The pre-match entertainment for the NRL Grand Final features a lot of homegrown Queensland talent.
The Penrith Panthers will confront the South Sydney Rabbitohs this evening, with the season finale occurring at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium for the first time.
Aussie singer-songwriter Kate Miller-Heidke will sing the national anthem in front of kick-off and will lead the pre-match entertainment close by Cold Chisel founding member Ian Moss.
They will be joined by globetrotting DJs The Stafford Brothers, live instrumentalist Timmy Trumpet, internationally acclaimed didgeridoo player William Barton and a 40-piece orchestra.
“Performing at the 2015 grand final with Cold Chisel was one of those career moments that we all look to play, so to be asked back to perform at the 2021 Telstra Premiership grand final at Suncorp Stadium here in the beautiful Sunshine State is an honor,” Moss said.
“And to share the stage with the immensely talented Kate Miller-Heidke and William Barton is such an added bonus and a true gift. I can‘t wait.”
Miller-Heidke represented Australia at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2019, performing her song “Zero Gravity”.
NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo said: “This is a historic week for rugby league in Queensland as we will light up some of Brisbane’s best-known landmarks with iconic images from our season.
“This is also an opportunity to say thank you to fans and Queenslanders for hosting us in 2021.
“The grand final is more than game day, it’s a week-long celebration of clubs, players, and most importantly fans.
“This week is also an opportunity for us to provide a boost for the local economy. Visitors from across Queensland will be in Brisbane for the grand final. The first allocation of tickets has sold out and the final 7000 tickets will be released on Monday.”
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said: “I have long said Queensland deserves a grand final.
“We’re happy that our strong health response has made this possible. Major sporting events inject millions of dollars into Queensland businesses, supporting local jobs and helping to rebuild our economy.
“We’ve seen with Magic Round the strong benefits events like this can deliver for tourism and hospitality businesses. An NRL grand final is a dream come true for footy fans across the state. I encourage all Queenslanders to make the most of having the grand final here in rugby league heartland.”
The NRL Grand Final will get in progress at 6.30 pm local time (7.30 pm AEDT), with the pre-match entertainment scheduled to begin one hour before kick-off.
