GET READY FOR THE GRAND FINALS - All You Need to Know Before Kick-off

The 2026 NRL Grand Final is finally here, and the BettingTop10 team go through all the biggest news stories for this clash! The Sydney Roosters will come up against the Newcastle Knights, with the winner crowned the 2026 Premiers. There’s so much on the line in this game, so help yourself get ready with our breakdown of the most important news.

NRL betting odds have the Roosters the favourite for this one, and there’s plenty to like about the Chooks. They took down the Dolphins on the road last time out, and have successfully made it to their first Grand Final since 2019. 

 Sam Walker returned to the field in the Roosters’ game against the Dolphins, and immediately made his mark. The Roosters will be looking for Walker to excel once again in this game. 

Walker's return was an incredible feat in itself, as he returned just 24 days after surgery for his syndesmosis injury. He fit back into the team like a glove, and alongside Daly Cherry-Evans, the pair proved too good for the Dolphins.

There is a new injury concern for the Roosters, though, with Connor Watson taken from the field last time out due to HIA. This is a category-one concussion, and he is currently undergoing further testing to determine if he can get medical clearance for the Grand Final.

The race against the clock is important for Watson as he is moving to the St. George Illawarra Dragons in 2027. The Roosters will be looking to see off Daly Cherry-Evans, as he makes his way from the NRL to the English Super League after 16 seasons in the NRL.

Never in the NRL era have we seen a club go from wooden spooners one season to Premiership winners the next. In fact, only their opponents (the Roosters) have come close, with the Chooks going from 2009 wooden spooners to the 2010 Grand Final (but lost to the Dragons).

It hasn’t just been the fact that they’ve made it this far, but how they did it, especially in the last game. Just before the end of the first half, Phoenix Crossland was sent off in the Knights’ game against the Penrith Panthers after his hip-drop tackle on Nathan Cleary.

While the Panthers had to play the majority of the game without their star, the Knights had to play the entire second half a man down. Crossland has pleaded guilty to the dangerous tackle and will likely miss the Grand Final at the very least (he may also miss the Rugby League World Cup).

So, what does Justin Holbrook do at hooker? It looks like Harrison Graham may be the option he turns to, but what we do know for sure is that some restructuring is on the cards. That’s not really something you want to be doing coming into the Grand Final!

Just like the Roosters, the Knights will be looking to send off a player with a bang. Dane Gagai will play his last game for the club in the Grand Final. Gagai has been there through thick and thin with the Knights (totalling 240 games across two stints), so to see him off with a Grand Final would be the icing on the cake.