Sydney Roosters (4th) vs Newcastle Knights (7th) – Sunday night – Accor Stadium
Congrats to our grand finalists - the Roosters and the Knights. You can't win the premiership without getting here. For the Roosters, it feels like the premiership window can't get more open than now. Nawaqanitawase and Crichton are switching codes, Watson and Leniu are switching clubs, and Cherry-Evans is switching hemispheres. Tedesco is 33 years old, Tupou is 35 and Cherry-Evans is (incredibly) 37. Cherry-Evans has already won one premiership, fifteen years ago. For context, when Cherry-Evans won a premiership with Manly in 2011 the following players were playing against him - Preston Campbell, Petero Civoniceva, Nathan Hindmarsh, Braith Anasta, Anthony Minichiello, Adam McDougall and Cowboys coach Todd Payten. Sunday night will be his 26th game for the Roosters this season. He's off to the Super League next year, and if he won the Man of Steel Award over there I wouldn't be the least surprised. He paired up with the returning Walker in the halves last week, and they were great, and they'll be better for the hit-out. As for the Knights, almost all of the country and then some will be cheering for them on Sunday night. They weren't just the wooden spoon winners last year, they were a long way last. The 2026 roster isn't much different to the 2025 roster. Their key signings (Brown and Mooney) are both injured. Arguably their best signing was the new coach, who has the team playing an attractive style of football that works. Note that Holbrook spent plenty of time as an Assistant Coach at the Roosters working alongside Robinson. He knows how Robinson operates, and vice versa. This will be the third match-up for the year for these sides - with the Roosters prevailing 38-24 in round 7 and 23-22 in round 21. That most recent game was in Newcastle and their wasn't much in it. Note that Ponga didn't play in that game, and he's been in career best form at the tail end of this season. Ponga can't beat the Chooks on his own, but I've no doubt that if the Knights do win, he's a key contributor. While I'll be cheering for the Knights like many others, I'm tipping the Roosters to prevail. They've had an extra two days to prepare (and rest) for the final, and that Sunday afternoon effort from the Knights (in the wet with 12 on the field) was a big ask. It's hard enough to win from 7th under any circumstances. They've been the away team, and the outsider, in every game of their finals campaign. This Sunday might be when all that work and effort catches up with them.
Verdict - Roosters by 7
Result - Roosters 19 defeated Knights 18
Game details
Date: Sunday 4th October 2026
Time: 6.30pm kick-off
Venue: Accor Stadium, Sydney
Team list - Sydney Roosters*
- James Tedesco
- Daniel Tupou
- Billy Smith
- Robert Toia
- Mark Nawaqanitawase
- Daly Cherry-Evans
- Sam Walker
- Naufahu Whyte
- Reece Robson
- Lindsay Collins
- Salesi Foketi
- Siua Wong
- Victor Radley
- Connor Watson
- Angus Crichton
- Nat Butcher
- Spencer Leniu
- Hugo Savala
-
Cody Ramsay
Team list - Newcastle Knights*
- Kalyn Ponga
- Dominic Young
- Dane Gagai
- Bradman Best
- Greg Marzhew
- Fletcher Sharpe
- Sandon Smith
- Tyson Frizell
- Harrison Graham
- Cody Hopwood
- Jermaine McEwen
- Francis Manuleluea
- Mat Croker
- Lachlan Crouch
- Pasami Saulo
- Dylan Lucas
- Fletcher Hunt
- Thomas Kant
- Kyle McCarthy
*Team lists are subject to change and will be updated as soon as possible.
Wally Lewis - Grand Final selection (in bold)
Note: tips from Wally will be published on Wednesday night or Thursday morning
- ROOSTERS (4th) vs Knights (7th)
Guest tips for this round
See these tips on one page
Comments
Submitted by The Thinker on
Greetings football fans
I have updated the tipping comp after the preliminary finals. Plenty of us got both games wrong (including yours truly) and a handful of us got both games right. Congrats to the latter group. With one game to go, we have a three-way tie at the top of the table. There's a gap to the next best so we already have our podium finishers for the season. Congrats to Elizabeth, Hardyards and scott m.
As always, let me know if I've made any mistakes.
Note that there will be a random prize ($40) for a tipster who kept trying all year but didn't make the podium. Our top three are playing for $150 (first), $80 (second) and $40 (third). In the event of a tie, those prizes will be split as needed.
I'll have my preview and selection for the grand final published on Wednesday. We'll have the tipping form for the last game of the year published on this page soon.
