He stole a lawnmower. He terrorised fishermen. Now Elvis the saltwater crocodile has turned his attention to the 2026 NRL Grand Final.
Forget the pundits. Forget the analysts. The only prediction that matters this Grand Final week came courtesy of a 4.8-metre saltwater crocodile who has been in the game longer than most NRL coaches have been alive.
Elvis, Australia's Crankiest Crocodile, has officially backed the Newcastle Knights to take out the 2026 NRL Grand Final against the Sydney Roosters, and he did not leave much room for debate.
During his feeding show at the Australian Reptile Park this week, Elvis was presented with two identical pieces of meat held by keepers on either side of his enclosure, each representing one of Sunday's finalists, complete with team hats. A crowd of visitors gathered around to watch Australia's most notorious crocodile weigh up the biggest decision of his week.
Elvis was not to be rushed. He emerged from the water slowly, took a long look at both keepers and their offerings, and appeared to give the whole situation the level of thought it deserved. Then he made his move.
"Elvis the crocodile is Australia's crankiest croc, he's over 60 years of age and he's an oracle for these games, so the big decisions we rest on his jaws," said Brandon Gifford, Operations Manager.
"In those final moments it could have gone either way, but Elvis angled in and honed in on the Newcastle Knights, slammed his jaws shut for the win and he's very excited for Sunday night's game," said Brandon.
For those unfamiliar with Elvis's credentials, a brief history. He was removed from the wild in the Northern Territory after developing a habit of attacking fishing boats. He arrived at the Australian Reptile Park and promptly stole and destroyed a lawnmower belonging to his keepers. He is now in his seventh decade and shows absolutely no signs of slowing down. This is not his first sporting prediction either: in 2025 he was called upon to settle the State of Origin decider, putting his own memorable stamp on rugby league's biggest rivalry.
His track record as a crocodile, if not a tipster, is impeccable.
Come and see Elvis during the Spring School Holidays at the Australian Reptile Park in Somersby on the Central Coast, just one hour from Sydney or Newcastle.