2026 NRL Grand Final: Roosters vs Knights Cards

How did Newcastle get here from a wooden spoon?

Twelve months ago the Knights finished last. Now they are in their first Grand Final since 2001, completing one of the most remarkable single-season turnarounds in NRL history. With Nathan Cleary ruled out through injury in the preliminary final, Penrith were eliminated and collector search interest pivoted sharply to Roosters and Knights cards overnight.

Kalyn Ponga is the name driving most of that interest. His 2026 Select NRL League Heroes cards, particularly the limited inserts, are among the most in-demand NRL cards ahead of Grand Final week. James Tedesco's cards are getting equal attention from Roosters faithful who have been waiting for another tilt at the title.

Which Tedesco and Ponga cards should I look for?

Both players have full runs in 2026 Select NRL League Heroes, Select's first NRL mainstream release since 2012. The 14-year absence means collectors who left the hobby have come back, and with hobby boxes limited to a single global print run, scarcity is real.

Snap a photo in CardLoft to identify your card instantly, especially if you're unsure whether you've pulled a Luminous, a Gladiators, or one of the numbered hits.

• James Tedesco (Roosters): Base #175, Luminous L175 (unnumbered, sold out), League Heads LH117, Gladiators /599, Mercury holographic /450, Golden Treasure /80 (1:6 cases, asking ~AU$600 on Facebook Marketplace, not a confirmed sale), Clive Churchill Medal Predictor Gold /230, Brilliance B-JT /75
• Kalyn Ponga (Knights): Base #114, Luminous L105 (unnumbered, sold out), League Heads LH69, Gladiators /599, Mercury holographic /450, Golden Treasure GT9 /80, Clive Churchill Medal Predictor Gold /230, Brilliance Superstars Gold #28/50 (asking AU$596.96 on eBay, active listing, not a confirmed sale)
• Other Roosters to watch: Mark Nawaqanitawase (Game Breakers acetate, Bang, Colours Die-Cut), Sam Walker (Luminous L178, sold out)
• Other Knights to watch: Dominic Young (League Heads LH68, Luminous L108), Dylan Brown (highest-paid player in NRL at $1.3M/year, featured across inserts)

What are all the inserts in League Heroes, from easiest pull to rarest?

League Heroes has a lot of inserts. Here is the full retail ladder, from the card you're most likely to pull to the one you almost certainly won't.

• Luminous: 1 per pack, 228 cards, silver PET board (easiest pull)
• League Heads: 1:3 packs, 136 cards
• Game Breakers: acetate, 1:4 packs, 160 cards
• Bang: comic-style, 1:4 packs, 102 cards
• Colours Die-Cut: 1:8 packs, 221 cards
• TRYumph Red: 1:18 packs, 102 cards
• Gladiators: box hit, 1:36 packs, /599
• Mercury holographic: box hit, /450
• TRYumph Gold: case hit, /80
• Clive Churchill Medal Predictor Gold: 1:2 cases, /230
• Premiership Predictor Gold: 1:2 cases, /230
• Golden Treasure: 1:6 cases, /80 (rarest retail chase)
• Hobby exclusives: Base Silver Metal, Luminous Gold Back, Etched, Playmakers, Gladiators Gold /102, Mercury Sterling, TRYumph Black /50, TRYumph Black Signature /17

What is the Clive Churchill Medal Predictor card and does it matter?

The Clive Churchill Medal Predictor Gold is numbered /230 and found roughly 1:2 cases in retail. There is one card per team, not per player. The mechanic: whoever wins the Clive Churchill Medal on Grand Final day, the Predictor Gold from that team's slot is the one that activates. With Penrith eliminated, the two live cards are the Roosters Predictor Gold (Tedesco is the obvious candidate) and the Knights Predictor Gold (Ponga candidate).

If you've pulled one of these and want to compare notes with other collectors before Sunday, trade it privately with other collectors in CardLoft rather than posting publicly before the result is settled.

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