The Sydney Roosters have claimed the 2026 NRL Grand Final, defeating the Newcastle Knights 19-18 in a breathless finish at Stadium Australia on Sunday evening, with captain James Tedesco delivering a match-winning performance to earn the Clive Churchill Medal and deny Newcastle their first men's premiership in 25 years.
The result was far from straightforward. The Roosters led by six points heading into the final minutes, only for Knights winger Greg Marzhew to score down the left edge in the 76th minute, with Sandon Smith converting from wide out to send a partisan crowd into a frenzy. But the Roosters held firm, and it was Tedesco's two clutch kick receptions in the dying stages that ultimately shut the door on Newcastle's dream comeback.
How the 2026 NRL Grand Final Unfolded
Newcastle enjoyed the backing of the majority of the 80,814-strong crowd at Stadium Australia, and they justified that support with a dominant opening half. The Knights struck first in the 15th minute when Francis Manuleleua ran a sharp angle off a Fletcher Sharpe short ball to cross for the opening try, converted by Smith to make it 6-0.
The Roosters were briefly lifted when Mark Nawaqanitawase appeared to score after leaping to take a Sam Walker kick in the right-hand corner, but the bunker ruled the ball had been knocked on as he attempted to ground it in the in-goal area — a decision that kept Newcastle firmly in command.
The standout moment of the first half arrived in the 29th minute. After Nawaqanitawase tapped the ball back in an aerial contest near the Knights' line, Knights captain Kalyn Ponga pounced and ran 95 metres to score a stunning converted try, extending Newcastle's advantage to 12-0.
The Roosters refused to buckle. Nawaqanitawase got them on the board with an opportunist try five minutes before half-time, and Walker's conversion cut the deficit to 12-6 at the break.
Sydney came out with greater urgency in the second half, peppering the Knights' defensive line. The pressure told in the 47th minute when centre Billy Smith touched down despite desperate Knights efforts to hold him up, with Walker's conversion levelling the scores at 12-12. Walker then slotted a penalty goal in the 54th minute to give the Roosters their first lead of the match.
Nawaqanitawase completed a personal double midway through the second half to push the lead to 18-12, seemingly putting the Roosters in control — before Marzhew's late try set up a frantic finish that had both sets of fans on edge until the final whistle.
Tedesco's Historic Clive Churchill Medal Performance
James Tedesco was unstoppable across 80 minutes, finishing with 385 run metres — the most recorded by any player in an NRL finals match — as well as 14 tackle breaks and a near-faultless record under the high ball. His two composed kick receptions in the dying minutes, with the match in the balance, were decisive.
It was Tedesco's third NRL premiership, having also won back-to-back titles with the Roosters in 2018 and 2019, but his first as captain and his first Clive Churchill Medal. The award completed an extraordinary set of individual honours for the fullback, joining his Wally Lewis Medal from the 2019 State of Origin series and his Dally M Medals from 2019 and 2025.
Retired Parramatta great Peter Sterling presented Tedesco with the medal — 40 years after Sterling became its inaugural recipient.
"So proud of this team, what a game," Tedesco said immediately after the final whistle. "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."
On stage, Tedesco paid tribute to the club's supporters: "To our boys, to our supporters that came out and supported us all year, thank you."
Cherry-Evans Retires With a Second Ring, Robinson Adds to His Legacy
The victory had added emotional weight for veteran halfback Daly Cherry-Evans, who played his final NRL match at the age of 37 and leaves the game with a second premiership ring — his first having come with Manly back in 2011. The former Queensland captain bowed out on the grandest of stages.
Roosters coach Trent Robinson also celebrated another milestone, claiming his fourth premiership as head coach of the Tricolours — a record that cements his standing among the great coaches of the modern era.
The win capped a remarkable grand final day for the club, which had earlier secured the NRLW title with a 30-6 dismantling of the Brisbane Broncos, completing a rare premiership double.
For Newcastle, the defeat leaves their men's premiership drought stretching to 25 years. The Knights had beaten the Panthers, Warriors and Rabbitohs across a finals campaign that captured the nation's imagination, but ultimately fell one agonising point short of glory. You can read more about their path to the decider in our coverage of the Warriors versus Knights preliminary final.
For a full overview of the season's results and context, the 2026 NRL season page provides a comprehensive record of the competition from start to finish. Grand final referee details were confirmed in advance, with Adam Gee appointed to officiate the Roosters versus Knights decider.
