It all comes down to this. After 30 weeks of blood, sweat and tears, we've made it to Grand Final Day in the NSW Cup and QLD Cup.
Both matches are scheduled for Saturday, with the QLD Cup decider between the Sunshine Coast Falcons and the Redcliffe Dolphins kicking off at 4:10pm from Kayo Stadium. Bonus for footy nerds: the match will be televised on FOX League.
Then our attention turns to the NSW Cup clash between the Penrith Panthers and Newtown Jets from 7pm at CommBank Stadium. This match will be televised on BARTV Sports.
The League Scene will comprehensively preview both deciders. In addition, we'll tell you who to watch and give our picks to advance to the NRL State Championship.
NSW Cup Grand Final preview
It's a real David and Goliath battle in the NSW Cup as minor premiers, the Penrith Panthers, play host to the Newtown Jets (feeder club of the Cronulla Sharks).
Penrith finished the year with an impressive record of 16 wins, five losses and a draw to claim top position. They advanced straight to the Grand Final following a commanding victory over the Newcastle Knights a fortnight ago.
A strength for the Panthers has been continuity. Fullback Jaxen Edgar has been in fine form with an average of 150 metres a game, whilst halfback Kurt Falls has shown his experience on his return to the Panthers after several years away in other systems, freeing up youthful winger Jirah Liddiard to dominate the aerial battles.
Up front, their pack of forwards is a mix of experience and youth. Tom Ale and Kalani Leuluai-Going have been classy additions up front from the Warriors. The tandem have been commanding up front and dominated the middle third. That allows NSW Cup Second Rower of the Year Zakauri Clarke to bust tackles for fun out wide, scoring over 200 points this season.
For their opponents, the Newtown Jets were on the brink a couple of weeks ago. A string of bad losses left their finals hopes hanging by a thread. But, like any good side, they found a way and have won three sudden-death matches to qualify for the grand final.
Continuing their terrific nine-match winning streak, the Jets claimed a 30-14 victory over the Newcastle Knights.
Young half Riley Pollard continued his strong season, setting up two tries off kicks, whilst Taj Ford continued to deputise brilliantly for Liam Ison with a strong showing; he will move to partner Pollard in the halves on Saturday night.
A change in NSWRL finals eligibility has given Sam Stonestreet the green light to play in the decider. His ability to break the game open with sheer pace will give the Jets an advantage. Also returning will be Michael Gabrael after serving a two-match suspension from his NRL debut.
Elsewhere, Jayden Berrell will look to go out a winner. We revealed the hooker will be returning to Queensland next season and has been a loyal servant for the Jets over the last five seasons.
Meanwhile, Tuku Hau Tapuha and Felix Fa'atili will bring the intensity in their stints as they face a tough test against the Panthers pack.
It's hard to go against the might of the Penrith Panthers to claim their second NSW Cup title since 2022. Their experience on the big stage will be too hard to mount against, especially against a Newtown side that has been up against it for over two months. Penrith by 12.
QLD Cup Grand Final preview
The QLD Cup decider promises to be a surprising affair with minor premiers Sunshine Coast taking on the Redcliffe Dolphins.
Sunshine Coast finished the year as minor premiers. We highlighted their success in spite of losing their affiliation deal with the Melbourne Storm. The Falcons finished three points clear of Redcliffe with a 16-4 record. They advanced to the decider with a 32-16 win over the Central QLD Capras, with half Josh Lynn setting up three tries in a commanding performance.
One player who has stood out in his new environment has been five-eighth Thomas Casey. The former Redcliffe Dolphins talent who played in the QRL City team last season has been incredible in his first season on the Sunshine Coast. In 21 games, he has scored 10 tries, assisted 18, set up 11 linebreaks and forced eight dropouts. His battle with Josh James will determine the contest.
Up front, the battle will need to be won by former Parramatta prop Brock Parker. The 23-year-old moved up north for opportunities in open-age football and hasn't let anyone down. Parker played in 21 matches, averaging over 110 metres a game whilst tackling at an impressive efficiency of 94%.
Redcliffe have been impressive in their charge to the decider. Finishing in second position, the primary feeder side of the Dolphins has benefited from a large intake of NRL squad members to qualify for the Grand Final. They thrashed Burleigh 40-22 last week and get the advantage of playing at "home" for the decider.
When talking about the Dolphins, immediately players such as Trai Fuller and Tevita Naufahu come to mind. Whilst those two have been tackle-busting machines throughout the season, the organisation of Jake Averillo in the halves will be a huge watch for Tigers fans. Averillo had a double and set up several tries in the preliminary final win, and his involvement will be key in this contest.
Up front, we're looking to former Knight Sebastian Su'a. The young forward came to the Dolphins last year in search of opportunities, but a series of shoulder injuries derailed his 2025 campaign. This year, he has been in immense form, averaging over 100 metres a game as well as 17 offloads in 13 matches.
The experience for the Dolphins is hard to ignore in this contest. They have an exciting and far superior team on paper. However, matches aren't won on the team sheet. Sunshine Coast's last defeat was to Redcliffe back in July, and they will be hungry for revenge. The forward clash between Su'a and Parker will be a highlight, whilst the halves battle will be integral to deciding the game. Redcliffe by 6.
