The article reports on late lineup changes for the NRL semifinal match between the New Zealand Warriors and the Newcastle Knights at Eden Park. The Warriors have swapped Leka Halasima and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak into their starting lineup, replacing Adam Pompey and Alofiana Khan-Pereira who are now listed as substitutes. The game is set to start at 4:05 pm AEST (New South Wales time) with updates available through a live blog and radio coverage.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-20,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
The Newcastle Knights secured their spot in the NRL preliminary finals with a nail-biting 12-10 victory over the Warriors at Eden Park on September 20. The game saw Mat Croker, Newcastle's lock forward and an unsung hero of the season, play every minute this year, showcasing his pivotal role in the team’s dynamic attack by linking up with halfbacks to create scoring opportunities.
However, controversy surrounded the final moments when a potential penalty against Tyson Frizell for what is deemed an "escort" play was not reviewed due to the Warriors having already used their captain's challenge. This oversight could have given the Warriors a chance at leveling the score or extending the match into extra time, leading to the Warriors contacting the NRL for clarification on several contentious decisions during the game.
The Knights' remarkable turnaround from wooden spooners last season to reaching the preliminary finals has made them an inspiration within the league, with other struggling teams like the Tigers and Dragons looking closely at what Newcastle did right this year. The Penrith Panthers now await the winner of this match in Sydney next week for a place in the grand final.
Written for “NRL Finals Knights Warriors” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 5 other(s) covering the same event.
Fri, 11 Sept, 7:50 pm, Final score, Rabbitohs 10, Knights 20
Sat, 12 Sept, 4:05 pm, Final score, Warriors 16, Dolphins 26
Sat, 12 Sept, 7:50 pm, Final score, Sharks 26, Cowboys 16
Sun, 13 Sept, 4:05 pm, Final score, Panthers 19, Roosters 12
Sat, 19 Sept, 7:50 pm, Final score, Roosters 46, Sharks 10
Sun, 20 Sept, 4:05 pm, Game not started, Warriors versus Knights
live
NRL finals live:
asserted
Game → start → NRL
The New Zealand Warriors are in a new home, hosting the Newcastle Knights in an NRL semifinal at Eden Park.
asserted
Warriors → host → Park
The winner will face the Penrith Panthers in Sydney during next week's preliminary final weekend, while the loser's premiership hopes end.
asserted
hopes → face → weekend
Submit a comment or question
Live updates
NRL semifinal Warriors vs Knights
Kick-off: 4:05pm AEST, 3:35pm ACST, 2:05pm AWST, 6:05pm NZST
Warriors: 1 Taine Tuaupiki, 2 Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, 3 Ali Leiataua, 22 Leka Halasima, 23 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, 6 Chanel Harris-Tavita, 7 Te Maire Martin, 8 James Fisher-Harris, 9 Wayde Egan, 10 Mitchell Barnett, 11 Kurt Capewell, 12 Jacob Laban, 13 Erin Clark; Interchange: 4 Adam Pompey, 5 Alofiana Khan-Pereira, 14 Sam Healey, 15 Tanner Stowers-Smith, 16 Demitric Vaimauga, 17 Eddie Ieremia-Toeava
Knights: 1 Kalyn Ponga, 2 Dominic Young, 3 Dane Gagai, 4 Bradman Best, 5 Greg Marzhew, 6 Fletcher Sharpe, 7 Sandon Smith, 8 Tyson Frizell, 9 Phoenix Crossland, 10 Cody Hopwood, 11 Jermaine McEwen, 12 Francis Manuleleua, 13 Mat Croker; Interchange:14 Harrison Graham, 15 Lachlan Crouch, 16 Pasami Saulo, 17 Thomas Cant, 18 Fletcher Hunt, 22 Dylan Lucas
Officials: Referee: Ashley Klein; Touch Judges: Phil Henderson, Tyson Brough; Senior Review Official (Bunker): Chris Butler
New: Filters
Choose what information you see below by using filters
Key Event
Warriors team list
The Warriors have made two late changes to their side.
Leka Halasima (22) and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (23) have been named in the starting side at centre and wing.
asserted
Halasima → submit → centre
Adam Pompey (4) and Alofiana Khan-Pereira (5) have gone back to the interchange bench.
asserted
Pompey → go → bench
Jett Cleary misses out, and Jackson Ford is unavailable after sustaining an injury last weekend.
asserted
Ford → miss → injury
New Zealand Warriors vs Newcastle Knights
- 4:05pm AEST: NSW, Queensland, ACT, Victoria, Tasmania, PNG
- 3:35pm ACST: South Australia, Northern Territory
- 2:05pm AWST: Western Australia
- 6:05pm NZST: New Zealand, Fiji
- 7:05pm: Tonga, Samoa
Key Event
Welcome to the ABC Sport NRL live blog
Good afternoon, Australia.
Welcome back to ABC Sport's live digital coverage of the 2026 NRL premiership season.
This afternoon, Auckland's Eden Park hosts a knockout semifinal between the New Zealand Warriors and Newcastle Knights.
asserted
Park → welcome → Warriors
The winner will face the Penrith Panthers in Sydney during next week's preliminary final weekend, while the loser's premiership hopes end.
asserted
hopes → face → weekend
Join the conversation and let us know your thoughts on the NRL finals in the comment section below.
asserted
us → join → section
The Aporia
