Cherry-Evans ends NRL career with premiership as Roosters edge Knights

Sydney beat Newcastle 19-18 in Sunday's grand final, the Guardian reported. The match was Daly Cherry-Evans' final NRL appearance, closing a career in the competition that began with a title at Manly. NRL.com had confirmed before the decider that the veteran would join Hull FC next season.

Cherry-Evans entered the match at Accor Stadium aged 37 years and 183 days. According to NRL.com's match-day coverage, that made him the oldest player to appear in a grand final, surpassing Cameron Smith, who was 37 years and 130 days old when Melbourne faced Penrith in the 2020 decider. His career had also included representative appearances for Queensland and Australia.

His first premiership came in 2011, when he helped Manly win the competition as a 22-year-old rookie. NRL.com reported that he returned to the grand final in 2013 and received the Clive Churchill Medal despite the Sea Eagles losing to the Roosters. Thirteen years after that defeat, his last appearance on the same stage came in a Sydney jersey.

In an interview published by NRL.com before Sunday's match, Cherry-Evans described how his approach had changed over those years. He said greater maturity had helped him understand what his team needed, while his game had developed from a largely instinctive style into that of an organising halfback. He also discussed how seasons without finals football had deepened his appreciation of a premiership opportunity.

Newcastle had reached the grand final after finishing in last place in 2025. NRL.com's coverage recorded that the Knights had reached the decider through sudden-death matches against the Rabbitohs, Warriors and Panthers. They arrived seeking the club's third premiership, with Kalyn Ponga captaining the side and Dane Gagai its only player with previous grand-final experience.

Both teams had also faced selection changes before kick-off. NRL.com reported that Roosters utility Connor Watson was denied clearance by an independent neurologist, with Benaiah Ioelu added to the bench. Newcastle coach Justin Holbrook made a late switch at hooker, selecting Thomas Cant to start and moving Harrison Graham to the interchange.