All the best
The Thinker
Submitted by Mary S on
Hi Thinker,
You have a problem on the tipping form with the registration of our tips.
On the 'tips on one page', everyone's tips so far are showing as '1', not the team they have choosen!!
Cheers,
Mary
Submitted by The Thinker on
Thanks Mary
I would say 1 equals Roosters. Will see if I can fix it - my Little Helper is somewhere on the planet flying High.
All the best
The Thinker
Submitted by Mary S on
Unfortunately "1" does not equal Roosters, as I selected Knights and it comes up with "1" as well.
If you go into each individual, their choosen team shows, just not in the "tips on one page"
I didn't know how it might effect you getting correct results at the end of the Grand Final!!
Cheers,
Mary
Submitted by Esra Star on
I have placed my tips without a problem,Mary.
Submitted by Mary S on
I placed my tips without a problem as well Esra. That part doesn't present the issue I mentioned above.
If you go above everyones tips to "See these tips on one page" is where I noticed the problem, and that is only if it effects the ability for The Thinker to finalise results at the end of the Grand Final match.
Hope is does't give The Thinker too much of a headache!!
Cheers,
Mary
Submitted by The Thinker on
Thanks for letting me know, Mary
When I delve in I can see the actual tips, but they aren't displaying for everyone else. Will try and resolve.
Mind you, it does add a touch of mystery for our top three battling it out for the top prize (ie not knowing what others have picked).
All the best
The Thinker
Submitted by Esra Star on
Just a reminder that daylight savings starts on Sunday morning.
Submitted by The Thinker on
A handy reminder, Esra
I've literally missed grand final kick-offs because of this...lousy time-bending bandits causing chaos in my already chaotic head.
All the best
The Thinker
Submitted by tigerholic on
Well done to the top 3 Tipsters for this year, a mighty effort.
Thinker, thank you for another year of tipping, always enjoyable to be a part of your comp.
Hopefully my Tigers and I can fair a little better in 2027.
Enjoy the GF this weekend all.
Tiger
Submitted by Esra Star on
Don't forget the Prime ministers 13 is on channel 9 this arvo at 2pm. I think the girls are on earlier.
Submitted by Mary S on
Hi to all,
Having previously spent 20 years in the iron ore area of WA, I can relate to the sentiment in the story following, of the Knights rise to the top in one season -
https://www.nrl.com/news/2026/10/04/how-a-journey-deep-underground-set-k...
I found it of a great deal of interest, and hope that community spirit helps the Knights team and people deal with the shocking crash yesterday.
Looking forward to a really good match later today..
Cheers,
Mary
Submitted by Rocket Ryan on
Another very disappointing year for you in this comp tiger,and as for the West Tigers the less said the better.
Submitted by TigerGirl on
It’s been hard to pick winning teams each week. Even harder I feel during Origin.
But I’ll be back again next year. Still can’t believe that I won it one year even though I picked my Tigers most weeks.
Yes I’m a Tigers tragic. Will have my season membership again for next year.
Hoping Tigers have a better year.
Submitted by Esra Star on
Good first half of footy.
Submitted by Mary S on
Definitely agree!
Submitted by Esra Star on
Cant complain about that grand final game. Probably one of the most even in years. And, the fact that there was very few penalties and best of all,even less 6 agains made it enjoyable to watch.
Congratulations to both teams.
The question will go unanswered,would Crossland have made the difference for the Knights?
Submitted by The Thinker on
@Esra
Crossland would have certainly helped. He makes more tackles than anyone in the middle. Roosters were dominant in that regard.
A shame the game hasn't been officiated like that all season. Hopefully they learned something from it.
All the best
The Thinker
Submitted by The Thinker on
Congrats to the Sydney Roosters - they did a lot right in the grand final, and if they were switched on in attack they would likely have won by a lot more. A brave effort from the Knights to hang tough and make a contest of it. A terrific season from them, and it's great to see them back.
You don't have to love the Roosters, but you can respect them as a club. If every NRL team were as professional as they are the competition would be better for it.
And to those that say the Chooks just buy success - they had more one-club players in their line-up than the Knights.
Knights - Best, Sharpe, Cant, Hopwood, McEwen, Croker, Crouch, Lucas
Roosters - Tupou, Smith, Toia, Nawaqanitawase, Whyte, Collins, Foketi, Wong, Radley, Butcher, Savala
And the Knights halfback is a Roosters junior.
