Grand Final Special: Lachlan Fitzgibbon on why the Fearless Knights Can Topple the Roosters

The grand final is here and Lachlan Fitzgibbon returns for a big grand-final-week special to get Scotty and Eggo ready for Knights v Roosters on Sunday. Lachy paints the picture of a town gone mad, houses painted red and blue, 12,000 turning up to a training run, and makes the case that all the pressure sits with the Roosters against a fearless Knights side playing with belief. The boys dig into the Phoenix Crossland send-off and the ugly online abuse, the eggshell-theory debate on whether the injury should decide the penalty, and the Joey Johns "tongue in cheek" beat-up. Then it's the good stuff: the Dally M favouritism, how the Knights actually beat the Roosters, a head-to-head best-of-both-teams line-up, Clive Churchill Medal picks, and why Kalyn Ponga's emotion has won everyone over. Plus listener questions on Mad Monday legends and the Curry graveyard, a debate on whether a Knights win would be one of the greatest stories in Australian sport, and everyone's score predictions. Chapters 0:00 A special grand-final-week edition and the lucky charm returns 1:19 1997 vibes: is Newcastle about to party like it's back? 3:02 A town gone mad: houses painted red and blue 4:42 Where's the pressure, the Knights or the Roosters? 7:20 12,000 at a training run and the 25-year wait 7:50 The Phoenix Crossland situation and the online abuse 11:24 The send-off debate and the eggshell theory 14:54 The Joey Johns "tongue in cheek" beat-up 16:27 Dally M night: Cleary the favourite and the votes 18:32 The game plan: how the Knights beat the Roosters 21:45 Best of both teams: picking a combined top five 25:12 Clive Churchill Medal picks 26:41 Why Kalyn Ponga's emotion has won everyone over 28:32 Listener questions: Ego or Reese, Mad Monday legends and Curry 33:46 Would a Knights win be the greatest story in Australian sport? 39:11 Closest to the pin: everyone's score predictions 41:41 Wrap-up, the after-party and a Monday grand final show Keywords Lachlan Fitzgibbon, Lachlan Fitzgibbon interview, Newcastle Knights, NRL grand final, NRL grand final 2026, Knights v Roosters, Sydney Roosters, Kalyn Ponga, Phoenix Crossland, Fletcher Sharp, Daly Cherry-Evans, Nathan Cleary, Clive Churchill Medal, NRL, rugby league, grand final preview, footy podcast, Australian sport, Talking Sport Report, Scotty and Eggo