AdvertisementSportNRLNRL 2026 Opinion The audacious idea to play more matches in NRL grand final week Danny Weidler Sport columnist August 9, 2026 — 5:00amAugust 9, 2026 — 5:00am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Share A A AThe NRL is exploring the idea of turning grand final week into a festival of football with an additional three matches, including a third-place play-off pitting the losers of the preliminary finals against each other ahead of the decider. Getty Images At the CEOs meeting, Warriors boss Cameron George also proposed the annual All Stars match between the Maori and Indigenous teams be shifted to grand final week. It’s understood V’landys wants to make it a rugby league tradition. He sees it as an opportunity to take advantage of the clear air which exists after the AFL grand final the week before the NRL decider.