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The Sydney Roosters and Newcastle Knights meet in the 2026 NRL grand final at Accor Stadium, with Newcastle riding momentum and emotion after a fairytale finals run despite missing key forwards.
The Sydney Roosters and Newcastle Knights will meet in the 2026 NRL grand final at Accor Stadium, with the Knights chasing an upset after a fairytale finals run.
Newcastle knocked off South Sydney, travelled to New Zealand and rumbled heavyweights Penrith with only 12 players. The Knights now ride momentum and emotion that is unlike any other in rugby league. On Sunday, Knights fans could take over as much as 80 per cent of Accor Stadium. The Roosters have had a dream run in comparison after going to war with Penrith in week one, knocking over the Sharks and Dolphins, and earning a nine-day build-up.
Key Players For Roosters And Knights
Big games are won in big moments, and the biggest game of 2026 will be no different. The Roosters and Knights have plenty of points in them, and score them in distinctly different ways, but they have also been the two best defensive sides of the finals series. Kalyn Ponga, James Tedesco, Francis Manuleleua and Reece Robson could be key players for very different reasons.
Newcastle started the season with a smaller pack and less depth than most clubs in the middle, so they made their edge attack a real focal point. Three of their four tries against Penrith came from their own half, and the Knights have now scored 35 this season from their own side of halfway. Big, bad Francis Manuleleua finished off one of Newcastle first attacking plays last week.
Manuleleua will be opposite Daly Cherry-Evans, whose history of being isolated in defence has been well-documented. On the opposite edge, Jermaine McEwen will line up on Sam Walker with an advantage of almost 30 kilos. At the very least, this is where Newcastle will look to work over the Roosters halves, create quick play-the-balls and wear them out. The challenge for the Knights is that they are missing Jacob Saifiti, Trey Mooney and now Crossland.
Newcastle Front Row Rotation Strategy
Crossland has made more tackles than any other player in the NRL this year and kicked four 40-20s, equal most in the competition. Without their first-choice front row, Newcastle will use a middle trio rotation of Tyson Frizell, Mat Croker and Cody Hopwood. They start up against Naufahu Whyte, Lindsay Collins and Victor Radley, three world-class players. It is a huge task, but if the Knights forwards can hold their own, they can set up a Newcastle upset.
Harrison Graham has averaged 34 minutes a game this year off the bench in short, explosive stints. How Newcastle coach Justin Holbrook manages his new dummy half duties will have a big influence on the Knights, with and without the ball. Newcastle need to improve their good-ball kicking game. Dane Gagai and Fletcher Sharpe both gave away seven-tackle sets against Penrith, and Newcastle have battled to score points from inside the 20-metre zone during the finals.
Roosters Wingers Threaten Newcastle Defense
Connor Watson has concussion concerns, but the Chooks are fully fit and have attacking options all over the field. None are more lethal than their two towering, champion wingers, Daniel Tupou and Mark Nawaqanitawase. They will be waiting for cross-field kicks from Walker and Cherry-Evans. No side has scored as many tries from kicks as the Roosters with 37 this year, and the 13cm height difference between Nawaqanitawase and Greg Marzhew makes Newcastle left wing an obvious target.
Walker did not miss a beat in his return from ankle surgery last week, and he brings so much creativity. The Roosters right edge has been their most dangerous, with Rob Toia already an elite centre in just his second year of first grade. Siua Wong is in career-best form, while Cherry-Evans and Nawaqanitawase are playing their last games of NRL for now in Marky Mark case.
The Tricolours will love that they are flying under the radar this week with their middles in excellent form. Angus Crichton and Spencer Leniu add real aggression and punch off the bench. The Roosters have the big-game advantage and experience, with 13 Origin players and genuine international stars. But they still have a run of bad back-to-back errors and cheap penalties in their game, which can bring Newcastle set plays into the contest.
Captains Tedesco And Ponga Lead Teams
A big moment and a big player will decide the grand final. They do not get any bigger than the two captains and fullbacks, James Tedesco and Kalyn Ponga. They are both freakish players and Kalyn is in career-best form. He is the Knights biggest attacking threat down their left edge feeding Bradman Best and Marzhew.
Teddy is not far off his best form either. His threat, along with the ball-playing he has added in the past few years, is around the ruck when he combines with Reece Robson. The NSW hooker has emerged as a devastating run threat this finals series, particularly when the ball is in play for five or six minutes and middle forwards start to tire.
Ponga will scythe down the Knights left edge, aiming to burn Cherry-Evans with pure speed or hoodwink him into a poor defensive decision. Fletcher Sharpe, the flying mullet from Cessnock, is the best support player in the game. Walker short kicking game, particularly in behind Sharpe as the third defender in from the sideline, will also be crucial. If the forecast for a dry track on Sunday holds up, Newcastle should benefit more with their ball movement.
With all the emotion and crowd support, the Knights can pull off an upset if they start well and score first. Line speed, pressure on the Roosters star halves and forcing errors is how the Knights pull off a miracle. If you look at the squads on paper and all the statistics, the Roosters should be winning by 20. But big games are not played on paper, and they are not won by reputation. They are won in big moments, by world-class players.
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brisbanetimes:This story was compiled and edited by the HeadTopics newsroom and HT AI from the reports above.
Sydney Roosters Newcastle Knights Kalyn Ponga James Tedesco
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