Live: Walker confirmed to start for Roosters in NRL prelim final

Read the original at ABC News (AU) ↗
ABC News (AU) · collected 2026-09-25 · by Nick Campton

Quick Summary

The article reports live updates for an NRL preliminary final match between the Dolphins and the Sydney Roosters at Lang Park on September 25th, with kickoff at 7:50 pm. Sam Walker of the Roosters is confirmed to start despite a recent foot injury, joining the team without any other changes from their previous lineup. The Dolphins will play with one substitution as Jake Averillo replaces Tevita Naufahu in their squad. The match determines which team advances to the NRL grand final, and live coverage includes commentary and updates throughout the game.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-25, using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the same event (that is the story summary below).

AI analysis runs on qwen2.5:14b, locally

Story summary

The NRL preliminary final on September 25th features the Dolphins against the Sydney Roosters at Lang Park, with the winner securing a spot in the upcoming grand final. The match is significant as it marks the Dolphins' first-ever chance to reach the NRL grand final just four years after joining the league, while the Roosters aim for their first berth since 2019. Notably, Roosters halfback Sam Walker has been cleared to play despite a recent foot injury, returning from a syndesmosis injury sustained last month. His inclusion is seen as a major boost for the team's chances. Additionally, the game includes insights into Walker’s playing style from his father Ben, who won premierships with the Broncos in the late 1990s and praises Sam for being more strategic than he appears.

Written for “NRL Prelim Final Roosters dolphins” on 2026-10-05, grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.

Signals How these are calculated →

Claims extracted
12
claim-shaped sentences
Uncertain
0%
0 of 12 hedged
Leaning
not political
takes no side on a contested political question
Correction & hedging signals
60.8
corrections and hedging in what we collected; not a measure of accuracy
Outlets on this story
2
Sports
Narrative spread
1
articles carrying this framing
Analyzed 2026-09-25 · how these are computed

Story

📰 NRL Prelim Final Roosters dolphins
Sports · 2 article(s) covering the same event. See how they differ ↓

How this is being covered How these are calculated →

Article leaning vs. publisher reliability
Source leaning vs. consistency

Compared with similar articles

This article reads unscored and hedges 0% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.
NRL finals 2026 LIVE updates: Dolphins and Roosters go head-to-head in preliminary final same event · 95%
The Sydney Morning Herald · 0.87 cosine similarity
⚖️ leaning not scored 🔴 8% hedged 1 of 12 📰 publisher trust 61
“Both articles are reporting on the live updates and details of the NRL preliminary final between the Dolphins and Roosters, scheduled for September 27.”
Robinson admits surprise at speed of Walker’s return from surgery different event · 95%
The Sydney Morning Herald
⚖️ leaning not scored 🔴 6% hedged 1 of 18 📰 publisher trust 61
“Article A discusses Walker's recovery and readiness for an upcoming match, while Article B provides live scores and updates leading up to the preliminary final but does not focus on Walker's return specifically.”
Conversation starters and why Kayo isn't showing the AFL grand final different event · 95%
ABC News (AU)
⚖️ leaning not scored 🔴 5% hedged 1 of 22 📰 publisher trust 61
“Article A discusses NRL matches and live updates for a preliminary final, while Article B covers AFL matches and mentions the grand final. The sports are different and the specific events described are distinct.”
Tearful Johns praises fans for helping Knights end grand final drought different event · 95%
ABC News (AU)
⚖️ leaning not scored 🔴 0% hedged 0 of 3 📰 publisher trust 61
“The articles describe different matches; Article A discusses pre-game updates for the preliminary final between Dolphins and Roosters, while Article B reports on the actual game results of the grand final match between Knights and Panthers.”
'That was broken as well': Dad explains horror reality of Cleary injury different event · 95%
ABC News (AU)
⚖️ leaning not scored 🔴 50% hedged 1 of 2 📰 publisher trust 61
“Article A reports live updates and confirms Walker's start for the NRL prelim final, while Article B discusses Cleary's injury and provides different match scores including a finalized score of Dolphins 20, Roosters 36 on September 25th.”
Track work postponed to give Knights fans a smooth ride to grand final different event · 95%
ABC News (AU)
⚖️ leaning not scored 🔴 0% hedged 0 of 2 📰 publisher trust 61
“While both articles provide scores and match outcomes for NRL games including the Roosters and Knights, they cover different specific events and times, with Article B mentioning additional matches not present in Article A.”
Harrison Graham has started in four NRL games. On Sunday, he starts in a grand final different event · 90%
The Sydney Morning Herald
⚖️ leaning not scored 🔴 0% hedged 0 of 26 📰 publisher trust 61
“Article A discusses Walker's confirmation to start in the NRL prelim final, while Article B talks about Harrison Graham starting in an upcoming grand final due to a teammate's suspension.”
Cowboys blueprint offers NRL expansion hope for Queensland Heartland different event · 85%
ABC News (AU)
⚖️ leaning not scored 🔴 0% hedged 0 of 3 📰 publisher trust 61
“While both articles discuss similar game scores and upcoming matches, Article A focuses on the Cowboys blueprint for NRL expansion in Queensland's Heartland, while Article B is reporting live updates specifically about the preliminary final between Dolphins and Roosters.”
'I'll be back': Cleary vows to return after surgery different event · 85%
ABC News (AU)
⚖️ leaning not scored 🔴 0% hedged 0 of 2 📰 publisher trust 61
“While both articles contain score updates from NRL matches leading up to a preliminary final, they report different outcomes for the Dolphins vs Roosters match on September 25th.”
Dynasties and destinies swing on Cleary's horror ankle injury different event · 50%
ABC News (AU)
⚖️ leaning not scored 🔴 3% hedged 1 of 29 📰 publisher trust 61
“The articles discuss different games and match updates over multiple dates rather than a single specific incident.”

