The NRL Grand Final stage is set.
The Newcastle Knights punched their ticket to the 2026 decider on Sunday, knocking off the Penrith Panthers 22-14 in a dramatic preliminary final at Accor Stadium. The win sends Newcastle into its first Grand Final since 2001, setting up a showdown with the Sydney Roosters, who secured their spot after defeating the Dolphins 36-20 on Friday night. For the Knights, the run has been one to watch. After finishing 2025 with the wooden spoon, Newcastle is now just 80 minutes away from a premiership. Now, it all comes down to Roosters vs. Knights on October 4. And with the 2026 Rugby League World Cup right around the corner, the Grand Final is another chance to get familiar with the clubs, players and storylines shaping the game heading into RLWC season.
NRL 101: For Our American Sports Fans & Those New to the Game
Grand Final: Think of it as the Super Bowl of the NRL. It’s the championship game that decides the league’s premiership winner.
Premiership: The NRL championship. If a team wins the Grand Final, they are the premiers.
Wooden Spoon: The unofficial not-so-fun award for the team that finishes last on the NRL ladder during the regular season. So when you hear that Newcastle went from wooden spooners to Grand Finalists, that’s the comeback story.
Ladder: The NRL’s version of the standings table.
Try: Rugby league’s version of a touchdown. Worth four points, not six.
Conversion: The kick taken after a try. Worth two points if successful.
NRL: Australia’s top professional rugby league competition, short for the National Rugby League.
RLWC: The Rugby League World Cup, where national teams from around the world compete. The 2026 RLWC is just around the corner, it starts on Thursday, October 15, 2026.
Basically: If you’re an American sports fan, think NFL terminology meets a completely different sport.
