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
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]
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] "Thank you for the support I've received over what has been an incredibly difficult and uncertain period in my life," Arrow said.[2]
The 2026 Telstra Premiership Grand Final brings the Sydney Roosters and the Newcastle Knights together for the season decider at Accor Stadium.[3] The match is scheduled to kick off at 7:30 pm AEDT on Sunday 4 October.[4]
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] Harrison Graham is set to make his NRL debut in Crossland's place.[5]
"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]
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]
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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.