Publisher

ABC News (AU) · 2046 article(s) · 2 correction(s) detected
Running correction rate · 2 correction(s)
2026-09-15
Canberra man posed as teenage girl to obtain child abuse material
2026-09-07
'Her career's finished': Fugitive Sydney developer's daughter avoids jail

Who wrote this

Nick Campton
18 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
🔮 They'll talk about James Tedesco winning the Clive Churchill Medal and maybe someone will remember his exact number of running metres — an obscene 388.
2026-10-05 · assertive framing · He was the best forward in the grand final, but Whyte's best is yet to come
🔮 When Kalyn Ponga went the length of the field midway through the first half, completing a play where he started out making a try-saving tackle on Billy Smith in one corner and finished scoring in the other, running about as far as a person can on a rugby league field, it felt like the moment that would last forever from this match.
2026-10-04 · assertive framing · Newcastle's magic NRL premiership tilt ends in defeat, pride and honour
🔮 She did manage to sneak through for a line-break in the second half, a 35 minutes of football that felt like it only happened because it had to happen so we could get to the end, as she held up a pass before hitting a gap with exquisite timing, but had no support.
2026-10-04 · assertive framing · Brigginshaw's NRLW legend remains eternal
🔮 But that future would have to wait.
2026-10-02 · assertive framing · Tedesco and Ponga went through different worlds to meet in NRL grand final
🔮 Once again the Roosters will face Brisbane, with the Broncos all that stands between the Tricolours and a perfect season. But while the season seems to be ending in the same place, the changes in the two sides, plus those that loom in the near future, make this game feel like the end of an era.
2026-10-02 · assertive framing · NRLW grand final marks end of era
🔮 The Knights will make you believe the words of the club song, that this game is their game as surely as this town is their town.
2026-10-01 · assertive framing · A town, a team and a dream come together as Newcastle rises as one
🔮 Cleary's time with New South Wales hasn't always been as smooth, and before this season it was the last thing his critics could point to because it was the only frontier left he had not totally dominated.
2026-09-30 · assertive framing · Nathan Cleary has no worlds left to conquer after Dally M win
🔮 There's two men left standing from that leanest of winters and while Jacob Saifiti will miss Sunday's grand final through suspension, Dane Gagai has the chance to bury the old pain under a mountain of grand final glory.
2026-09-30 · assertive framing · Ten years after their lowest ebb, Newcastle are one win from salvation
🔮 Other than the top prize, there's nothing better than winning best forward or best back, and if you were giving out a trophy for the former for the entire NRL in 2026 it would have to end up in the mighty hands of Naufahu Whyte.
2026-09-28 · assertive framing · This iron Rooster has been the NRL's best forward in 2026
🔮 Fresh off his electric double in the Knights' 22-14 win over Penrith on Sunday, Smith will join Johns as the only men to play halfback for Newcastle in a grand final.
2026-09-28 · assertive framing · Sandon Smith leads Newcastle out of an Immortal shadow
Also by Nick Campton
He was the best forward in the grand final, but Whyte's best is yet to come
2026-10-05 · ABC News (AU)
Newcastle's magic NRL premiership tilt ends in defeat, pride and honour
2026-10-04 · ABC News (AU)
Brigginshaw's NRLW legend remains eternal
2026-10-04 · ABC News (AU)
Tedesco and Ponga went through different worlds to meet in NRL grand final
2026-10-02 · ABC News (AU)
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
All 18 articles by Nick Campton →

