The Sydney Roosters are the 2026 premiers after edging the Newcastle Knights 19-18 in a gripping NRL grand final at Accor Stadium on Sunday night, 4 October, with Daly Cherry-Evans’ 70th-minute field goal proving the difference in his final NRL game.
It is the Roosters’ 16th premiership and their first since 2019, won in front of 80,814 fans after they trailed 12-0 shortly before halftime. For Newcastle, it ended a remarkable run from 2025 wooden spooners to the decider, NRL.com reported.
How the grand final unfolded
The Knights struck first through back-rower Francis Manuleleua in the 16th minute after a superb Fletcher Sharpe pass. Captain Kalyn Ponga then denied Mark Nawaqanitawase with a desperate try-saving play before pouncing on a Roosters tap-back and racing the length of the field to make it 12-0 on the half-hour.
Nawaqanitawase hit back just before the break, toeing the ball into the in-goal and following through to score. The Roosters took control after halftime: Billy Smith fought through Jermaine McEwen’s tackle to level at 12-12, Sam Walker added a penalty goal, and Nawaqanitawase grabbed his second in the 60th minute after a Cherry-Evans grubber bounced off the upright and James Tedesco shifted the ball wide.
Cherry-Evans then slotted his field goal from about 18 metres out to make it 19-12, the 32nd of his career according to AAP. Greg Marzhew crossed in the corner in the 77th minute and Sandon Smith converted from the sideline to give the Knights hope, but a last-minute Dane Gagai error ended it.
Newcastle had just 43 per cent of possession and made 126 more tackles than the Roosters, with Mat Croker (47), Cody Hopwood (46) and McEwen (42) leading the defensive effort, per NRL.com.
Tedesco wins the Clive Churchill Medal
Tedesco won the Clive Churchill Medal after running 385 metres from 35 runs with 14 tackle breaks. ESPN, via AAP, reported the metres were the most by a player in any NRL finals match. It is his third premiership and his first as captain, the ABC reported, and the medal was presented by Peter Sterling, the award’s first winner in 1986.
“So proud of this team, what a game,” Tedesco said. “Honestly, it felt like we had them on the ropes, but they just kept coming back … There’s so many great attacking players and that game could’ve gone either way.”
Cherry-Evans signs off a premiership winner
Cherry-Evans, 37, won his second premiership 15 years after his first with Manly. AAP reported he finishes as the oldest premiership winner in 104 years, with the longest gap between titles in history.
“I’ve been chasing that moment, that feeling my whole career,” he said, per AAP. Speaking to Nine, he passed on the credit. “We did it,” he said, according to the ABC. “I didn’t do anything.”
Trent Robinson collected his fourth premiership as Roosters coach after 2013, 2018 and 2019, according to NRL.com.
“We have a slogan, we play for premierships, and it’s there and you feel that,” Robinson said, per AAP. “But it also, when you don’t, you feel it a lot. And I’ve felt it a lot as well as Ted and the other players over the last six years.”
Knights proud in defeat
“It hurts so much. I know we did them proud, but the ultimate goal is to win a comp. Can’t thank them enough for their support. We’ll be back,” Ponga told Nine, as reported by Fox Sports.
Knights coach Justin Holbrook said: “I’ve never watched a harder game of footy. I am so proud. But you just felt for them,” before adding, “But you don’t win off being proud, you win off being the better side.”
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