Sydney Roosters Beat Canberra Raiders to Reach NRLW Grand Final

Sydney Roosters secured a 20-10 victory over the Canberra Raiders at Allianz Stadium on September 26, 2026, advancing to their third consecutive NRLW grand final. Halfback Tarryn Aiken sealed the win with a late try, keeping the minor premiers undefeated and on track for a club double.

The Sydney Roosters booked their place in the October 4 grand final less than 24 hours after Trent Robinson’s men achieved the same feat in Brisbane, setting up a potential dual premiership sweep for the club. Playing their first match in 16 days, the Tricolours shook off early rust in a dramatic preliminary final that featured bloodied faces and physical contests across the park.

It was good, it’s what we needed, Roosters coach John Strange said after the match. Haven’t played a game in 16 days, and the girls were definitely feeling that – the match fitness, sort of not having it. But that’s definitely what we needed going into the grand final next Sunday.

Winger Jayme Fressard opened the scoring just two minutes in off a pass from captain Isabelle Kelly. Shortly after, prop Rima Butler barged over following a penalty against Raiders fullback Sheridan Gallagher for pulling Kelly’s hair during a 50-metre line break, lifting the lead to 10-0 after a Jocelyn Kelleher conversion.

The Raiders Fight Back and a Contentious Bunker Decision

Canberra clawed back before halftime when five-eighth Krystal Blackwell returned from medical attention for a bloody nose—having swapped her blood-soaked jersey for the No. 25 shirt—to slice through a gap set up by Zahara Temara in the 32nd minute. The physical toll mounted as Blackwell battled on despite a heavy bleeding nose that required a towel to stem the flow in the second half. Saturday’s win did come at a cost for the Roosters, however, with winger Jayme Fressard leaving the field at half-time with a shoulder injury after missing three matches earlier with a hand injury.

Sydney Roosters Beat Canberra Raiders to Reach NRLW Grand Final — Photo: news.com.au

Controversy flared when Canberra’s bench forward Lili Boyle looked to have crashed over next to the posts with 24 minutes to go and the score at 10-4, only for referee Kasey Badger to rule she didn’t get the ball down. Replays showed the ball was planted on Brydie Parker’s foot, and the bunker didn’t have enough evidence to overturn the decision even though the balance of probabilities suggested some part of the ball made contact with the turf.

The brutal call was compounded minutes later when the Raiders let a ball bounce following a swirling kick from Jocelyn Kelleher, which was gleefully collected by speedster Jess Sergis to give the hosts breathing space at 16-4. Though Canberra narrowed the gap again when Hollie-Mae Dodd crashed over from short range in the second half off a pass from Chante Temara with ten minutes remaining, the Roosters held firm.

Tarryn Aiken Seals the Decider and Grand Final Outlook

Halfback Tarryn Aiken, who missed last year’s grand final after rupturing her ACL late in the season, sliced through to seal the victory with two minutes to go, securing the 20-10 final scoreline. The victory keeps the minor premiers undefeated heading into the grand final at Accor Stadium on October 4, where they will face the winner of Sunday’s clash between the Gold Coast Titans and the Brisbane Broncos.

A group of rugby league players in red and blue hug and celebrate victory — Photo: ABC News & Headlines

For Canberra, the loss concludes a resilient campaign in which the club reached finals footy for the first time. Meanwhile, the Roosters celebrate a celebratory weekend for the Tricolours as they look to add to their 2021 and 2024 premierships and avenge their 2025 grand final defeat against Brisbane.