The Australian rock band Silverchair have turned down the NRL Grand Final performance spot for Sunday, Oct. 4, at Sydney’s Accor Stadium. In a post on Facebook, the trio — Daniel Johns, Ben Gillies and Chris Joannou — said they are “way too rusty” to take part.
The band’s official account hasn’t posted anything in over four years, and now it has a new post. The message is brief: “For the first time in ages, the three of us actually agree wholeheartedly about something: GO KNIGHTS!!!”.
“It’s all about the Knights this weekend,” the band continued. “We love how footy brings this community together, and it’s pretty special watching the whole Steel City get behind the boys.”
“We’re way too rusty, so sorry, no can do. We won’t be taking the stage, but we’ll be supporting as loudly as everyone else and there in spirit. Wishing the Newy players all the luck in the world this Sunday.”
The Decline Of The Grand Final Lineup
Tones And I’s withdrawal had already cut the Grand Final’s entertainment bill before it began. The “Dance Monkey” singer was originally named as the top act, but her management company, Lemon Tree Management, confirmed she had been asked to appear in the preshow instead.
The management team says there is no signed or confirmed agreement in writing. Tones will instead honour a prior arrangement with Macklemore in the United States.
The Cost Question From Rugby League Leadership
Australian Rugby League Commission chair Peter V’landys went on the record last week to say the money spent on the entertainment — roughly A$1 million — should be reinvested into grassroots sports. That position was described as a break from tradition.
A different rugby league story has now won people’s hearts and become a subject of much talk. On Sunday, Sept. 27, the Newcastle Knights made it to the final game of the season, accomplishing something they hadn’t done in 25 years. Their next opponent will be the Sydney Roosters.
Sport has the power to move even the most hardened of men to tears, unite rival groups into one, and bring about the most unlikely of reconciliations. The revival of the Knights and the franchise itself stands as one such occasion, and it has affected the members of Silverchair, the band whose music defined a generation of Australians. Silverchair are also devoted supporters of the Knights, its members Daniel Johns (vocals, guitar), Ben Gillies (drums) and Chris Joannou (bass), all of whom were born and raised in the “Steel City.”.
A Band That Hasn’t Reunited Since 2011
The band came together as school friends before they were old enough to buy alcohol or drive a car, and they built a career that any child would envy. Silverchair took over the national ARIA charts with their grunge-influenced 1995 debut record Frogstomp, which arrived back in 1992, and with the hit song “Tomorrow.”.
Frogstomp went to No. 9 on the Billboard 200, and its followup, 1997’s Freak Show, peaked at No. 12. Silverchair sold more than six million albums and achieved many firsts in their career.
Every one of the five studio albums they put out, starting with Frogstomp and ending with Young Modern, topped the ARIA Albums Chart, reaching No. 1. That achievement was unmatched by any other band during their run. When they called it quits, they held more ARIA Awards than anyone else, with 21.
In 2011, still at the peak of their powers, Silverchair’s members announced they would go their separate ways. A reunion has never transpired.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation aired a two-part Australian Story featuring Joannou and Gillies in 2023, while Johns was absent from it. Johns’ second and most recent solo studio album, FutureNever, reached No. 1 on the ARIA Chart in 2022.
What Happens Next
As things stand now, there is no sponsor attached to the NRL Grand Final pre-game entertainment slot.
Last week’s remarks by V’landys’ were described as a departure from established practice. Whether his stance has held steady since then is not stated in the source.
What makes the band’s choice stand out is its simplicity. Silverchair aren’t taking a political stance or pointing to scheduling problems. They’re simply speaking plainly about where they are right now.
The straightforwardness is welcome. It serves as a reminder that even bands who topped the charts in their prime eventually confront the same query as everyone else: can they still deliver?
Sunday, Oct. 4, marks the NRL Grand Final at Sydney’s Accor Stadium, where the Newcastle Knights meet the Sydney Roosters. No Silverchair performance will grace the stage, yet their presence remains felt, cheering on as fervently as all those around them.
The tale closes upon a fitting image of decay. A group that once moved without restraint now accepts its bounds, doing so with dignity.
- Silverchair have declined the NRL Grand Final performance slot
- Tones And I have pulled out
- The pre-game entertainment spot remains unfilled
- V’landys wants the money redirected to grassroots programs
- Silverchair’s last Facebook post was more than four years ago
Source material: “‘We’re Way Too Rusty’: Silverchair Won’t Be Playing The 2026 NRL Grand Final,” Billboard.
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