I've updated the tipping comp but will give people a chance to make sure I haven't made any mistakes. I'll officially announce our winners soon, plus I'll drag Mrs Thinker out of bed to draw a random prize winner out of my thinking cap.
As always, thanks for being a part of it all. It's still enough fun for me to keep it going. Next year will be our 16th year as a stand-alone rugby league tipping website. Who'd have thunk it.
All the best
The Thinker
Submitted by Esra Star on
Thank you,mate. See you next year.
Submitted by Esra Star on
p.s. Don't forget,the Koorie cup is on all day today.
Submitted by Gummy Sharks on
Thank you Thinker and the team behind/in front of you. Dismal tipping year,would probably have to say I misread the Sharks and the Rabbitohs the most this year. Anyhow, I now have a goal for next year and that's to beat Mr AI AI O. Let's see if I can beat a bunch of wires at tipping!
Submitted by BigPeteBx on
Interesting G/Final indeed and allowed to flow.
Two see two red and blues play it - was intriguing to say.
I warned two mates on FB that DCE could be the deciding factor even though I tipped Chooks to win by 9. They were leading by 7 at one point.
Thank you again and again Thinker and your team for running the comp again. It is a challenge each week and this year had me riding in the bottom third of the ladder. Couple of teams I devoted tips to that have let me down over a couple of seasons and so we'll have The Bears to share next season. I look forward in returning again to play amongst the Gr8 Peoples here. You ALL keep well and enjoy the off-season which will be shorter, but I'll have other sports to tempt me and see results of, as I progress along.
Thanks for your friendship and supporting The Thinker site. The years tick on as we enjoy what we do.
Take care - Big Pete in Bx (Vroom vroom - The Gr8 Race is on our doorstep)☺
Submitted by BigPeteBx on
I know the feeling Gummy - Sharks were one that I was losing faith in each week. In reference to AI AI O - he'd even forgotten to tip one week and that was Week 2 of The Finals.
Cheers Champ and Keep well - Big Pete.
Submitted by Mary S on
Big Pete,
Looks like it might be chaos down your way this week leading up to the "Vroom vroom - The Gr8 Race"
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-06/bathurst-1000-traffic-great-weste...
Hope all goes well!
Cheers,
Mary
Submitted by The Thinker on
Greetings football fans
Congratulations to our top tipsters in 2026 - Elizabeth, Hardyards, and scott m - a rare three-way tie for first. Outstanding work from the three of you.
And I finally woke up Mrs Thinker and our lucky draw winner in 2026 is Bronco Legend. Congratulations and thanks for sticking with it in a tough season for any Broncos fan.
I'll be in touch with the four of you by email to organise your prizes.
I'm pleased to say my Little Helper returned safely from the other side of the world. I caught up with TLH on grand final weekend and he didn't say he doesn't want to do this anymore....so we'll be back in 2027 with a brand new tipping comp and a brand new NRL team. If there's any hibernating North Sydney Bears out there I want to hear from you. Thanks again for being a part of all of this. I'll leave a page on the site for general chat in case anyone wants to talk about the Rugby League World Cup or anything else. I reckon the Kiwis forward pack gives them a real chance of knocking off the Kangaroos this time.
All the best
The Thinker
Submitted by BigPeteBx on
Morning Mary on this Race Day here in Bx.
Yes, GWH has been out for a number of months with it's caving away.
Working pretty much around the clock renewing it!
NSW Govt and Bx (Bathurst) Regional Council are putting on a free concert tomorrow Monday to try and lure travellers/drivers/motorists etc to ease their plans in return travel after The Gr8 Race, so there isn't an exodus on the roads.
The Concert Headline acts are The Choirboys and The Angels with two support acts doing covers.
It has been a very busy week for Off-track events in CBD. Choppers flying over our house at present as we reside near Bx Rly Stn which is about 1mile foot walk to Mt Panorama. There are extra bus services on as Charters/Specials running as they need to also convey train travellers that have combined tickets to the track. The Gr8 Race Train arrived this morning - looks a smaller edition of Indian Pacific/Southern Aurora silver carriages.
I love the week here - even though my days at the track are past as I often worked there for local sports canteens.
We have around 5 BnB's in close distance to Rly Stn and CBD shopping/eateries. Met a family from Christchurch NZ this week and this is their 3rd visit to Bx and The Gr8 Race. Also a gent from Perth WA.
Cheers and enjoy if you happen to view the race of which I do in segments - especially hour of start and hour before finish and on/off during the day.
Keep well - BigPete