Rugby League
so, who will win the 2026 nrlw GRAND FINAL?
can the sydney roosters turn the tables on the red hot broncos and get revenge for last year’s grand final defeat?
WILL THE BRISBANE BRONCOS WIN A RECORD BREAKING FIFTH NRLW PREMIERSHIP?
“…History repeats itself Try and you'll succeed. Never doubt that you're the one And you can have your dreams. you’re the best around, nothing’s gonna ever keep you down!”
Joe Esposito nailed it on the head with these lyrics from his 1984 smash hit. Since the NRLW’s inception back in 2018, there has only been three teams to hold the trophy aloft as Premiers! With the Brisbane Broncos winning four and the Sydney Roosters and Newcastle Knights winning two a piece. In a strange feeling of déjà vu, the same contenders will be fighting it out once again to be top dog of the NRLW. However, there is one team looking to reverse the outcome from last year’s decider. The Sydney Roosters will once again face the Brisbane Broncos in Sunday’s NRLW Grand Final.
When you look at the Roosters side, you can only scratch your head at the talent they have at their disposal across the park. It’s a who’s who of New South Wales, Queensland and Australian representative players. The Sydney Roosters have only lost 1 match over the past two seasons to date and that was the 2025 Grand Final against the Brisbane Broncos. With such names as Corban Baxter, Jayme Fressard, Isabelle Kelly, Jessica Sergis, Tarryn Aiken, Jocelyn Kelleher, Keeley Nizza, Millie Elliott, Jasmin Strange, Sariah Paki and Olivia Kernick it’s no wonder the Roosters have been so successful in recent times. Their squad is overflowing with generational talent. So much so that they are overwhelming favourites to win it all in 2026. Will this monumental amount pressure help or hinder the Roosters? The NSW centre pairing of Kelly and Sergis has dominated all season with 27 combined linebreaks . Jess Sergis is also the leading try scorer in the competition with 17 tries to date. Not too far behind are Roosters wingers Fressard and Parker with 12 and 11 tries respectively. As you can see, the attacking arsenal of the Sydney Roosters is vast! The one player who will be the deciding factor will be Roosters’ lock Olivia Kernick. She is a big game player and her role as ball-playing lock, much like Penrith Panther Isaah Yeo, will be instrumental in the Roosters success.
After a mid season slump consisting of three successive losses after Magic Round, the Brisbane Broncos are hitting their straps at the perfect time. The turn around of form coincided with the return of Ali Brigginshaw from her three game suspension. The Broncos stalwart is looking for her swan song to be adding a fifth premiership and capping of an incredible career is style. After an impressive performance against the Gold Coast Titans travelling down the M1 to CBus Stadium, the Broncos’ confidence must be sky high shutting down the attack prowess of the Titans to concede only two tries whilst scoring four themselves. Jesse Southwell’s addition to the Broncos’ backline has been a stroke of genius, and her already established combination with Tamika Upton due to their time together in Newcastle is getting better by the week. The athleticism of Julia Robinson has been evident throughout the 2026 season. She is a shoo-in for the Australian Jillaroos squad for the World Cup and she is hoping to add a fifth premiership to an already glittering resume. Rounding off the trio of possible five time premiership players is Chelsea Lenarduzzi. The try scoring forward has also been pivotal to the Broncos ongoing success over her nine seasons with the Broncos. A strong performance in the decider may also book her place in the Australian Jillaroos squad for the upcoming World Cup.
So what is my prediction for the NRLW 2026 Grand Final? Well, I thought that Gold Coast Titans would’ve been the most likely but I discounted the Brisbane Broncos at my own peril. Did they play their grand final a week early? Perhaps. I think the Sydney Roosters will avenge their 2025 defeat and take home the chocolates, capping off a historic undefeated season. Olivia Kernick will be awarded the Karyn Murphy Medal for player of the match. As for first try scorer, Jessica Sergis will claim that honour. With the upcoming retirements of Corban Baxter and Millie Elliott receiving their fairytale ending after stellar careers.
PLEASE PRAY FOR ME. i AM A NEW SOUTH WELSHMAN LIVING IN QUEENSLAND, DURING STATE OF ORIGIN!
