> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.bushletter.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Rugby league to honour Jai Arrow after disease ends his career - URL: https://www.bushletter.com/rugby-league-to-honour-jai-arrow-after-disease-ends-his-career/ - Published: 2026-10-01T03:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-01T02:59:59.000Z - Description: Arrow retired in May after a motor neurone disease diagnosis. He will complete a stadium lap to You'll Never Walk Alone before Sunday's kick-off. - Author: Editor - Tags: Sport, Australia, Jai Arrow ![Caleb Reed](https://res.cloudinary.com/dz77sb7j1/image/upload/v1774262572/bushletter/authors/caleb-reed.png) By **Caleb Reed** ยท 2026-09-30 TLDR The NRL will pay tribute to Jai Arrow, who retired in May after a motor neurone disease diagnosis, with a lap of Accor Stadium to You'll Never Walk Alone before Sunday's grand final. The Sydney Roosters face the Newcastle Knights at 7:30 pm AEDT, with Knights hooker Phoenix Crossland banned after a hip-drop tackle broke Nathan Cleary's ankle. KEY TAKEAWAYS 01Arrow will complete a lap of Accor Stadium to You'll Never Walk Alone before the 7:30 pm AEDT kick-off. 02Motor neurone disease ended Arrow's career in May after 178 NRL games and 12 Queensland appearances. 03Phoenix Crossland received a four-game ban for a hip-drop tackle that fractured Nathan Cleary's leg. 04Harrison Graham is set to make his NRL debut in Crossland's place for the Newcastle Knights. 05The Sydney Roosters face the Newcastle Knights in the 2026 Telstra Premiership Grand Final on 4 October. Jai Arrow will complete a lap of Accor Stadium to You'll Never Walk Alone, performed by Australian musicians, before Sunday's NRL grand final kick-off.[\[1\]](https://au.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/nrl-grand-final-jai-arrow-tribute-101678/?ref=bushletter.com) Arrow, who was 30, retired in May after a motor neurone disease diagnosis, having played 178 NRL games across three clubs and represented Queensland 12 times.[\[2\]](https://www.rabbitohs.com.au/news/jai-arrow-announces-his-immediate-retirement-from-the-nrl-on-medical-grounds?ref=bushletter.com) "Thank you for the support I've received over what has been an incredibly difficult and uncertain period in my life," Arrow said.[\[2\]](https://www.rabbitohs.com.au/news/jai-arrow-announces-his-immediate-retirement-from-the-nrl-on-medical-grounds?ref=bushletter.com) The 2026 Telstra Premiership Grand Final brings the Sydney Roosters and the Newcastle Knights together for the season decider at Accor Stadium.[\[3\]](https://www.nrl.com/news/2026/09/27/grand-final-week-2026-everything-you-need-to-know/?ref=bushletter.com) The match is scheduled to kick off at 7:30 pm AEDT on Sunday 4 October.[\[4\]](https://www.nrl.com/tickets/2026-nrl-telstra-premiership-grand-final/?ref=bushletter.com) Newcastle will enter the season decider without hooker Phoenix Crossland after the NRL judiciary suspended him for four matches because a hip-drop tackle fractured Penrith halfback Nathan Cleary's leg and ruled him out of the final.[\[5\]](https://www.nrl.com/news/2026/09/29/remorseful-crossland-apologises-to-cleary-after-learning-judiciary-fate/?ref=bushletter.com) Harrison Graham is set to make his NRL debut in Crossland's place.[\[5\]](https://www.nrl.com/news/2026/09/29/remorseful-crossland-apologises-to-cleary-after-learning-judiciary-fate/?ref=bushletter.com) "I apologise to Nathan and the Panthers and more importantly the game and the fans. It's a terrible start to the most important week of the year due to myself," Crossland said.[\[5\]](https://www.nrl.com/news/2026/09/29/remorseful-crossland-apologises-to-cleary-after-learning-judiciary-fate/?ref=bushletter.com) The 2026 Telstra Premiership Grand Final is scheduled to kick off at 7:30 pm AEDT on Sunday 4 October, with the match taking place at Accor Stadium, Sydney.[\[4\]](https://www.nrl.com/tickets/2026-nrl-telstra-premiership-grand-final/?ref=bushletter.com) SOURCES & CITATIONS 1. [NRL Grand Final: Jai Arrow tribute lap of honour](https://au.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/nrl-grand-final-jai-arrow-tribute-101678/?ref=bushletter.com) 2. [Jai Arrow announces immediate retirement from the NRL on medical grounds](https://www.rabbitohs.com.au/news/jai-arrow-announces-his-immediate-retirement-from-the-nrl-on-medical-grounds?ref=bushletter.com) 3. [Grand Final Week 2026: Everything you need to know](https://www.nrl.com/news/2026/09/27/grand-final-week-2026-everything-you-need-to-know/?ref=bushletter.com) 4. [2026 NRL Telstra Premiership Grand Final tickets](https://www.nrl.com/tickets/2026-nrl-telstra-premiership-grand-final/?ref=bushletter.com) 5. [Remorseful Crossland apologises to Cleary after learning judiciary fate](https://www.nrl.com/news/2026/09/29/remorseful-crossland-apologises-to-cleary-after-learning-judiciary-fate/?ref=bushletter.com) FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS When is the 2026 NRL grand final? The 2026 Telstra Premiership Grand Final kicks off at 7:30 pm AEDT on Sunday 4 October at Accor Stadium, Sydney. Who is playing in the 2026 NRL grand final? The Sydney Roosters face the Newcastle Knights. Why is Jai Arrow being honoured at the grand final? Arrow retired in May after a motor neurone disease diagnosis, having played 178 NRL games. The NRL will honour him with a lap of Accor Stadium to You'll Never Walk Alone before kick-off. Why is Phoenix Crossland missing the grand final? Crossland was suspended for four games by the NRL judiciary after a hip-drop tackle fractured Nathan Cleary's leg, ruling Crossland out of the decider. ![Caleb Reed](https://res.cloudinary.com/dz77sb7j1/image/upload/v1774262572/bushletter/authors/caleb-reed.png) [Caleb Reed](https://bushletter.com/author/caleb-reed/?ref=bushletter.com) Caleb Reed covers breaking news and sport. He works to the rhythm of a story as it unfolds, and he is happiest when the facts arrive faster than anyone can spin them.