Down the Sideline | Rugby League Podcast

The 2026 NRL season is over, with the Sydney Roosters crowned premiers after a dramatic Grand Final win over the Newcastle Knights.

On the season finale of Down the Sideline, we unpack the Grand Final from every angle. Did Newcastle let the premiership slip away? How did the Roosters turn the match around? And where does this decider rank among the great Grand Finals?

We debate whether Kalyn Ponga should have been sin-binned, whether the Grand Final was refereed differently to the regular season, and who really deserved the Clive Churchill Medal.

There’s also the big legacy discussion: where does James Tedesco now rank among the greatest fullbacks of all time, and what does a premiership-winning farewell mean for Daly Cherry-Evans?

Plus, Tim reacts to the wall-to-wall Knights coverage, we compare the NRL and AFL Grand Final entertainment, and finish with our way-too-early predictions for the 2027 season.

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It’s Newcastle v the Roosters in the NRL Grand Final — meaning two of the three Down the Sideline teams are still standing.

We unpack Newcastle’s incredible preliminary final win over Penrith, including the send-off controversy, the Knights’ resilience and what went wrong for the Panthers.

Then it’s Roosters v Dolphins: Mark Nawaqanitawase’s huge intercept, the momentum swing that changed the game and why the Roosters were ultimately too strong.

With the Grand Final set, Adrian and Tim go head-to-head on how Newcastle and the Roosters can win it, while Boldo gives the neutral view and his prediction.

And finally, we go back through the receipts from 2026 — the panel’s predictions from earlier in the season, who nailed the big calls, who got them horribly wrong and who did the most flip-flopping.

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Does the NRL have a refereeing problem?

This week on Down the Sideline, we break down the biggest controversial calls from Roosters v Sharks and Knights v Warriors, including the missed Tyson Frizell escort, the DCE sin-bin debate and the growing frustration around six-again calls.

We also review Newcastle’s win over the Warriors, look back at the Roosters ending Cronulla’s season, and Boldo gives his verdict on whether the Sharks’ 2026 campaign was a success or a failure.

Then we turn our attention to the preliminary finals, including Roosters v Dolphins, the keys to victory for each side, the finals kick-off time debate, tips and our upset alert.

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Finals footy is in full swing and the boys break down everything we learned from Week 1.

Did Penrith get the rub of the green against the Roosters? How much are the Roosters missing Sam Walker, and can DCE deliver when the pressure is on? Adrian celebrates Newcastle’s upset over Souths, including Dane Gagai getting under Latrell Mitchell’s skin, while the boys debate Wayne Bennett and just how dangerous the Knights could be in Auckland.

We dissect Cronulla’s win over the Cowboys, the controversial disallowed tries and the big question over Braydon Trindall’s shoulder, before looking at what went wrong for the Warriors against the Dolphins.

Then things get heated over NRL finals crowds, ticket prices and the criticism aimed at Sharks fans. Are supporters being priced out? Why is Cronulla being singled out? And would fans of other Sydney clubs really travel in huge numbers if the situation was reversed?

Finally, it’s onto the two sudden-death Week 2 finals — Roosters v Sharks in the grudge match and Warriors v Knights in Auckland — with the keys to victory and our tips for who survives.

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Finals footy is here — and there’s plenty to unpack before Week 1 kicks off.

The boys start with Cronulla being stripped of a genuine home final, with Sharks v Cowboys shifted from Shark Park to Allianz Stadium. Is it fair, why was it announced so late, and what does it mean for Sharks fans?

Then it’s into the officiating fallout from Sharks v Storm, including the send-off, forward pass controversy and disputed try, before widening the discussion to whether the NRL is simply being over-refereed.

From there, we preview every Finals Week 1 matchup: Rabbitohs v Knights, Warriors v Dolphins, Sharks v Cowboys and Panthers v Roosters — including the key to each game and our tips.

We also debate the Round 27 “rest fest”, whether late-season form actually matters, and whether Peter V’landys should be given even greater power at the top of the NRL.

Plus, our Finals Week 1 upset alerts.

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A disaster weekend for the Down the Sideline panel as the Roosters, Knights and Sharks all suffer damaging defeats heading into the finals.

We break down the fallout from the Micallef Bowl, ask whether the Dolphins are now genuine premiership contenders, and assess whether the Roosters can still win it after Sam Walker’s season-ending injury.

There’s plenty to unpack from Knights v Warriors too, including the Daniel Saifiti send-off, whether Newcastle were on top before it happened, and the wider debate around the NRL’s send-off rules. We also look at Jett Cleary’s debut and what comes next for the Warriors.

Then Boldo reacts to the Sharks’ latest stumble, we assess the now-confirmed Top 8, look back on the seasons of Manly and the Bulldogs, and make an early call on which team outside the eight can bounce back into the finals in 2027.