Congratulations to the Women’s New South Wales Sky Blues for consecutive series victories. Good luck in your attempt of sweeping the series this week.
As soon as the news broke that Cameron Munster’s father passed away on the eve of the series decider in 2025, you knew that Queensland would do anything to get the win in his honour. That was all the motivation that was needed. Vale Steven Munster.
A rare New South Wales Blues series victory in 2024. Arguably, their greatest series victory to date coming back from a 1-0 deficit to win the decider at Suncorp Stadium. The rare time The Blues performed a Maroons-esque miraculous series win against the odds.
Before deep dive into the constant heartache caused by the Men’s team, I like to congratulate the Women’s New South Wales squad for consecutive series victories against their old foe Queensland. You are truly the shiny beacon of hope for all New South Wales supporters, particularly those of us living north of the Tweed. Here’s to you completing the 3-0 sweep at Cbus Stadium Thursday night. The superstar side of New South Wales were too clinical when it mattered and deserved their series victory. Olivia Kernick, Yasmin Meakes and Kezie Apps were instrumental in the win playing every minute of the match and constantly bending back the defensive line of the Maroons. The superstar centre pairing of Isabelle Kelly and Jessica Sergis were their usual threatening selves and surely cemented the Jillaroos centre pairing for the upcoming Rugby League World Cup in Australia later in the year. With the upcoming NRLW season
Once again, thank you to the Women’s NSW State of Origin team, coaching and support staff for retaining the shield for another year.
Well, it begins… again! That time of the year where a six week period of Rugby League determines your mood for the next 12 months! The Men’s 2026 State of Origin commences on Wednesday and I have already got that dreaded feeling in my stomach. That feeling of disappointment where New South Wales loses the unlosable series clinching game again. The same old story, the same old song and dance my friends. Yes, I know, we as New South Welshmen and women should be used to losing by know. It still doesn’t make it any easier though. There are sliding door moments, turning points where, if you weren’t watching it, you wouldn’t believe it was happening again and again and again! There seems to be hundreds of examples tattooed into my memory where Queensland pulls off an incredible last ditch victory against all the odds.
What will be different in this year’s series? I don’t know to be honest. My confidence levels are at an all time low after the 2025 series where NSW won the first game at Suncorp Stadium, scored more tries and still lost at Perth’s Optus Stadium and were never in the hunt in the decider at Accor Stadium at Sydney Olympic Park. Queensland once again winning their third series in four attempts.
Lady Oyster and myself moved up to Brisbane in January 2020 just before the COVID-19 pandemic reared its ugly head. In the six series since this time, New South Wales has only won two of these. There has only been two times that I haven’t copped flak from work colleagues, cricket and footy teammates and any other Queenslander that has seen me wear the Sky Blue jersey. The anomaly here is that Queenslanders are the friendliest and nicest people for 359 days of the year. For those other six days when State of Origin matches are played, white line fever hits a whole another level. I have experienced it first hand my friends. My first encounter was in 2011 when I flew up from Sydney for the decider with eight other mates. The amount of abuse and vitriol we copped walking down Caxton Street towards Suncorp Stadium was nothing like I’ve ever experienced. The contest was over after Queensland jumped to a 24-0 lead after scoring four tries in a 20 minute blitzkrieg! The Blues restored some credibility but the result was never in doubt. We braved the Caxton Hotel straight after the game was over and I had one of the greatest night out of my life! The atmosphere was unsurprisingly electric and there were a lot Queenslanders who showed compassion and sympathy as we drank to celebrate and commiserate.
The one thing that State of Origin has instilled in me as a New South Wales Blues supporter is this. The series is never over until it’s over. NSW could be 1-0 up in the series and have a 20 point halftime lead in the second game and I still think that we’ll lose from that position because history has shown that scenario is in deed possible. The Queensland Maroons are the Michael Jordan of sporting teams. They use any negative media as motivation to pump themselves up.
I hope we win the series this year. I am not confident by any stretch of the imagination. If we don’t have hope as Blues supporters, we else is there?
