The Sydney Roosters and Newcastle Knights have the opportunity to claim a rare double at the NSW Rugby League Junior Representatives Grand Final Day at Leichhardt Oval tomorrow (Saturday 2 May).
Both clubs will feature in the finals of the UNE Harold Matthews Cup (Under 17s Boys) and the UNE SG Ball Cup (Under 19s Men) on a day that showcases the future of Rugby League and the depth of talent emerging across both male and female pathways in NSW.
In the other matches, the Central Coast Roosters will take on Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in Westpac Lisa Fiaola Cup (Under 17s Girls), and Parramatta Eels will clash with the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in the Westpac Tarsha Gale Cup (Under 19s Women).
The Bulldogs return to the Grand Finals stage after claiming the inaugural Westpac Lisa Fiaola Cup premiership in 2024. With the two sides yet to meet in 2026, a clash between the third and fourth placed teams shape as one of the most unpredictable deciders of the day.
In the UNE Harold Matthews Cup, the Roosters stand on the brink of history as they chase their first Under 17s Boys premiership since the competition’s inception 56 years ago, while the Knights have returned to the decider looking for revenge after falling short last year.
The Eels will be striving for consecutive premierships in the Westpac Tarsha Gale Cup competition, following a dominant finals campaign, while the Sharks will be chasing their first competition win since 2018.
The Grand Final Day will wrap up with the Roosters aiming to secure back-to-back UNE SG Ball Cup premierships under the guidance of newly-appointed Westpac NSW Blues assistant coach Boyd Cordner. The Knights will continue their inspirational run from seventh place into the decider.
NSWRL Chief Executive David Trodden said the Junior Representatives Grand Final Day highlights the strength of the development systems in NSW and the commitment of all of the clubs to nurturing the future stars of Rugby League.
“In our view they are the best development competitions in the Rugby League world,” Trodden said.
“The Grand Final Day is a great opportunity to showcase the incredible talent emerging across our male and female pathways.
“It is also great to see our senior representative players giving back and investing in the future of our game with a host of past NRL players and True Blues taking on coaching roles in the pathways competitions.”
2026 NSWRL Junior Representatives Grand Final Day
Leichhardt Oval
10am Westpac Lisa Fiaola Cup (Under 17s Girls)
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs v Central Coast Roosters
11.45am UNE Harold Matthews Cup (Under 17s Boys)
Newcastle Knights v Sydney Roosters
1.30pm Westpac Tarsha Gale Cup (Under 19s Women)
Parramatta Eels v Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
3.15pm UNE SG Ball Cup (Under 19s Men)
Sydney Roosters v Newcastle Knights
