Australian Rugby League Commission chair Peter V’Landys confirmed that instead of paying close to $1 million for a brief musical performance, the league will redirect the funds to support grassroots junior competitions and underprivileged youth who cannot afford to play rugby league.
NRL Grand Final Entertainment Collapses Over Set List Dispute
The pre-match entertainment lineup for the upcoming NRL decider at Accor Stadium suffered a major setback when talks with Tones And I collapsed. According to reporting by The Sydney Morning Herald cited by nine.com.au, negotiations hit an impasse over the league’s insistence that the artist perform her global hit “Dance Monkey.” Sources indicated that the 33-year-old singer, whose real name is Toni Watson, would not commit to playing the track, leading her team and the NRL to walk away from the arrangement.
The breakdown leaves the broadcast partner, Nine, without a traditional pre-game music drawcard. In previous years, major international and domestic acts have headlined the event. American pop star Teddy Swims performed at the 2025 grand final, following previous appearances by artists such as The Kid LAROI and Jimmy Barnes.
Did you know?
Peter V’Landys Defends Redirecting Funds to Grassroots Rugby League
Australian Rugby League Commission chair Peter V’Landys stated that the money previously allocated for musical acts represents poor value when evaluated on a per-minute basis. According to statements reported by the ABC and nine.com.au, V’Landys calculated that short performances cost approximately $90,000 per minute.
“Rather than giving a performer $90,000 a minute, we would prefer to give it to grassroots,” V’Landys told nine.com.au. He added, “I’d prefer to see 20,000 underprivileged kids who can’t afford to play rugby league play rugby league, rather than spend a million dollars on 11 minutes of a musical performance.”
V’Landys expressed confidence that the sporting fixture does not require external attractions to draw viewers. “Our game sells itself,” he told the ABC. “People come to watch rugby league — they don’t come to watch a pop concert.”
Financial Comparison: Entertainment Budgets Versus Junior Funding
While the code recently secured a $5.3 billion broadcast deal, according to The Sydney Morning Herald, the administration has opted to forgo a headline act to establish a targeted $1 million fund for junior participants.
NSWRL chief executive David Trodden discussed the funding shift after speaking with V’Landys. According to the ABC, Trodden voiced support for the reallocation of capital. “I applaud his decision to use the funds to support grassroots rugby league, and particularly those children who may have financial constraints on their ability to participate in such a wonderful community sport,” Trodden said.
State government stakeholders, including the office of the New South Wales premier and the minister for sport, have not responded to requests for comment regarding whether they were consulted on the removal of the grand final entertainment, as reported by the ABC.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will there be any entertainment at the NRL grand final this year?
According to the NRL, the event will proceed without a headline pre-match music act after negotiations with Tones And I broke down.
Why did negotiations with Tones And I fail?
According to The Sydney Morning Herald, talks collapsed because the NRL insisted the artist perform her hit song “Dance Monkey,” a track she would not commit to playing.
Where is the money for the entertainment act going instead?
The NRL plans to allocate approximately $1 million to fund grassroots junior rugby league and assist underprivileged children who face financial barriers to playing the sport, as reported by the ABC and nine.com.au.
Who headlined the NRL grand final last year?
American singer Teddy Swims performed at the 2025 NRL grand final, according to league records.
Join the Conversation
What are your thoughts on replacing grand final entertainment with grassroots funding? Share your perspective in the comments below, explore our related sports coverage, or subscribe to our newsletter for ongoing updates.
Related reading