top eight finishing teams, the NRL adopted the McIntyre final eight system. Chart Grand Final The 2001 NRL grand final was the conclusive and premiership-deciding game of the 2001 NRL season. It was contested at Stadium Australia in Sydney by the Newcastle Knights (who had finished the regular season in third place), and the Parramatta Eels (who had finished the regular season in first place), after the other six teams that had competed in the top-eight finals series had been eliminated. The attendance of 90,414 was the third-highest ever seen at a rugby league match in Australia and it was the first nighttime grand final in the competition’s 103-year history. Domestically, live free-to-air television coverage was provided by Nine's Wide World of Sports. The match was also broadcast live in the United States by Fox Sports World. Newcastle Knights won, with their captain Andrew Johns receiving the Clive Churchill Medal for man-of-the-match. Player statistics The following statistics are as of the conclusion of Round 26. Top 5 point scorers Top 5 try scorers Top 5 goal scorers 2001 Transfers Players Footnotes External links 2001 NRL Grand Final at sportsphotography.net