After 27 rounds and three pulsating weeks of finals, it all comes down to 80 minutes at Accor Stadium this Sunday to decide the 2026 NRL champions.
The pride of the Hunter taking on the boys from Bondi in an epic decider that no one saw coming and no one wants to miss.
The Knights have come from seventh spot to qualify for their first grand final since 2001 and are chasing just the third premiership in club history.
The Roosters are into their first decider since 2019 and will look to add a 16th premiership to one of the game's most glittering trophy cabinets.
In many ways the most unlikely of grand final pairings but also the most romantic as last year’s wooden spooners Newcastle look to complete a fairytale revival.
The last team to climb from the dungeon one year to decider the next was their opponents the Roosters, who dusted themselves off after a disastrous 2009 season to charge into the 2010 grand final, where they lost to the Dragons.
Do the underdogs have one more upset left in them or have they spent all their chips? All will be revealed on Sunday night at Accor Stadium in front of a heaving crowd befitting the occasion.
- One play can define a season. These are the moments that matter. Don't miss a second of the action with kick-off at 7.30pm Sunday night live on Nine, 9Now and Sky Sports NZ.
Match: Roosters v Knights
Grand Final -
home Team
Roosters
4th Position
away Team
Knights
7th Position
Venue: Accor Stadium, Sydney
Team News
Roosters: No further game day changes after Benaiah Ioelu joined the six-man bench on Friday when Connor Watson's late bid for a clearance to line up in the grand final was denied by an independent neurologist. In his last ever NRL game, Daly Cherry-Evans will become the oldest player in grand final history at 37 years and 183 days, surpassing the record set by Melbourne's Cameron Smith, who was 37 and 130 days old when he took the field against the Panthers in the 2020 decider. Egan Butcher remains in the squad as the reserve.
Knights: A late change from Justin Holbrook with Thomas Cant to start the game at hooker and Harrison Graham reverting to the bench. Youngster Diesel Hagan has been added to the bench and could make his NRL debut. Star centre Bradman Best sat out training on Wednesday but that was merely a precaution and he will be ready to go on Sunday as he presses his claims for a Kangaroos jersey in a mouth-watering battle with Rob Toia.
Match: Roosters v Knights
Grand Final -
home Team
Roosters
away Team
Knights
Team Lists
Backs
-
Fullback for Roosters is number 1 James TedescoFullback for Knights is number 1 Kalyn Ponga
-
Winger for Roosters is number 2 Daniel TupouWinger for Knights is number 2 Dominic Young
-
Centre for Roosters is number 3 Billy SmithCentre for Knights is number 3 Dane Gagai
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Centre for Roosters is number 4 Robert ToiaCentre for Knights is number 4 Bradman Best
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Winger for Roosters is number 5 Mark NawaqanitawaseWinger for Knights is number 5 Greg Marzhew
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Five-Eighth for Roosters is number 6 Daly Cherry-EvansFive-Eighth for Knights is number 6 Fletcher Sharpe
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Halfback for Roosters is number 7 Sam WalkerHalfback for Knights is number 7 Sandon Smith
Forwards
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Prop for Roosters is number 8 Naufahu WhyteProp for Knights is number 8 Tyson Frizell
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Hooker for Roosters is number 9 Reece RobsonHooker for Knights is number 19 Thomas Cant
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Prop for Roosters is number 10 Lindsay CollinsProp for Knights is number 10 Cody Hopwood
-
2nd Row for Roosters is number 11 Salesi Foketi2nd Row for Knights is number 11 Jermaine McEwen
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2nd Row for Roosters is number 12 Siua Wong2nd Row for Knights is number 12 Francis Manuleleua
-
Lock for Roosters is number 13 Victor RadleyLock for Knights is number 13 Mat Croker
Interchange
-
Interchange for Roosters is number 15 Angus CrichtonInterchange for Knights is number 14 Harrison Graham
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Interchange for Roosters is number 16 Nat ButcherInterchange for Knights is number 15 Lachlan Crouch
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Interchange for Roosters is number 17 Spencer LeniuInterchange for Knights is number 16 Pasami Saulo
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Interchange for Knights is number 17 Dylan Lucas
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Reserve for Roosters is number 18 Hugo SavalaReserve for Knights is number 18 Fletcher Hunt
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Reserve for Roosters is number 19 Cody RamseyReserve for Knights is number 21 Diesel Hagan
-
Reserve for Roosters is number 20 Benaiah Ioelu
Match Officials
- Referee: Adam Gee
- Touch Judge: Tyson Brough
- Touch Judge: Phil Henderson
- Senior Review Official: Chris Butler
Last updated:
Stat Attack
- The Roosters have won their last six games against the Knights.
- The Knights are aiming to become the first team since Western Suburbs in 1934 to go from last to first.
- Roosters winger Mark Nawaqanitawase has scored five tries in his last three games.
- The Knights have only one player with grand final experience (Dane Gagai).
- Roosters prop Lindsay Collins will make his 150th NRL appearance.
- Knights winger Dominic Young has scored five tries in three games at Accor Stadium this season.
Stats supplied by David Middleton, League Information Services, author of the official annual of the NRL.
