Australian singer Tones And I has withdrawn from performing at the NRL Grand Final pre-show scheduled for 4 October due to a prior commitment with hip-hop artist Macklemore in America. The NRL received her confirmation on short notice after offering her the performance on 5 September, and has decided not to seek a replacement artist. The league has instead elected to redirect the entertainment budget towards youth rugby league programmes for disadvantaged children.

The estimated cost of the entertainment segment was approximately A$1 million, which NRL Commission chair Peter V'landys indicated he would prefer to use to provide opportunities for 20,000 underprivileged children to play rugby league rather than fund an 11-minute musical performance. Media reports suggest the disagreement stemmed partly from the NRL's request that Tones And I perform her 2019 breakthrough hit "Dance Monkey," which she has previously described having mixed feelings about performing. The song was a global phenomenon, holding the number-one position in Australia for an all-time record 24 weeks and topping the UK charts for 11 weeks—a record for a solo female artist.