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, in front of 80,814 people. Daly Cherry-Evans’ 70th-minute field goal proved decisive. Newcastle had a narrow deficit and two final possessions, but no way to the Roosters’ goal line.
A comeback in front of 80,814
Newcastle built an early lead with tries from Francis Manuleleua and Kalyn Ponga, both converted by Sandon Smith. Ponga then ran 95 metres to score. The Roosters answered through Mark Nawaqanitawase and Billy Smith, as Sam Walker kicked two conversions to level the score.
Nawaqanitawase started the Roosters’ response. He kicked a bouncing ball toward the in-goal with his right shin, trapped it beneath his right boot, then kicked it forward with his left foot before reaching the line. It was the final chapter of his NRL career for now; he’ll return to rugby union.
Manuleleua opened the scoring after dislocating his elbow in Newcastle’s final home-and-away match on August 30. The Auckland-born player scored 35 days later, running through a gap after Fletcher Sharpe passed to him. 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 caught a kick after it changed trajectory when it struck a cable holding the Spidercam. He also stopped a likely Roosters try by knocking the ball from Nawaqanitawase’s grasp.
The late decisions
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.
Cherry-Evans’ field goal gave the Roosters a seven-point lead with 10 minutes to play. Newcastle stayed in the contest: Greg Marzhew broke two tackles to score in the corner with less than four minutes remaining, and Sandon Smith converted from the sideline to cut the margin to one point. The Knights had two more possessions but couldn’t reach the Roosters’ goal line.
Newcastle had aimed to become the first team since the 1930s to go from wooden spoon to premiers. Cherry-Evans played his final NRL match after leaving Manly for the Sydney Roosters in a high-profile offseason move. The former Queensland State of Origin captain’s kick secured the winning margin.
Tedesco claims the medal
Tedesco won the Clive Churchill Medal as player of the match. It was his third premiership and first Clive Churchill Medal, and the Roosters’ first men’s premiership since 2019. He’d been a back-to-back premiership winner with the club in 2018 and 2019, but this was his first grand final win as captain.
Tedesco recorded 385 run metres, the most by a player in any NRL finals match, and made 14 tackle breaks. He also made two important kick receptions in the closing minutes and drew praise as close to faultless under the high ball. Retired Parramatta great Peter Sterling presented the medal, 40 years after becoming the award’s 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 the players and supporters who’d backed the team through the season.
The Roosters also won the women’s competition earlier Sunday, beating defending champion Brisbane Broncos 30-6 and completing 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.