Sydney Roosters beat Newcastle Knights 19-18 in NRL grand final

Centre · 1The Sydney Roosters beat the Newcastle Knights 19-18 in the NRL grand final at Stadium Australia on Sunday 4 October 2026, in front of 80,814 people. 1 Centre · 1It was the Roosters' 16th title, their first since 2019 and their fourth under coach Trent Robinson. 1 Mixed · 2Newcastle scored first and led 12-0 through tries by Francis Manuleleua and captain Kalyn Ponga. ABC News described Manuleleua's try as the result of a pass from Fletcher Sharpe, and Ponga's as a 95-metre run after he swooped on a bouncing ball. 1 2

Centre · 1Winger Mark Nawaqanitawase got the Roosters on the board with a kick and chase shortly before half-time, and centre Billy Smith's converted try in the 47th minute levelled the scores at 12-12. 1 Mixed · 2Sam Walker kicked a penalty to put the Roosters ahead for the first time, and Nawaqanitawase's second try made it 18-12. Daly Cherry-Evans then kicked a field goal, in his final NRL game, to make the lead seven points. 1 2 Mixed · 2Newcastle replied late when winger Greg Marzhew scored in the corner. Sandon Smith, a former Rooster, kicked the conversion from the sideline to cut the margin to one point, but the Knights could not score again. 1 2

Mixed · 2Newcastle had been seeking their first title since 2001. ABC News said they were trying to become the first team since the 1930s to go from wooden-spoon to premiers, and CNA said they reached the final after beating Penrith with 12 men the week before. 1 2 Left · 1ABC News said the Roosters statistically dominated the match. It highlighted two refereeing calls that went against them: Ponga was not sin-binned for a shoulder to the head of Victor Radley, and a head-high tackle penalty was given against Lindsay Collins, though replays appeared to show contact with the chest and shoulder. Roosters captain James Tedesco was heard on the broadcast saying "It's been a sin bin all year." 2 Centre · 1Nawaqanitawase and Cherry-Evans both played their last games for now: Nawaqanitawase returns to rugby union after two years at the Roosters, and Cherry-Evans is moving to England's Super League. Nawaqanitawase said: "Credit to the Knights, they fought for 80 minutes there." 1

Left · 1Tedesco, the Roosters captain, won the Clive Churchill Medal as player of the match, his first. ABC News said he ran 385 metres, the most by a player in any NRL finals match, made 14 tackle breaks, and took two clutch kick receptions in the final minutes. 3 Left · 1It was Tedesco's third premiership and his first as captain. Peter Sterling, the first winner of the medal 40 years ago, presented it. Tedesco said: "Honestly, it felt like we had them on the ropes, but they just kept coming back." 3 Left · 1ABC News's analysis of Newcastle's loss said the Roosters had 51 tackles inside the Knights' 20 to Newcastle's six, and that the Roosters went direct through the middle in the second half. It credited Naufahu Whyte and Spencer Leniu, and said Marzhew's late try was nearly Newcastle's only chance in the second half. 4

Left · 1The same piece praised Newcastle's effort, singling out Ponga, Francis Manuleleua in just his 15th NRL game, and 20-year-old prop Cody Hopwood, who made 46 tackles. It said Ponga was close to tears at full time and that the Knights' young forwards and returning players, including Dylan Brown, give them hope of not waiting long for another chance. 4