NRL: Tyson Frizell Leaving Knights After Grand Final, Tigers Linked

Tyson Frizell has played his last game for the Newcastle Knights, with the club confirming at its grand final fan day on Monday that the 34-year-old forward will leave ahead of 2027. Sunday’s 19-18 NRL Grand Final loss to the Sydney Roosters was his final match in Newcastle colours.

The news was revealed at the Knights’ welcome-home event at McDonald Jones Stadium on Monday 5 October, Zero Tackle reported, while Yahoo Sport Australia said the club confirmed the 306-game veteran is set to leave. Frizell, who is off contract at the end of 2026, posted “Thank you for everything Newcastle” on Instagram on Monday, according to Sporting News.

Why the Knights couldn’t keep him

Zero Tackle reported that the Knights have just two roster spots left for 2027 and had hoped to use one on Frizell, but the money available did not allow it. Sporting News pointed to the rise of the club’s young forwards and the off-season arrival of Marata Niukore from the Warriors as reasons there was no room in the pack.

Frizell made 129 appearances for Newcastle after joining from St George Illawarra ahead of the 2021 season, according to Sporting News. He played 165 games in eight seasons with the Dragons after debuting for Cronulla in 2011.

A first grand final, played through a rib injury

Sunday night was the first grand final of Frizell’s career. Yahoo noted he had played more NRL games than anyone before featuring in his first decider.

He suffered a busted rib during the 19-18 loss to the Roosters, AAP reported, adding to the adversity for a Knights side already without the suspended Phoenix Crossland and injured halfback Dylan Brown. Newcastle had climbed from wooden spooners in 2025 to reach the decider.

“I’ve never seen a gutsier performance,” coach Justin Holbrook said after the game.

What Frizell said about his future

Frizell made it clear during the finals that he wanted to keep playing. “I do want to play next year,” he told NRL.com in mid-September. Later in the same interview he added: “Hopefully once I’m finished, we can sort out what I’m going to do next year but I’m definitely looking to play.”

“I love the game too much and I feel like I’ve still got a lot more to offer,” Frizell said in the lead-up to the decider, Yahoo reported. “It could be my last game for the club, I don’t know just yet.”

Wests Tigers the frontrunners

ESPN reported before the finals that the Wests Tigers had identified the former NSW and Australia representative as a recruitment target as Benji Marshall reshapes his roster for 2027. Yahoo said the Tigers appear to be favourites to sign him, with several overseas clubs also reportedly interested, while Zero Tackle reported that an unnamed third suitor in Sydney had shown interest. No deal had been announced at the time of writing.

Frizell is one of several big names on the move after the decider, with premiership-winning Rooster Spencer Leniu set to join Parramatta.

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