Jai Arrow was forced to retire in May, aged 31, after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease.
At Sunday's NRL grand final at Accor Stadium, the former South Sydney player will be honoured with a lap of the field during a performance of "You'll Never Walk Alone".
Australian musicians will perform for 11 minutes from 9.05pm NZT, before the 9.30pm kickoff.
A week after saying the grand final did not need a headline act following the fallout with Tones and I, NRL chief Peter V'landys confirmed the tribute to AAP.
Public criticism had intensified after Kylie Minogue's AFL grand final performance.
V'landys had likened pre-match entertainment to a pickle in a burger and pledged $1 million for grassroots rugby league.
On Monday, he teased the plans to reporters: "I've got to tell you it'll be the highest-rating 11 minutes you will ever see, because no one knows what it is and we won't tell until the night,"