+34
The Sydney Roosters defeated the Brisbane Broncos 30-6 in the 2026 NRLW grand final, completing an undefeated 13-win season and avenging last year's loss. Brydie Parker scored a hat-trick and Tarryn Aiken starred with two tries and two try assists.
The Sydney Roosters have won the 2026 NRLW grand final, defeating the Brisbane Broncos 30-6 at a packed stadium on Sunday. The win avenged last year's heartbreaking grand final loss to the same opponents.
The Roosters completed a perfect season with 13 wins from 13 matches, becoming the first top-grade rugby league side in Australia to go through a season undefeated since the 1959 St George Dragons. That Dragons team had 17 wins and one draw. The last team to win every match in a season was South Sydney in 1925.
NRLW Competitive Balance Concerns Raised
The 30-6 margin equalled the biggest ever NRL grand final winning margin, set by the Broncos in their 30-6 win over the Dragons in the 2019 decider, when the competition had four teams and a four-week season. The result amplified concerns over the competitive balance of the NRLW, with critics arguing the Roosters and Broncos are too far ahead of the rest of the league. Sunday's grand final suggested the league still does not have it quite right.
The Roosters shrugged off a shaky start, when winger Jayme Fressard sent the ball over the sideline as she attempted to trap it with her foot from the kick-off. Brisbane's Julia Robinson then dropped the ball stone cold in her own half, gifting the Roosters a golden chance. Brydie Parker opened the scoring, fielding a cross-field kick from five-eighth Jocelyn Kelleher and touching down in the corner. Parker scored a first-half double before completing her hat-trick in the second period.
Halfback Tarryn Aiken, who missed last year's decider after rupturing her ACL in the final round of the regular season, produced three moments of brilliance in a seven-minute stretch in the first half. She finished with two tries, two try assists and two linebreak assists.
Aiken Shines With Three Try Assists
First Aiken grubbered for herself and caught the ricochet off Brisbane winger Kerri Johnson to score. Four minutes later she set up captain Isabelle Kelly from an attacking scrum. She then produced a great kick that Brisbane's Deleni Paitai fumbled, leading to Fressard scoring in the corner. Kelleher was equally impressive, with her bombs giving even Tamika Upton trouble at the back.
A charging try from Amber Hall put an exclamation mark on the victory. Brisbane came out stronger in the second half and kept the Roosters out for the first 20 minutes, but saved one of their worst games of the season for last. They slumped to a completion rate of 60 per cent and were restricted to 10 minutes fewer with the ball than the Roosters.
Down 26-0 early in the second half, Brisbane's misery looked set to continue when the Roosters seemed certain to score their seventh try. A high bomb was allowed to bounce and landed in Parker's arms, and a brilliant flick pass looked set to end with Jessica Sergis scoring in the corner. But Brisbane captain and fullback Tamika Upton, the Dally M medallist this season, produced a try-saving tackle as good as any seen this year.
Upton Makes Try-Saving Tackle Against Sergis
She screamed across in cover, twisted her body and made sure she was under the ball as Sergis fell to the line. With Upton around her like a snake, Sergis could not get her arm free to ground the ball. It did not change the outcome, but it was another example of why Upton is the best player in the competition.
The match marked a sorry ending to the career of veteran playmaker Ali Brigginshaw, the incumbent Jillaroos captain and arguably the NRLW's most influential player. Brigginshaw was lucky not to be sin-binned in her farewell game. With the Roosters on top, Brigginshaw was desperate to stop Aiken putting in an attacking cross-field kick. Aiken did, leading to a try, but Brigginshaw's low dive resulted in her clattering into the planted leg of Aiken.
Brigginshaw Farewell Marred By Controversial Hit
The hit under the knee led to Aiken landing hard on her back and could easily have resulted in a 10-minute break on the sideline. Referee Belinda Sharpe decided putting Brigginshaw on report was the only action necessary. The Roosters came into the decider with plenty of confidence, having won 30 of their previous 31 NRLW matches. Their only loss was last year's grand final to the Broncos, which denied them an undefeated season.
They regrouped in 2026, won every match on their way to the decider, then exacted revenge with a commanding win to complete the perfect season.
abcnews
theage:This story was compiled and edited by the HeadTopics newsroom and HT AI from the reports above.
Sydney Roosters Brisbane Broncos NRLW Grand Final Tarryn Aiken NRLW Grand Final Undefeated Season
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.
New era beckons for NRLW as Sydney Roosters seek grand final redemption against Brisbane BroncosThe unbeaten Sydney aim to avenge last year’s shock defeat to Brisbane as the league farewells pioneer Ali Brigginshaw and stalwarts including Millie Elliott
Read more »
Roosters beat Knights 19-18 in NRL grand final as NRLW decider heads to Accor StadiumThe Sydney Roosters won the NRL grand final 19-18 over the Newcastle Knights after a Daly Cherry-Evans field goal, while the NRLW grand final between the Roosters and Brisbane Broncos kicked off at 4pm AEDT at Accor Stadium.
Read more »
Tarryn Aiken Leads Roosters into NRLW Grand Final Against BroncosTarryn Aiken will lead the Sydney Roosters into Sunday's NRLW grand final against the Brisbane Broncos, chasing a third grand final appearance in three years and a chance to erase the pain of last season's ACL injury.
Read more »