The 2026 NRL Grand Final is here, and since we’ve covered most of the normal angles of the big game, we thought we look into the players that make the game, with our NRL Grand Final Player Analysis. With thoughts on the starting line ups and side by side 2026 NRL Season stats by position.
Related
- NRL Grand Final Tips Predictions & Stats
- NRL Donkey Expert NRL Grand Final Tips Predictions & Rant
- NRL Grand Final Bets and Best Bets
- NRL Finals Week 3 Team of the Week
- NRL Finals Week 3 Weekly Stats & One Minute Match Review
- Ray Stone Comics – Ray Stone vs Retirement
- Super League – 30 Years On – Reflections
- NRL Grand Final Entertainment Alternatives
NRL Grand Final Player Analysis – Team Lists
Here are the Team Lists for the 2026 NRL Grand Final, with Pheonix Crossland originally named in the Newcastle side, but has been ruled out through a four week suspension, handed down on Tuesday night.
The back five are reasonably evenly matched on paper, but Marky Mark has that something special that can, and does break a game open, as proved last weekend.
The halves lean towards the Roosters with the perfect blend of experience and more ad hoc playing style. Newcastle aren’t quite as experienced, and usually are more structured than the Roosters Same Walker, but Sandon Smith proved that wrong last Sunday.
The Roosters front row including hooker gives them a big advantage, not just because the Knights have just lost their normal starting hooker. The second row is quite close given they are both filled with lesser known players but no less effective. Victor Radley is good to have, when he’s not getting penalised and put on report.
The bench is massively in favour of the Roosters and could prove decisive if the game if tight. Although, one of the Knights best for 2026 before injury was Dylan Lucas and he is named in the 17 jersey.
Roosters: 1. James Tedesco (c), 2. Daniel Tupou, 3. Billy Smith, 4. Robert Toia, 5. Mark Nawaqanitawase, 6. Daly Cherry-Evans, 7. Sam Walker, 8. Naufahu Whyte, 9. Reece Robson, 10. Lindsay Collins, 11. Salesi Foketi, 12. Siua Wong, 13. Victor Radley, 14. Connor Watson, 15. Angus Crichton, 16. Nat Butcher, 17. Spencer Leniu, 18. Hugo Savala, 19. Cody Ramsey, 20. Benaiah Ioelu, 21. Tommy Talau, 22. Egan Butcher
Knights: 1. Kalyn Ponga (c), 2. Dominic Young, 3. Dane Gagai, 4. Bradman Best, 5. Greg Marzhew, 6. Fletcher Sharpe, 7. Sandon Smith, 8. Tyson Frizell, 9. TBA, 10. Cody Hopwood, 11. Jermaine McEwen, 12. Francis Manuleleua, 13. Mat Croker, 14. Harrison Graham, 15. Lachlan Crouch, 16. Pasami Saulo, 17. Dylan Lucas, 18. Fletcher Hunt, 19. Thomas Cant, 20. Kyle McCarthy, 21. Diesel Hagan, 22. Elijah Salesa-Leaumoana
NRL Grand Final Player Analysis – Player Stats
We have put to use all of our hard work on compiling NRL player stats every week into a visual where each position has a side-by-side comparison, to see which players in what positions, through which key stats has the edge from the 2026 NRL Season.
FULLBACKS
WINGERS
CENTRES
HALVES
PROPS
HOOKERS
SECOND ROW
LOCK
INTERCHANGE FORWARDS
INTERCHANGE BACKS