“QUEENSLANDER! ”
“We expected a better performance, obviously, so I’ve been scratching my head (and asking) why? Why did we have a performance like that? ”
we are geelong the penrith panthers, the greatest team of all?!
The Penrith Panthers laid their claim as the greatest Rugby League team in the past 50 years with their fourth consecutive premiership, defeating the Melbourne Storm 14 to 6 at Accor Stadium back in October 2024. The Panthers continued to defy the odds in an era of football where the salary cap normally decimates the likelihood of prolonged periods of utter domination. In their fifth grand final in as many years, the Mountain Men finally got their revenge on a Melbourne Storm team most so called experts tipped to extinguish their dreams as four time premiers.
The amazing part of all the success of the Penrith Panthers is the number of players have lost to rival clubs during the past four years since their 2021 Grand Final win against the South Sydney Rabbitohs during the COVID-19 affected season. 11 of the 18 Panthers who played in that Grand Final winning squad are no longer plying their trade for the Mountain Men. With each passing season since, the Penrith Panthers manage to fill these gaps left by departing players and are still as successful as ever!
You could field a team with ex-Panthers and it would be an extremely competitive team. Could it knocked the four time reigning premiers? Perhaps! Let’s dissect the possible XVII man squad and only dream of such a match up. There may be some players out of position but I’m sure you get the gist!
THE EX-PENNY PANTHERS POSSIBLE TEAM 2020-2024
Fullback: Stephen Crichton (2021, 2022, and 2023 Premiership Winner)
Winger: Sunia Turuva (2023 and 2024 Premiership Winner)
Centre: Paul Momirovski (2021 Premiership Winner)
Centre: Matt Burton (2021 Premiership Winner)
Winger: Charlie Staines (2022 Premiership Winner)
Five-Eighth: Jarome Luai (2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 Premiership Winner)
Halfback: Jack Cogger (2023 Premiership Winner)
Prop: Spencer Leniu (2021, 2022, and 2023 Premiership Winner)
Hooker: Apisai Koroisau (2021 and 2022 Premiership Winner)
Prop: James Fisher-Harris (2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 Premiership Winner)
Second Row: Villiame Kikau (2021 and 2022 Premiership Winner)
Second Row: Kurt Capewell (2021 Premiership Winner)
Lock: Jaeman Salmon (2022 Premiership Winner)
Interchange: James Tamou (2020 NRL Grand Final Runner-Up)*
Interchange: Tyrone Peachey (2023 and 2024 Premiership Squad Member)
Interchange: Tyrone May (2021 Premiership Winner)
Interchange: Zac Hocking (2023 Premiership Squad Member)
*James Tamou was the captain of the Penrith Panthers during the Covid affected 2020 NRL Grand Final against the Melbourne Storm
The only thing going against this squad is their lack of middle forwards off the interchange bench but it will still be quite the competitive contest. Can you imagine losing the wealth of talent in this team and still be a force in the NRL for as long as the Penrith Panthers have been? It’s crazy to think that this is even possible!
So, is 2025 the year that the Penrith Panthers start to slide? Will the huge losses of Jarome Luai and James Fisher-Harris to the Wests Tigers and New Zealand Warriors respectively be too difficult to replace? Can Nathan Cleary reach a new higher level in his game and complete his absolute domination of the NRL? One thing is for certain, I wouldn’t be betting against the Penrith Panthers in season 2025 just yet. If the last five years have already shown, the Penrith Panthers have the insane ability to defy the odds, and the so-called experts opinions, to keep winning. I wouldn't be surprised if the Penny Panthers are at the pointy end of the 2025 NRL season once more. In an era of increasing salary caps and longer than ever NRL seasons, the Penrith Panthers are the greatest Australian football team in any football code since the St. George Dragons won their 11 consecutive premierships between 1956-1966. I honestly don’t think any NRL team will match what the Penrith Panthers have achieved since their 2020 Grand Final loss to the Melbourne Storm. A fifth consecutive premiership will cement their place as one of the greatest Australian sporting teams ever!
As a Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs fan from the age of 4, I hope their run comes to an end. As a football fan, let us just sit back and enjoy the ride while it lasts. We may never see it again!
