The Sydney Roosters overturned a 12-0 deficit to beat the Newcastle Knights 19-18 in the NRL grand final at Accor Stadium on Sunday, October 4, 2026. Daly Cherry-Evans’ field goal in the 70th minute decided the match before a crowd of 80,814.
Newcastle struck first through Francis Manuleleua and Kalyn Ponga, and Sandon Smith converted both tries. Mark Nawaqanitawase and Billy Smith answered for the Roosters, while Sam Walker kicked two conversions to level the scores. Cherry-Evans then put his team in front.
The Match Turned Late
Cherry-Evans’ kick gave the Roosters a seven-point lead with 10 minutes to play. Less than four minutes remained when Greg Marzhew broke two tackles and scored in the corner. Sandon Smith converted from the sideline, putting Newcastle one point behind.
The Knights had two more possessions, but couldn't get to the Roosters’ goal line. Newcastle had hoped to become the first team since the 1930s to go from wooden spoon to premiers.
Manuleleua scored the opening try after dislocating his elbow in Newcastle’s final home-and-away match on August 30. Thirty-five days later, he ran through a gap to score after Fletcher Sharpe passed him the ball. Two-time premiership winner Luke Lewis said on the ABC Sport call: “It looked way too easy – didn't look like there was anything wrong … absolutely brilliant football, outstanding pass, but it all looked too easy for the Knights.”
Ponga sprinted 95 metres to score and give Newcastle a 12-0 lead. Earlier, a kick struck a cable holding the Spidercam and changed direction; Ponga caught it. He also denied a likely Roosters try by knocking the ball from Nawaqanitawase’s grasp.
Midway through the first half, Ponga’s shoulder hit Victor Radley’s head in a tackle. Roosters captain James Tedesco told referee Adam Gee on the Nine broadcast: “If we're consistent with the rules, that's a shoulder to the head,” and, “It's been a sin bin all year.” Gee and the bunker kept Ponga on the field. A scuffle between Naufahu Whyte and Jermaine McEwan followed.
Players’ Performances and Careers
Nawaqanitawase scored the Roosters’ first try after kicking a bouncing ball toward the in-goal with his right shin, trapping it under his right boot and then kicking it forward with his left foot before reaching the line. He was playing the final chapter of his NRL career for now before returning to rugby union.
Cherry-Evans played his last NRL match. He had left Manly for the Sydney Roosters in a high-profile offseason move, and his field goal secured the narrow lead.
Tedesco won the Clive Churchill Medal as player of the match. This was his third premiership and first medal; the Roosters’ men’s team last won the premiership in 2019. He won with the Roosters in 2018 and 2019, but this was his first grand final victory as captain.
He made 385 run metres, the most by a player in any NRL finals match, and 14 tackle breaks. In the closing minutes, he also made two important kick receptions and looked close to faultless under the high ball.
The Roosters’ Other Final
Tedesco’s medal joins his Wally Lewis Medal, earned in the 2019 State of Origin series, and Dally M awards from 2019 and 2025. Retired Parramatta great Peter Sterling presented the medal, 40 years after he became its first winner.
Immediately after the match, Tedesco said: “So proud of this team, what a game,” and, “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, he thanked “our boys” and the supporters who “came out supported us all year.”
The Roosters also won the women’s competition on Sunday, beating defending champion Brisbane Broncos 30-6 after a season of 13 consecutive wins. On Saturday, a vehicle drove into a crowd gathered on a road to cheer the Knights as the team left Newcastle for Sydney, injuring 10 people, including several children.