If Jimmy Barnes does get the nod to perform at the 2025 NRL Grand Final, he’ll have company.
Earlier this week, the two-time ARIA Hall of Fame inducted rock hero told Triple M Breakfast that he’d “keep the date free” to perform the NRL’s showpiece event — an appropriate setting to celebrate the milestone anniversary of his signature solo song.
“They haven’t called me yet. But the 40th anniversary of ‘Working Class Man’ at the NRL would be a killer wouldn’t it? Couple of hard working fellas at the NRL,” Barnes remarked.
He continued, “I’d love to mate because it’s the NRL Grand Final, it’s one of the biggest games of any sport in the world. It’s like the State of Origin. You don’t see anybody play a game this tough anywhere in the world, and to have the final in Sydney. I’ve played a bunch of them and it’s always electric and a fantastic place to be. It’s just a shame the Tigers aren’t going to be there.”
The legendary Glasgow-born singer won’t have to go it alone.
Kate Ceberano, another great of Australian music, has reached out, doing so in the comments section of The Music Network’s earlier post.
“Hey Jimmy Barnes. I’m putting my hand up to come sing ‘Simply The Best’ with you,” she writes.
Should the magic happen, Ceberano would slot in for the late, great Tina Turner, who rerecorded “Simply The Best” as a duet with Barnes to promote the 1992 season for what was then known as the New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL).
Jimmy has performed at several NRL Grand Finals, including the 2022, 2001, and 1997 clincher, when he performed “Simply The Best”.
Ceberano and Barnes go way back. Her pop-funk act I’m Talking toured Australia with Barnes in 1986 and ’87 for the legendary Australian Made concerts.
Just last week, Ceberano walked the red carpet at the Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) for the premiere of Barnes’ Working Class Man documentary, directed by Andrew Farrell and the followup to 2018’s Working Class Boy.
Barnes and his band Cold Chisel had a handful of songs appear in triple j’s Hottest 100 of Australian Songs, including “Flame Trees” at No. 7, “Khe Sanh” at No. 8, and “Working Class Man” at No. 56.
All of it follows the release of his latest studio album, DEFIANT (via Mushroom Music), which opened at No. 1 on the ARIA Chart in May, extending his record for most leaders with 16. As a member of Cold Chisel, that number rises to 22.
Ceberano has won Dancing With The Stars, collected five ARIA Awards and in 2016 was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM), but is long overdue induction into the ARIA Hall of Fame.
The “Bedroom Eyes” singer is a headlining guest with Barnes on his Working Class Man 40th Anniversary Tour, presented by MG Live and Face to Face Touring and kicking off late November.