The NRL Grand Final Was Played by Rugby Union Players

Last night's NRL Grand Final was won by a former Waratah and lost by a man who has said he'd strive to be an All Black. Rugby union made them both. The NRL got there first. This is the story of the two battles New Zealand rugby is fighting with the NRL: one for your eyes, one for your kids. CHAPTERS 0:00 Last night's Grand Final 0:42 Two battles 0:53 Battle one: the eyes 1:30 Rugby still owns the living room 2:01 Battle two: the kids 2:43 The money 3:06 Francis Manuleleua and Ali Leiataua 3:34 It keeps happening 3:58 It's not just kids: Roger Tuivasa-Sheck 4:19 Cameron Murray and Isaiah Papali'i 4:44 Kalyn Ponga 5:07 The road runs both ways: Joseph-Aukuso Sua'ali'i 6:01 Angus Crichton and Mark head home 6:26 Even the All Blacks look over the fence 6:50 The two battles SOURCES NRL.com match-centre data (2026 Grand Final, finals series); NZ Herald, Liam Napier, "Teenage talent wars: how the NRL is poaching Kiwi schoolboys" (24 May 2024); Warriors.kiwi and Auckland Stadiums (2026 sell-out season; 25,853 v Knights, 30 Aug 2026); NRL.com (2026 attendance and viewership; Cameron Murray, 2018; Kalyn Ponga's Kiwis eligibility switch, 11 Mar 2026); SportsIndustryAU NZ TV ratings (2025, Sky); 1News (Roger Tuivasa-Sheck ACL, 26 May 2026; Jordie Barrett, Dec 2021 and Mar 2023; Dave Rennie appointment, Mar 2026); Newstalk ZB; Ice Project podcast via ODT and Rugby.com.au (Ardie Savea, Feb 2020); RugbyPass (Kalyn Ponga; Wallabies v Springboks, Perth, 27 Sep 2026); rugby.com.au and Wallabies.rugby (Perth match report; player profile); The Niche Cache; King's College Auckland; Newcastle Herald; CODE Sports; Planet Rugby. QUOTES "They target the young ones quite early at 14, 15. It's appealing at that age." (a school coach, NZ Herald, May 2024). "Our approach is not to contract players while they are in school." (Matt Sexton, NZ Rugby, NZ Herald, May 2024). "One hundred percent I want to play rugby league." (Ardie Savea, Ice Project podcast, Feb 2020). "I'd love to go over there and play some league just for a season." (Jordie Barrett, What A Lad podcast, Dec 2021; in March 2023 he said he had no desire to do it "at the minute"). All 2024 figures are labelled 2024 in the video. PHOTOS (credited on screen): NRL Photos / NRL Images, Getty Images, AAP, AFP, Photosport, Brad Roberts, ABC, Newcastle Herald, NZ Herald, 1News, RNZ, Auckland Stadiums, One NZ Warriors, Daily Advertiser / News Corp, Planet Rugby, Gallo Images. Footage: Rugby Australia / Wallabies, Sky Sport NZ and RugbyPass school-rugby clips — short, muted, transformed, used for commentary and criticism. Team and competition logos are re-drawn painterly illustrations of the real marks, used for identification. #NRL #AllBlacks #Rugby #RugbyUnion #RugbyLeague #Warriors #NZRugby