+34
Newcastle plays the Sydney Roosters in the 2026 NRL grand final on Sunday at Accor Stadium after a crash in Newcastle injured 10 fans, including a five-year-old girl fighting for her life.
The 2026 NRL grand final between the Newcastle Knights and Sydney Roosters will be played on Sunday night at Accor Stadium, with the match scheduled to finish by 10pm and end a season that has spanned 31 weeks not including pre-season.
Grand Final Day and Newcastle Tragedy
Grand final day includes the state championships, the NRLW grand final between the Broncos and the Roosters, and the NRL grand final. Coverage will provide updates on traffic and public transport, with live coverage of all three matches and updates from the tragedy in Newcastle. In Newcastle, a five-year-old girl is fighting for her life and nine others were injured when a teenage P-plate driver allegedly lost control of his car and crashed into crowds lining a street.
The fans had gathered to wave the Knights off to the grand final, and the incident occurred on a wet road. One injured person, Chris Clancy, said the car appeared to speed up as it went through a roundabout, and then lost control. He said no one had time to move. He said he thought he was going to die and that it happened so fast.
Fans at the crash site rushed to provide first aid as emergency crews arrived. Word of the collision spread through tens of thousands of excited fans waiting for a glimpse of the team. The Knights team bus had not yet departed when the crash occurred, and it was rerouted and players were informed. Before the crash, excitement was building across Newcastle.
For kilometre after kilometre, Knights fans were everywhere. Families stood on nature strips, kids wore red, white and blue jerseys and waved hand-made signs, car horns blared, and chairs were lined up along the road waiting for a glimpse of the Knights coach as it made its way to Sydney with the players and the hopes of an entire city on board.
Knights Seek Historic Premiership Success
A Sydney Morning Herald photographer on the ground in Newcastle spotted a message board from a local church, as the excitement built and everyone seemed swept up in NRL grand final fever. The Knights are the second team in 90 years to make the grand final after being wooden spooners the year before, following the Roosters in 2009 and 2010.
They can become the second team ever to go from wooden spoon to premiers, a feat only achieved by Western Suburbs in 1933 and 1934. It is their first grand final appearance since 2001, as they eye their third premiership after wins in 1997 and 2001. They look to claim their first premiership in 25 years.
The Knights join the Cowboys in 2017, Bulldogs in 2014, Warriors in 2011, Roosters in 2010 and Eels in 2009 in making the grand final from outside the top four. None of those teams won the premiership. Only the Broncos in 1993 and Bulldogs in 1995 have managed it previously, finishing fifth and sixth respectively. The Roosters are seeking their first premiership since 2019 and their 16th ever to move into outright second on the all-time table.
The Roosters have won 20 of their past 23 games against the Knights, including their last six and both meetings this year, 38-24 and 23-22. If the Roosters win, they will break the 50-point curse as the first NRL team to win the premiership in the same season they conceded 50 or more points in a match, though they did so while mass resting players.
Weather and Pre-Game Entertainment
The forecast for Sunday is a top of 25 degrees according to the Bureau of Meteorology. No rain is anticipated, so a dry, fast track is expected for the decider. Grand final day often turns out to be one of the hotter days of the year, but this time conditions will be milder. A star-studded group of Australian musicians will come together for pre-game entertainment, which will double as a tribute to Jai Arrow.
Music stars will join forces for a pre-game rendition of the Gerry and the Pacemakers song and Liverpool FC anthem You'll Never Walk Alone. Pop star Amy Shark will lead the charge alongside members from The Screaming Jets, Peking Duk, Grinspoon, and Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers. The Roosters lineup is: 1. James Tedesco, 2.
Daniel Tupou, 3. Billy Smith, 4. Robert Toia, 5. Mark Nawaqanitawase, 6.
Daly Cherry-Evans, 7. Sam Walker, 8. Naufahu Whyte, 9. Reece Robson, 10.
Lindsay Collins, 11. Salesi Foketi, 12. Siua Wong, 13. Victor Radley, 15.
Angus Crichton, 16. Nat Butcher, 17. Spencer Leniu, 18. Hugo Savala, 19.
Grand Final Team Lineups
Cody Ramsey, 20. Benaiah Ioelu. The Knights lineup is: 1. Kalyn Ponga, 2.
Dominic Young, 3. Dane Gagai, 4. Bradman Best, 5. Greg Marzhew, 6.
Fletcher Sharpe, 7. Sandon Smith, 8. Tyson Frizell, 14. Harrison Graham, 10.
Cody Hopwood, 11. Jermaine McEwen, 12. Francis Manuleleua, 13. Mathew Croker, 15.
Lachlan Crouch, 16. Pasami Saulo, 17. Dylan Lucas, 18. Fletcher Hunt, 19.
Thomas Cant, 20. Kyle McCarthy. Fox League will provide expert analysis during the build-up and a full replay with its own commentary immediately after the final siren. Mini replays will also be available post-game on Kayo Sports.
FOXSportsAUS 
smh:NRL grand final 2026 LIVE updates: Newcastle Knights look to claim first premiership in 25 years against the Sydney Roosters; Broncos face off against Roosters in NRLW final 
theage:NRL grand final 2026 LIVE updates: Newcastle Knights look to claim first premiership in 25 years against the Sydney Roosters; Broncos face off against Roosters in NRLW final 
brisbanetimes:NRL grand final 2026 LIVE updates: Newcastle Knights look to claim first premiership in 25 years against the Sydney Roosters; Broncos face off against Roosters in NRLW finalThis story was compiled and edited by the HeadTopics newsroom and HT AI from the reports above.
NRL Grand Final 2026 Newcastle Knights Sydney Roosters Accor Stadium Newcastle Crash NRL Grand Final NRLW Grand Final
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News: You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Newcastle Knights mania grips city ahead of NRL grand finalNewcastle is gripped by Knights-mania before Sunday's NRL grand final, with tattoos, sold-out watch parties and a fan farewell for the team.
Read more »
NRL Grand Final Ticket Shortage Leaves Roosters and Knights Fans DisappointedRoosters and Knights fans are frustrated after NRL grand final tickets sold out in two hours, leaving many members unable to attend the match at Accor Stadium.
Read more »
Newcastle Knights’ tale burns bright but Sydney Roosters are built just for NRL’s grand occasionNo matter how brilliant Sydney might prove to be on Sunday night, the 2026 grand final will be remembered for Newcastle’s presence in the decider
Read more »