SYDNEY ROOSTERS 19 NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS 18
TOM SMITH, Accor Stadium, Sydney, Sunday

DALY CHERRY-EVANS and Mark Nawaqanitawase said goodbye to the NRL in style as the Roosters overcame the courageous Knights to clinch the Premiership by the barest of margins. 

The Tricolours hoarded possession and territory all night, but Newcastle’s brave defence kept them in the contest, although Cherry-Evans’ 70th minute field-goal proved the difference. 

The win seals the Chooks’ fourth title under Trent Robinson and completes a 2026 club double after their NRLW side vanquished the Broncos earlier. 

DCE’s boot led to all three Roosters tries plus the match-winning one-pointer in his last game before joining Hull FC, while rugby union-bound Nawaqanitawase bagged a brace. 

James Tedesco claimed the Clive Churchill Medal for his mammoth 386 running metres and 14 tackle breaks. 

All the build-up focused on Newcastle’s underdog run to their first Grand Final in 25 years under new coach Justin Holbrook, who’s transformed last year’s wooden spooners. 

And another layer of emotion was added on the eve of the game, when a car ploughed into a crowd of Knights fans lining the streets of Newcastle to send off the team coach en route to Sydney. 

But the Roosters eventually claimed the limelight by adding a 16th Premiership to the club’s trophy cabinet. 

The Knights punched their ticket to the decider with a stirring comeback win over the Panthers after hooker Phoenix Crossland was sent off for breaking Nathan Cleary’s leg. 

Thomas Cant replaced the suspended Crossland in the starting line-up and potential debutant Diesel Hagan came onto the bench but didn’t play. 

The Roosters overpowered the Dolphins in Brisbane to secure their Grand Final birth, but lost Connor Watson to a head injury, to be replaced by Benaiah Ioelu. 

The Eastern Suburbs club came in warm favourites, and enjoyed the best of the opening exchanges. But against the run of play, Newcastle struck first. 

With Siua Wong distracted by Kalyn Ponga’s decoy, Fletcher Sharpe sent wrecking-ball backrower Francis Manuleleua streaming away for the opening try on 15 minutes. 

Tempers nearly frayed when Ponga caught Victor Radley high. 

And the Newcastle captain saved a try from the resulting penalty, rattling the ball from Nawaqanitawase’s grasp within inches of grounding it. 

With the Roosters bombarding the Knights’ line and Cherry-Evans looking for Nawaqanitawase in the air again, Ponga scooped up the loose ball and sprinted the length of the field to steal Newcastle’s second. 

But the dam wall eventually burst when Robert Toia beat Greg Marzhew to another Cherry-Evans bomb, inviting Nawaqanitawase to toe the ball to himself to score. 

Desperate to erase their six-point deficit, the Chooks carried their momentum into the second half — and Billy Smith cashed in down the left edge. 

Walker’s second sideline conversion levelled things 12-apiece, and following Sandon Smith’s high tackle on namesake Billy, the halfback drilled the go-ahead penalty goal. 

Nawaqanitawase gave the Roosters some more breathing room, finding the right corner after Cherry-Evans’ kick ricocheted off the woodwork. 

DCE nailed a simple field-goal to give the Tricolours a seven-point buffer. 

Marzhew’s late try and Smith’s clutch conversion set up a cliffhanging finish with three minutes to play, but the Roosters clung on.

GAMESTAR: Roosters captain James Tedesco racked up dizzying numbers at fullback to claim the Clive Churchill Medal. 

GAMEBREAKER: While Hull FC-bound Daly Cherry-Evans’ field-goal in the 70th minute ultimately proved the difference, the Tricolours couldn’t be sure of their victory until the final siren. 

MATCHFACTS

ROOSTERS
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
Subs
15 Angus Crichton
16 Nat Butcher
17 Spencer Leniu
18 Hugo Savala (not used)
19 Cody Ramsey (not used)
20 Benaiah Ioelu (not used)

Tries: Nawaqanitawase (36, 60), Smith (48)
Goals: Walker 3/4
Field-goals: Cherry-Evans (70)

KNIGHTS
1 Kalyn Ponga
2 Dom Young
3 Dane Gagai
4 Bradman Best
5 Greg Marzhew
6 Fletcher Sharpe
7 Sandon Smith
8 Tyson Frizell
19 Thomas Cant
10 Cody Hopwood
11 Jermaine McEwen
12 Francis Manuleleua
13 Mat Croker
Subs
14 Harrison Graham
15 Lachlan Crouch
16 Pasami Saulo
17 Dylan Lucas
18 Fletcher Hunt (not used)
21 Diesel Hagan (not used)

Tries: Manuleleua (16), Ponga (30), Marzhew (77)
Goals: Smith 3/3

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-12, 6-12; 12-12, 14-12, 18-12, 19-12, 19-18

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Roosters: James Tedesco; Knights: Kalyn Ponga

Penalty count: 4-2
Half-time: 6-12
Referee: Adam Gee
Attendance: 80,814