# Why did Tones and I really pull out of the NRL grand final?

An episode of [ABC News Top Stories](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1668721389), 23 Sep 2026, 2:28.

Audio: https://mediacore-live-production.akamaized.net/audio/02/oo/Z/ut.mp3

The NRL grand final is set to go ahead without its traditional pre-match entertainment after negotiations with Australian artist Tones and I broke down. Her management says a prior commitment was the sticking point, but the Sydney Morning Herald reports she refused to play her hit song Dance Monkey, despite the NRL's insistence. The NRL boss Peter V'Landys now says the $1 million usually spent on the show will instead fund grassroots rugby league for children who can't afford to play. So who might step in and does it even matter if there's no pre-match show at all?

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