The National Rugby League will honour its 300-game heroes in a Telstra Premiership Grand Final entertainment program that features Grammy award-winners, world boxing champions, a five-year-old boy who will inspire a nation and an army Black Hawk chopper orchestrating one of the biggest Mexican waves in history.<br><br>The ‘300 Club’ celebration will pay tribute to the elite club of players who have played 300 Premiership games, while fans will also get the opportunity to farewell the game’s retiring players who will say goodbye after the 2009 Telstra Premiership.<br><br>The Telstra Child Flight helicopter and members of the game’s ‘300 Club’ will deliver the Telstra Premiership Trophy to ANZ Stadium and into the care of five-year-old Oscar Buhagiar, whose courage, bravery and dedication symbolise the qualities that make Rugby League the greatest game of all.<br><br>Oscar, who plays for the Kellyville Bushrangers Under 6s, is refusing to let a rare form of cancer stop him from playing the game he loves, despite having a permanent tube in his nose and sometimes undergoing chemotherapy before heading to the game.<br><br>While Oscar’s inspiring story will touch the heart of every fan, some of the biggest names in Australian music will bring the capacity crowd to its feet.<br><br>Grammy-award winning band Wolfmother will headline a star-studded music ensemble when they play their hit single ‘New Moon Rising’ from their new album ‘Cosmic Egg’, as well as their classic hit ‘Joker and the Thief’.<br><br>Wolfmother’s self-titled debut album sold more than 1.4 million copies worldwide and in 2007 they won a Grammy for best hard rock performance award for their song Woman.<br><br>Wes Carr will perform a musical tribute to the game’s champion players while Irish band The Script will rock the crowd at half-time.<br><br>Rising Australian music star Mark Vincent – the teenager who captivated a nation on his way to victory in Australia’s Got Talent – will perform the National Anthem.<br><br>From hit music to hit men, and Australian boxing superstar and Eels fan Danny Green and future Hall of Fame fighter Roy Jones Jr will be presented to the crowd ahead of their IBO cruiserweight title bout at Sydney’s Acer Arena on Wednesday, December 2.<br><br>More than 80,000 screaming fans will also have their chance to be part of the festivities in a giant Mexican wave to be conducted by an Australian Army Black Hawk helicopter.<br><br>The chopper will ‘bow’ to acknowledge the presence of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd before leading the Mexican Wave as it hovers and spins inside the stadium.<br><br>“It will be something of a first to see the Black Hawk helicopter orchestrate 82,000 fans,” NRL Chief Executive, Mr David Gallop, said.<br><br>“The football is always going to be the main focus but the Grand Final is an experience that takes in the whole afternoon and evening. <br><br>“It recognises the heroes of our game, from our Premiership stars to junior players such as Oscar, it gives fans the chance to enjoy some of the biggest names in music and it is simply a great event to be a part of.<br><br>“From the moment gates open to the final lap of honour, it promises to be a great experience and I encourage our members and fans to snap up the last of the Grand Final tickets when they go on sale this week.”<br><br><b>Grand Final Day Pre Game Entertainment program</b><br><br>11:45am Gates Open <br><br>12:10pm NSW Cup Grand Final Kick-Off (teams determined later today) <br><br>1:50pm NSW Cup Grand Final presentation <br><br>2:10pm Toyota Cup Under 20s Kick-Off: Melbourne Storm v Wests Tigers<br><br>3.00pm: Jetstar NRL Club Championship Presentation<br><br>3:55pm Toyota Cup Under 20s Grand Final presentation <br><br>4:10pm World boxing champions Danny Green and Roy Jones Jr presented to the crowd<br><br>4:20pm Holiday Inn Junior League Relay Final <br><br>4:40pm Telstra Child Flight chopper arrives with Telstra Premiership Trophy<br><br>4:45pm 300 Club and Retiring Players tribute, with Wes Carr performance<br><br>4:50pm Wolfmother performance <br><br>5.08pm: Black Hawk helicopter and crowd Mexican Wave <br><br>5:10pm National Anthem performed by Mark Vincent<br><br>5:15pm Telstra Premiership Grand Final Kick-Off: Melbourne Storm v Parramatta Eels<br><br>6.05pm The Script performance <br><br>6:55pm Telstra Premiership Grand Final Presentation <br>
You have skipped the navigation, tab for page content
National Rugby League respects and honours the Traditional Custodians of the land and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on the lands we meet, gather and play on.
