Under NRL rules, all 19 players named for a grand final receive a premiership ring, even if they do not take the field. The six-player interchange rule means at least two players miss out on playing.
Connor Watson, ruled out of the Sydney Roosters' grand final against the Knights because of concussion, said teammate Beniah Ioelu offered him his ring.
Ioelu had played five first-grade games in 2026 and was named on the bench after Watson was withdrawn. Cody Ramsey and Hugo Savala also did not get on the field.
Coach Trent Robinson gave Watson his own ring on Sunday night. Robinson has won four premierships as Roosters coach and previously gave a different ring to Lindsay Collins.
Watson joked, "In 30 years' time, when I've got grandkids, I'll be telling them that I've coached the Sydney Roosters,"
The hooker is due to join St George Illawarra in 2027. He credited Robinson and the club with shaping his career, saying, "I wouldn't be the person I am without this club."
Watson became the first player ruled out of a grand final under the NRL's 11-day concussion stand-down rules. He said he felt sorry for himself for a few hours, then focused on helping Ioelu and his teammates prepare.
"Then you get ruled out. It's disappointing, I'm not gonna lie I was gutted. But at the end of the day, the situation is what it is, you can't change it, so the show goes on."