Topics

Dolphins Knights NRL Roosters Warriors

Subjects

Dolphins ORG · 7× Roosters ORG · 7× Knights ORG · 3× NRL ORG · 3× Panthers ORG · 2× Sam Walker PERSON · 2× Sharks ORG · 2× Warriors ORG · 2× Cowboys ORG · 1× Rabbitohs ORG · 1×

Narrative

No changes at all for the Roosters from the team named on Tuesday and just one for the Dolphins with Tevita Naufahu dropping out of the 19-man squad and Jake Averillo coming in. Update Hello and welcome to the ABC's live blog for Dolphins-Roosters Hey everybody, I hope this Friday finds you in a finals footy kind of mood cause we're fixing for a big one here tonight.
framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-09-25
🔮 Dolphins vs Sydney Roosters The first berth in this year's NRL grand final will go on the line at Lang Park on Friday night as the Dolphins host the Sydney Roosters.
2026-09-25 · ABC News (AU)
Live: Walker confirmed to start for Roosters in NRL prelim final · assertive framing

Claims (12 extracted, 0 hedged)

Dolphins vs Sydney Roosters The first berth in this year's NRL grand final will go on the line at Lang Park on Friday night as the Dolphins host the Sydney Roosters. asserted
Dolphins → go → Roosters
The Dolphins will be looking to make their first ever grand final just four years after joining the league while the Tricolours are after their first berth in the decider since 2019. asserted
Tricolours → look → 2019
Roosters halfback Sam Walker has been passed fit to play and will return from a foot injury he suffered last month. asserted
he → pass → injury
The winner will take on the victor of Sunday afternoon's Penrith-Newcastle game. asserted
winner → take → game
Last time they met It was only a few weeks ago that these teams had it out in a cracker at the SFS. asserted
teams → meet → SFS
I was there that night and it was the game that convinced me that the Phins can win this whole damn competition. asserted
Phins → convince → competition
Here's the highlights if you want to get reacquainted - Plath's tackle on Wong was a particular highlight! asserted
tackle → want → Wong
Final teams: Walker confirmed to play We're on - Sam Walker will line up at halfback for the Roosters after being passed fit to play despite his syndesmosis injury. asserted
Walker → confirm → injury
No changes at all for the Roosters from the team named on Tuesday and just one for the Dolphins with Tevita Naufahu dropping out of the 19-man squad and Jake Averillo coming in. Update Hello and welcome to the ABC's live blog for Dolphins-Roosters Hey everybody, I hope this Friday finds you in a finals footy kind of mood cause we're fixing for a big one here tonight. asserted
we → name → one
Dolphins vs Roosters, a berth in the NRL grand final on the line, a sold out Lang Park - this is why we do it. asserted
we → sell → it
My name is Nick, I am champing at the bit for these two teams to lay it on the line and I'm gonna steer you through every step of the game including all the news and info that's fit to blog. asserted
that → champ → news
Let's go! asserted
's → let → ?
💬Give feedback
🕘History 🎫Support
Terms · Privacy · beta v2.0.0
Articles to 5 Oct 2026