'Massive shoes to fill': Graham out to honour close mate Phoenix
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The pain of seeing his close mate miss out on an NRL grand final is driving Harrison Graham as he prepares to replace Phoenix Crossland for Sunday's clash with the Roosters.
Crossland has been referred straight to the judiciary for a hip-drop tackle on Nathan Cleary in last weekend's preliminary final and is expected to be suspended for the decider.
Harrison Graham Try
Graham stepped into the No.9 duties when Crossland was sent off last week and played a key role in leading the 12-man Knights past Penrith in a stunning upset.
The 25-year-old has been heavily favoured to start at hooker in the grand final and knows exactly where to turn to for advice.
Graham and Crossland have developed a close friendship since the former arrived at the club last summer. While these are not the circumstances he'd hoped for leading into Sunday's match, Graham is determined to step up for his team.
"We're best mates on and off the field," Graham told NRL.com. "He's such a genuine person and we're always going out for coffee and hanging out.
"He leads with his actions and he's a player you want to play with. He's just a typical Newcastle Knights player and that's what everyone wants to be like.
"He's been our best player all year so if he's not playing I've got massive shoes to fill. I want to do him and the club proud."
Match: Roosters v Knights
Grand Final -
home Team
Roosters
4th Position
away Team
Knights
7th Position
Venue: Accor Stadium, Sydney
Match broadcasters:
- WatchNRL
The Knights have rallied around Crossland and suspended forward Jacob Saifiti this week as they look to complete a fairytale rise from last year's wooden spoon to an NRL premiership.
Saifiti has sat out the entire finals series after being sent off for a high shot in a Round 26 loss to the Warriors, while Crossland will learn his fate at the judiciary on Tuesday night.
The Knights are into the 2026 NRL Grand Final
The hooker was devastated post-game but captain Kalyn Ponga said the team wouldn't be preparing for a grand final without Crossland's influence throughout the year.
"Phoenix has been pretty good," Ponga said. "He's copping a little bit online, which you don't want to see. It was an accident and we wish the best for Cleary.
"For Phoenix, he's been such a big part of this team for a number of years and this year he's had his fingertips all over [our success] so he deserves to be in a grand final."
Graham grew up in Ballina before his family moved to Queensland and he quickly developed into a highly-touted junior at Wynnum-Manly.
The hooker was the first player signed by the Dolphins in 2021 before they entered the competition two years later and he made his NRL debut in their inaugural season.
Harrison Graham Try
Opportunities in Redcliffe, however, were limited and Graham moved to Newcastle on a development contract for 2026.
Such was his unlikely rise this year, the 25-year-old was not selected in the travelling squad for the Knights Las Vegas season opener.
Fast forward six months and Graham has featured in 19 games this season and signed a contract extension for 2027.
"I'm still trying to process we're playing in a grand final," Graham said. "The family's real proud, the town's real proud and the club's proud.
"We've got 80 minutes to go but the belief is high and I can't wait for this week."
After 4 weeks of thrilling finals, it all comes down to this. One play can define a season. These are the moments that matter. Don't miss a second of the action with kick-off at 7.30pm Sunday night live on Nine, 9Now and Sky Sports NZ.
