21%
Sonny and Alicia: 19%
Han and Can: 13%

By a single percentage point, Emma and Ben finally felt like winners. Their reward: $50,000 cash, a comically oversized bouquet and a valuable gnome, which could swing a future judging week.

Mat and Robby managed a polite clap for their rivals, though their expressions told another story.

Dance Floor Drama

The celebrations rolled on at McCafé, transformed into a makeshift nightclub. Contestants cut some questionable shapes, with twerking making an unlikely appearance.

In the middle of the mayhem, Britt tried to mend fences with Alicia, dragging her aside to apologise again for forgetting to take her shopping last week. But Alicia wasn’t satisfied. “That’s not going to cut it,” she said later. “I need an explanation.”

No Favour From Alicia

The next day, the rivalry turned practical. Britt and Taz, miles behind on their ensuite, desperately needed rapid-set waterproofing. The Cursio brothers, who were tiling for Sonny and Alicia, had the product and were happy to give a quick demo to Britt and Taz’s tiler.

But out of respect, they asked Alicia first. Her answer was blunt: “Nup.”

She reminded the group that Britt and Taz had previously claimed all the free timber at the sawmill, forcing her and Sonny to fork out $7000 on landscaping supplies. “Because they decided to keep all that timber in the yard we had to purchase the timber that I thought we had access to,” she said.

Lockout Showdown

With waterproofing delays piling up, the other contestants begged Foreman Dan and site manager Aidan for an extension to the 10pm lockout. They were willing to allow work until midnight, but only if every team agreed.

Cue Alicia again. “Nup,” she said with a grin, before walking off with the parting shot: “Game on bitches.” Dan laughed, while Aidan was left shaking his head.

Trouble Ahead

As of Wednesday night, only Sonny and Alicia had successfully waterproofed their ensuite. The rest were staring down the barrel of disaster ahead of Sunday’s room reveal.

With unfinished painting, exposed waterproofing and half-complete bathrooms, the judges are poised to deliver one of their harshest critiques yet.

Audience Reactions

Viewers were quick to call out the unanimous rule on extended hours, labelling it unfair that one team could block the decision for all. Many felt a majority vote would have been a better system, with some hoping Alicia’s refusal would come back to haunt her later in the season.

Others thought Sonny and Alicia’s confidence had tipped into arrogance. Their caravan and insistence on playing hardball rubbed some fans the wrong way, with one noting they seemed to think they were “hot property” on site.

The wine cellar feud also divided opinion. While Mat and Robby claimed their idea had been stolen, not everyone agreed it was the game-changer they believed. Some viewers felt Emma and Ben were simply playing the game better, while others saw both couples as equally sneaky.

Emma and Ben’s victory also didn’t win universal praise. A section of the audience argued their polished AI renders gave them an unfair advantage, calling it a hollow win compared to actually starting construction. Others, though, felt their consistency across the competition justified the prize.

Britt and Taz’s attempts at diplomacy drew mixed responses. Some felt Britt’s apology on the dance floor was genuine, while others thought the timing was strategic given her need for help with waterproofing. Meanwhile, Alicia’s flat refusal to forgive or forget over the Kmart shopping slight continued to spark eye rolls.

Finally, many worried that Sonny and Alicia’s cutthroat tactics would leave them isolated. By denying other teams both materials and extra time, viewers warned they could end up with no allies when they eventually need support themselves. For some, it was clever strategy; for others, it was petty gameplay at its worst.