NRLGF 2026
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By Stephen Gallagher
If you want to hear me preview this game on the Nigel Yalden Podcast, you can do so by clicking this link and skipping to 08:01:
SUNDAY: Sydney Roosters (4) V Newcastle Knights (7) – Accor Stadium – 21.30NZT
There have been 212 NRL games this season. We’ve ridden plenty of emotions since the competition kicked off in Las Vegas where the Knights, Cowboys, Dragons and Bulldogs got the competition underway.
We saw the highest of highs, where Alex Johnston overtook Ken Irvine’s long-standing try- scoring record of 212 in Round 2, as he took off down the left wing and was greeted with open arms of players and fans alike as the field was stormed in incredible scenes.
We’re also still reeling from the lowest of lows, with the MSD diagnosis of Rabbitohs and Maroons enforcer Jai Arrow, whose career has tragically been cut short by the cruellest of diseases. There was not a dry eye at CBus Super Stadium and Allianz Stadium as he brought up his 99th and 100th South Sydney appearance with “You’ll Never Walk Alone” accompanying him.
We saw the New South Wales Blues win the unwinnable series in Queensland, where debates will rage over the “Hand Of Bos” which led to Bradman Best streaking away to seal the game and the series at Suncorp Stadium.
That’s the beautiful thing about sport. There are storylines, narratives, and fairy tales.
There’s love, there’s heartbreak, passion and pain. Glory and sacrifice.
So before we delve into the nitty-gritty of this incredible Grand Final, let’s look at some storylines that surround this occasion.
I’ll take you all back to 1933, a year I am sure you’re all familiar with and remember like it
was yesterday.
Western Suburbs started the year with a promising win over University, and only lost one of
their first six matches.
If it wasn’t for the Ashes tour of Great Britain (which Australia lost 3-0, mind you), it would
have been a promising season.
They lost five players, and shimmied their way down the ladder and finished last.
This was rectified the following season when they went on to win the NSWRFL competition
of 1934.
That’s the ONLY time that this has happened in the NSWRFL/NSWRL/NRL era.
To put it in perspective with Australia’s other big winter sport, this feat has never been accomplished in VFL/AFL history.
That’s what the Newcastle Knights are looking to do under Justin Holbrook. After a miserable wooden spoon season last year, which saw coach Adam O’Brian sacked, this has been a huge change for the Novacastrians.
Not only did they win the wooden spoon last year, a team has never won the competition outside of the Top 4 in the NRL era.
And over the fence in Bondi, the Roosters conceded fifty points in the last regular-season game of the year. No team has ever won a competition after conceding that many points. Note, though, that the 2001 Newcastle Knights won the competition after losing 49-30 in Round 22 against the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks.
And Daly Cherry-Evans became the youngest ever halfback to win a premiership in his debut season in 2011. If the Roosters win on Sunday, DCE will also become the oldest ever premiership-winning half. Remarkable.
Anyway, less nerd-out rugba leeg shit – here’s my preview of the game.
It’s been a remarkable lead-up to this one. The Newcastle Knights have been absolutely the headliners, with every conversation this week talking about how there were 15,000 fans at their opening training session on Tuesday. There’s talk about just how they managed to win with 12-men for more than half the game last week against the Penrith Panthers. And there’s talk about their remarkable turnaround from 2025.
For the Sydney Roosters, this only adds to the pressure for them to win this. No one is talking about them. No one outside of the Eastern Suburbs wants to see them win. And with a nine-day turnaround leading into this game, they should be the well-rested clear favourites to win this match.
A side that’s studded with representative players in almost every position, this is a team that has “We Play For Premierships” etched on the inside collar of their jerseys. This is their competition to lose.
The rapid return of Sam Walker has been a massive addition to their side; partnering veteran Daly Cherry-Evans has given this team more confidence.
But is there a more influential player in the squad than Mark Nawaqanitawase? Three years ago, when he came over from rugby union, pundits and media alike wouldn’t even attempt to pronounce his last name; now he’s a household name and will be bitterly missed as hereturns to union in 2027.
The form of Naufahu Whyte in the number 8 jersey has been stellar all season. He’s one of the game’s premier props, and hasn’t played a bad game all season.
And the ever-present James Tedesco. Teddy, the captain, the two-time premiership winner, would be the first to admit he hasn’t stamped his mark on a finals game this year.
And their bench is full of players who know exactly what it takes to get the job done in a high-quality affair.
For the Knights, the only reason Sandon Smith has ended up in Newcastle is that the Roosters signed Cherry-Evans for this year. And if it wasn’t for the unfortunate ACL injury to Dylan Brown, he’d probably still be sitting on the bench or in NSW Cup.
Now he’s one game away from lifting the trophy for the club’s first premiership in 25 years. He was the man of the hour last week, and will absolutely be wanting to do the same this week.
Their two elder statesmen, Tyson Frizell and Dane Gagai, are both looking for their maiden premiership rings. Gagai’s performances in September have been next level and Origin-esque. Frizell, a workhorse, has been the leader of this young pack and has not yet taken a backwards step in his career.
The scenes of Kalyn Ponga bawling his eyes out at the final whistle last week will be etched into Newcastle folklore. Arguably the game’s best player right now, you know “KP” will be looking to carry this team on his back.
And don’t forget about Bradman Best. The bloke lives for big games. He’s a big game specialist.
You compare these two teams on paper and experience, and it’s a second-round knock-out to the Sydney Roosters. However, this game isn’t played on paper, and it will come down to who wants this one more.
If this game is close, I can’t look past Daly Cherry-Evans looking to kick his 30th field goal to win it. That’s an incredible amount of clutch moments in one man’s career.
Earlier, I touched on fairytales. I believe in fairytales.
I want the Newcastle Knights to win this. Some would say they have the weight of the town on their shoulders. I actually think the town is making them soar higher than they couldpossibly imagine.
The cliché of getting off to a fast start still stands. There’s going to be fireworks. There’s going to be plenty of physical battles. There’s going to be so many moments that make us go “ooooh!” and there’s going to be so many ‘Grand Final’ moments.
I’ve got the Knights winning 22-18. Cody Hopwood first try scorer, and Sandon Smith to win
the Clive Churchill.
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