After weeks of confusion, withdrawals and even suggestions there might be no pre-game show at all, the NRL has finally locked in its entertainment for Sunday’s grand final – and it’s turned to an all-Australian line-up for an emotional tribute to Jai Arrow.
Amy Shark will lead a collection of homegrown stars including members of The Screaming Jets, Grinspoon, Peking Duk and Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers ahead of the Sydney Roosters-Newcastle Knights decider at Accor Stadium.
The musicians will come together to perform You’ll Never Walk Alone as Arrow completes a lap of honour around the stadium, following his retirement from rugby league after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease.
The tribute is expected to begin at around 7.05pm, 25 minutes before the 7.30pm kick-off, with all of the performers reportedly donating their appearance fees to MND causes.
It brings an unexpectedly heartwarming conclusion to what had become something of a grand final entertainment debacle.
Tones And I had originally been approached to headline the pre-game show, but those plans spectacularly unravelled less than two weeks before the match.
The NRL initially said it was prepared to scrap its traditional entertainment altogether and instead redirect the money towards helping children play grassroots rugby league.
Reports subsequently suggested one of the sticking points had been the league wanting Tones And I to perform her monster 2019 hit Dance Monkey – a song she has previously spoken about being reluctant to perform.
However, the singer’s management gave a different explanation, saying nothing had ever been signed and that she already had a commitment in the US with rapper Macklemore.
“Tones had a prior commitment with Macklemore in America and explored all avenues to make it work,” her management said.
“Nothing was signed or confirmed in writing. Due to the last-minute nature and prior commitments by Tones, we were unable to accept the offer.”
ARLC executive chairman Peter V’landys then added another layer of intrigue by teasing a mystery entertainment package, declaring fans should wait until shortly before kick-off to discover what the league had planned.
Now the secret is out – and rather than chasing another international superstar or hurriedly finding a replacement headliner, the NRL has assembled some familiar Aussie names around a much more meaningful centrepiece.
The appearance of Shark also comes with a touch of irony.
Comments the singer made last year criticising the way the NRL pays musicians resurfaced almost immediately after her involvement was announced.
But Sunday night’s performance will ultimately be about Arrow, who has received an outpouring of support from across the sporting world since revealing his MND diagnosis.
You’ll Never Walk Alone has already become closely associated with his farewell, with the anthem played when he led South Sydney onto the field for his 100th Rabbitohs appearance last month.
On Sunday, it will accompany him around Accor Stadium one more time, with tens of thousands of fans expected to join in a special bow-and-arrow gesture in his honour.
After all the uncertainty over who would sing what – or whether anyone would sing anything at all – the NRL may just have landed on a grand final moment far more memorable than the show it originally planned.
