This is why we do it.

Why do we watch sport? Strip it down to its most basic. We spend so much of our free time, either on television or in stadiums, watching men or women throw an oval-shaped ball around a field. We spend a lot of our disposable income to follow our team. Sometimes, we even plan our holidays around fixture lists and travel across Europe and the world to watch our team.

Think about it. It doesn't seem logical, does it? If you are not a Rugby League aficionado, it might not make sense. If you are, this weekend was a reminder of why we do it. 

This weekend had it all. Nail-biting drama. Tales of history-making success from underdogs. Tears of sadness. Tears of joy.

We started on Friday night as Leeds faced Warrington. We saw Warrington reach their first Grand Final since 2018. A contest where no more than two points separated the sides from minute 38.

We had controversy in the form of the winning penalty. We saw Leeds' young players thrust into the heat of a semi final and cope admirably. One point that hasn't been talked about was how brilliant 18 year old Ewan Irwin was in a leading role for Warrington.

Warrington's win gives them a shot at ending a 71-year wait for a championship. Maybe their best shot in a generation. And what a turnaround from just 12 months ago. Warrington lost 17 of 27 matches. They lost 8 of their last 9 in 2025. Talk about a contrast.

The Grand Final intrigue was added to with Wakefield's win over Wigan on Saturday. This was not just a win. It was a Rugby League clinic. Wakefield's combination of skill, offloading and an almost nil error count was a joy to behold.

The scenes as Wakefield ran in try after try in front of 4,000 + jubilant fans was jaw-dropping. So Wakefield join Warrington in the Grand Final. Wakefield have the chance of winning their first championship since 1967 / 68. Wakefield play in their first top-flight final since 1979.

The final will see one long wait put to rest. In some ways, the knowledge that both sides are in similar positions adds to the pressure and appeal of this most unique of Grand Finals.

I cannot mention the Grand Final without noting that the top two sides in the regular season will not be there. Warrington and Wakefield bring the fairytale story. 

In particular, Wigan did not lose a match since 24th April 2026 (save for a match against Hull KR, which they effectively conceded) until Saturday. Effectively, no reward in the league for five months of perfection. Is that right? I'll leave that up to you to answer. It's a question for another day.

On Sunday morning, the emotion cranked up even more as Penrith hosted Newcastle in the NRL semi final.

It was heartbreaking to see Nathan Cleary suffer a horrible leg / ankle injury. It is devastating that he will miss the World Cup but more upsetting to see the significant pain and distress which Cleary was suffering. Likewise, Blaize Talagi for his second half injury.

From negative emotion to positive. This semi final was another thriller. Newcastle coming from behind with a man sent off to lead. Penrith hammering the door down to get a last minute winner. And then time stood still as Sandon Smith intercepted the ball.

The sight of Smith sprinting down the field. The Newcastle fans bouncing with joy in the background. Kalyn Ponga falling to the ground in tears at what he and his side achieved. The emotional reactions of Matty and Andrew Johns as they watched their side reach their first Grand Final since 2001.

All the more remarkable given that Newcastle finished bottom of the NRL in 2025.

If that wasn't enough, our weekend was rounded off with another surprise, as York Valkyrie defeated Wigan to reclaim the women's Super League title.

A match that had plenty of talking points. Were Wigan fortunate to avoid two red cards? What if Wigan had taken that kickable penalty to level the scores in the second half? York managing this without star player Tara-Jane Stanley making the achievement all the more impressive.

The second half was largely attack against defence and York's rearguard action won out against Wigan's push to break them down.

Oh, and if that wasn't enough, there was even a post match proposal on the pitch. York's Lisa Parker said yes through the tears! Her fiancée is Sheffield women's joint head coach Louis Townsend, if you're interested!

And I can't get through this piece without congratulating London Broncos. Their men's team reached the Grand Final with a crushing win over Oldham and their women's team won promotion to Super League.

Last but certainly not least, Doncaster made the Championship Grand Final with an impressive away win at Newcastle. Arguably Doncaster's greatest moment since their promotion in 1994 or shocking Batley to reach the Northern Rail Cup Final in 2008.

We often say "you couldn't write the script". I have never understood this phrase. Usually, stories like we have seen unfold this weekend are reserved for works of fiction. And such fiction can be fantastic. But there's something more thrilling watching it unfold in an unscripted manner.

The scarcity of weekends like this make it more special. To take it back to the start of the piece, this is why we do it. This is why we invest so much time, money and emotion into this silly little game. And it's why I wouldn't have it any other way.