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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.