A legendary showdown
The NRL grand final was absolute cinema. In front of a deafening crowd of 80,814, the Sydney Roosters took down the Newcastle Knights 19-18 in a game that lived up to the hype. The Knights, who went from wooden spooners to title contenders this season, gave it everything, but the Roosters stayed ruthless until the final whistle.
The momentum shift
Newcastle started out with that main character energy, jumping to a 12-0 lead early on thanks to some clever playmaking. But the Roosters weren't about to fold. Mark Nawaqanitawase was highkey on one, scoring two massive tries. His second one—a creative tap-back and pounce—was pure IQ. By halftime, the stats were already heavily skewed toward Sydney, despite the scoreboard showing a six-point lead for the underdogs.
The closing act
The second half was all Roosters. They pounded the Knights' defense until it broke, with Billy Smith powering through to level the score. A Sam Walker penalty kick gave the Roosters the lead, and a beautiful assist from captain James Tedesco—who took home the Clive Churchill medal—set up Nawaqanitawase for his second score. Even with 37-year-old Daly Cherry-Evans nailing a field goal to extend the lead, Newcastle kept fighting. Greg Marzhew scored late to make it 19-18, but the Roosters' defense held firm to lock in the trophy.
Why it matters
This win marks the 16th title for the Roosters and a perfect send-off for stars like Angus Crichton and Mark Nawaqanitawase. For Newcastle, falling just short in a nail-biter after such a wild turnaround season shows they’re a force to be reckoned with, but the Roosters proved they have the championship DNA.
