Roosters and Knights Chase Rare Double at NSW Junior Representatives Grand Final Day

Key facts

• The Sydney Roosters and Newcastle Knights will contest both the UNE Harold Matthews Cup (Under 17s Boys) and UNE SG Ball Cup (Under 19s Men) finals on Saturday.
• The Roosters SG Ball side, coached by newly-appointed Westpac NSW Blues assistant coach Boyd Cordner, seeks back-to-back premierships.
• Newcastle Knights have not won the SG Ball Cup in 15 years and enter the decider after a late-season surge from seventh place.
• The Roosters Harold Matthews Cup team has reached its first grand final in the competition's 56-year history.
• The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and Central Coast Roosters clash in the Westpac Lisa Fiaola Cup (Under 17s Girls) grand final.
• Parramatta Eels aim for consecutive Westpac Tarsha Gale Cup (Under 19s Women) titles against Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks.
• NSWRL Chief Executive David Trodden praised the development competitions as 'the best in the Rugby League world.'
• The grand final day will be held at Leichhardt Oval on Saturday 2 May, starting at 10am.

A Day of Double Ambitions

The Sydney Roosters and Newcastle Knights stand on the cusp of a rare double at the NSW Rugby League Junior Representatives Grand Final Day this Saturday at Leichhardt Oval. Both clubs have qualified for the finals of the UNE Harold Matthews Cup (Under 17s Boys) and the UNE SG Ball Cup (Under 19s Men), a feat that underscores the depth of talent in their development pathways. The Roosters will field teams in three grand finals—the SG Ball Cup, Harold Matthews Cup, and Lisa Fiaola Cup—a testament to the strength of their junior system. The Knights, meanwhile, are chasing their first SG Ball Cup title in 15 years, having surged from seventh place to reach the decider.

Roosters Aim for Back-to-Back SG Ball Glory

The Roosters SG Ball side, coached by newly-appointed Westpac NSW Blues assistant coach Boyd Cordner, will defend their title against the Knights. Cordner, a former NRL star and True Blue, brings elite experience to the under-19s squad, which has built strong momentum throughout the season with consistent performances and resilience. The team is determined to secure consecutive premierships, a feat that would cement their dominance in the competition. The grand final caps a significant achievement for the Roosters' development pathways, with three teams reaching the biggest stage of the junior representative season.

Knights Seek to End 15-Year Drought

Newcastle's under-19s side has not won the SG Ball Cup since 2011, a drought they hope to break this Saturday. The Knights enter the decider confident after a late-season surge that saw them climb from seventh place to the grand final. Their opponent, the Roosters, are the defending premiers and stand in the way of Newcastle's historic victory. The Knights will also contest the Harold Matthews Cup final, seeking revenge after falling short last year.

Historic First for Roosters Harold Matthews Side

The Roosters Harold Matthews Cup team, under the guidance of Paul Momirovski, has made history by reaching the grand final for the first time in the club's history. The competition, now in its 56th year, has never seen a Roosters under-17s boys team in the decider. The team's journey has been built on determination and week-on-week improvement, culminating in this milestone. They face a Knights side hungry for redemption after last year's defeat.

Women's Competitions Showcase Growing Pathways

In the Westpac Lisa Fiaola Cup (Under 17s Girls), the Central Coast Roosters will take on the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, who won the inaugural premiership in 2024. The two sides have not met in 2026, making the clash unpredictable. The Westpac Tarsha Gale Cup (Under 19s Women) features Parramatta Eels, seeking consecutive titles after a dominant finals campaign, against Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, chasing their first win since 2018. These matches highlight the continued investment in women's rugby league pathways.

NSWRL Chief Lauds Development System

NSWRL Chief Executive David Trodden praised the Junior Representatives Grand Final Day as a showcase of the state's development systems. 'In our view they are the best development competitions in the Rugby League world,' Trodden said. He highlighted the commitment of clubs to nurturing future stars and the involvement of past NRL players and True Blues in coaching roles. The grand final day features four matches across male and female age groups, starting at 10am with the Lisa Fiaola Cup.

What Comes Next for the Pathways

The grand final day will wrap up with the SG Ball Cup decider, where the Roosters aim to go back-to-back under Cordner's leadership. For the Knights, victory would end a 15-year drought and validate their late-season resurgence. Beyond the results, the event underscores the strength of NSW's rugby league development pipeline, with many players likely to progress to NRL and representative levels. The involvement of senior figures like Cordner and Momirovski signals a commitment to investing in the future of the game.

The bottom line

• The Roosters and Knights contest both Harold Matthews and SG Ball Cup grand finals, a rare double opportunity.
• Roosters SG Ball side, coached by Boyd Cordner, seeks back-to-back titles; Knights aim to end 15-year SG Ball drought.
• Roosters Harold Matthews team reaches its first grand final in 56 years.
• Bulldogs and Central Coast Roosters meet in Lisa Fiaola Cup; Eels and Sharks clash in Tarsha Gale Cup.
• NSWRL Chief Executive David Trodden calls the competitions the best development systems in rugby league.
• The grand final day at Leichhardt Oval features four matches starting at 10am on Saturday 2 May.