The Sydney Roosters have edged the Newcastle Knights 19-18 in a dramatic NRL grand final, with a Daly Cherry-Evans field goal ultimately separating the sides.
Despite the Roosters controlling much of the opening half, Newcastle surged to a 12-0 advantage through two tries against the flow of play, highlighted by Kalyn Ponga’s stunning 95-metre effort.
Mark Nawaqanitawase responded shortly before the break before Billy Smith powered across after half-time to bring the Roosters back into contention. Newcastle’s desperate defence kept the scores locked until Nawaqanitawase grabbed his second try following a fortunate rebound from the upright, before Cherry-Evans landed the crucial one-pointer with 10 minutes remaining.
Greg Marzhew crossed for the Knights in the 77th minute to create a tense finish, but Newcastle were unable to work themselves into field-goal range before time expired. Earlier, the Roosters completed a premiership double by claiming their third NRLW title, running in seven tries in a commanding 30-6 victory over the Brisbane Broncos to avenge their defeat in the 2025 decider.
