Live coverage of the elimination final between the Rabbitohs and the Knights at the Sydney Football Stadium.
The 2026 rugby league finals series kicks off as the Rabbitohs and Knights face off in an elimination final at the Sydney Football Stadium.
AI-generated summary
Newcastle finished last in 2025 and the Rabbitohs last played finals in 2022.
We'll get underway at 7:50pm AEST.
That's the time for New South Wales, Queensland, the ACT, Tasmania and Victoria.
It's 7:20pm in the Northern Territory and South Australia, and 5:50pm in WA.
Hello folks and welcome to finals!
My name is Simon Smale and it is my pleasure to be in the hot seat this evening to kick off the 2026 finals series.
It's been a long process to reduce the field from 17 hopefuls who started out in March to just eight now in with a chance to win the premiership.
That field of eight will be reduced by another one this evening as the Rabbitohs and the Knights meet in an elimination final at the Sydney Football Stadium.
Just getting into the finals is a triumph of sorts.
Newcastle finished dead last in 2025 and the Rabbitohs have not played in a finals match since 2022.
But the 2026 dream dies for one of these two sides tonight.
Plenty to get through and lots of excitement I hope before we do find out though, so let's get into it shall we?
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
One team will be eliminated from the premiership race tonight
Very likely · Within hours
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