Sandon Smith leads Newcastle Knights to NRL Grand Final

Newcastle Knights halfback Sandon Smith has secured a place in the 2026 NRL Grand Final following a decisive performance that saw the team overcome a deficit to reach the decider. Smith, who previously played for the Sydney Roosters, delivered a match-winning performance including a crucial intercept try and a successful conversion to book the Knights' ticket to the championship match.

The Knights' journey to the final represents a significant turnaround for the club, which finished with the wooden spoon last season. Smith, who arrived in Newcastle as a backup playmaker after being deemed surplus to requirements at the Roosters, has become a central figure in the team's resurgence.

Ahead of the Grand Final against his former club, the Sydney Roosters, Smith expressed the emotional weight of the achievement and the pressure of wearing the No. 7 jersey previously held by club legend Andrew Johns. The Knights are seeking their first premiership since the era of Johns, marking a major comeback for the Newcastle region.