Plus: is the NRL season too long, what might be hiding inside Brisbane’s 14-point review, and our Round 27 Upset Alerts and tips.

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The finals race is heating up with just two rounds to go — and somehow the Warriors are sitting in the box seat.

This week we break down the Warriors’ charge towards the minor premiership, the Roosters’ costly loss to the Tigers, Newcastle’s horror showing against Manly and the Sharks doing just enough to get past the Titans. We also ask whether the Dolphins are becoming a genuine premiership threat and look at how the Top 8 could still shift before September.

Adam Reynolds has played his final NRL game, so we look back on his career, where he sits among premiership-winning halfbacks and the debate around Brisbane deciding not to give him one last game. We also get stuck into the controversial new kick-off rule being trialled in Broncos v Storm, Joey Manu’s move to PNG and Corey Horsburgh signing with the Bears.

And, after going 0-from-3 last week, the pressure is firmly back on for our **Round 26 Upset Alerts** — Canterbury over Penrith, Newcastle over the Warriors and Parramatta over the Sharks.

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The boys are back for Round 25 — and Upset Alert has now delivered three weeks in a row, including a huge 9-to-1 result last week.

This week we break down the Sharks’ worrying slide out of the Top 4, whether the Roosters should now be premiership favourites, Penrith’s struggles without Yeo, Newcastle’s remarkable rise into the finals and the Dragons’ encouraging finish to the season.

Plus, we look at the race for the Top 8, ask who goes first between Madge and Benji, cover the latest on DCE and Walker, and finish with Round 25 Upset Alert and full tips.

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The finals are getting closer and suddenly some of the NRL’s biggest contenders are starting to wobble.

The Warriors produced one of their biggest statements of the season, physically dominating Penrith 28-12 and forcing the boys to reassess just how serious their premiership credentials are. Has Andrew Webster built the competition’s toughest side, and does Luke Metcalf give the Warriors the star power they need to win the whole thing?

For Penrith, the questions are growing. Injuries are mounting, Isaah Yeo could be missing until deep into the finals and the Panthers continue to start games slowly. But with Nathan Cleary holding the keys, can you ever really put a line through them?

The Roosters keep winning and closing in on the minor premiership, setting up a huge Round 24 showdown with Penrith.

Then there’s Cronulla. After talking up the Sharks as genuine premiership contenders, Boldo has to face the music after an awful loss to the Dragons. Was it simply a bad night, or has the defeat exposed bigger problems for the Sharks heading into September?

We also celebrate the Dolphins securing their first ever finals appearance, look at Newcastle’s charge towards September, debate Ricky Stuart’s extraordinary public criticism of Corey Horsburgh and discuss Brian To’o’s expected move to the new PNG franchise and how that roster is beginning to take shape.

Then the podcast takes a turn.

Some questionable refereeing decisions lead into a fiery discussion about reports the NRL wants broadcasters to be less critical of the game. Should commentators like Phil Gould be free to hammer referees and the NRL when they think something is wrong? And are there bigger concerns around player managers simultaneously working as prominent rugby league media personalities?

Plus, the hottest segment in rugby league returns with Upset Alert before the boys run through all their Round 24 tips.

It’s another big edition of Down the Sideline with Boldo, Adrian and Tim.

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Sorry guys - we thought we'd uploaded this one but Boldo didn't click it.

Shame because the upset alerts were elite.

Episode synopsis

Has the NRL premiership race changed?

The Roosters have announced themselves as genuine contenders after an extraordinary 82–12 demolition of the Cowboys, extending their winning streak to six games. Tim assesses whether Sam Walker has reached elite-halfback status, whether Naufahu Whyte is now among the game’s best props and whether Trent Robinson’s side can carry this form into September.

Adrian celebrates Newcastle’s huge win at Suncorp Stadium as the Knights strengthen their finals position and seemingly end Brisbane’s season. The boys debate what has gone wrong for the Broncos, whether Michael Maguire can survive and whether both Brisbane and Melbourne are reaching the end of their premiership windows.

Cronulla continue their winning run against South Sydney, but Craig Fitzgibbon refuses to buy into the growing Sharks hype. Is he right to remain cautious, or have the Sharks joined Penrith and the Roosters as the teams to beat?

There is also a full wrap of the remaining Round 22 results, the race for the final positions in the eight, Laurie Daley’s decision to step down as NSW coach and the leading candidates to replace him.

Plus, history beckons as Liam Jenkins chases the single-season try-scoring record and Nicho Hynes closes in on Hazem El Masri’s record for consecutive successful goals.

The episode finishes with Upset Alert and the full set of Round 23 tips from David, Tim and Adrian.

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