SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 13th, 2025
Warriors v Panthers
Go Media Stadium, Auckland, NZ.4.05pm.
Panthers’ Unfamiliar Road: A Sudden-Death Clash with the Warriors in Auckland
For four straight years, the Panthers have ruled September with an iron grip, their dynasty unshaken by the pressures of finals football. But in 2025, the script looks different. For the first time in their reign, the defending premiers must begin their title defence from outside the safety of the top four, having limped into the finals in seventh place.
Their quest for a historic fifth consecutive crown begins not in Sydney, but in Auckland, against a Warriors side that knows both promise and heartbreak. Just weeks ago, the Warriors seemed destined for a top-four berth, but late stumbles against the Eels and Sea Eagles saw them tumble into sudden-death territory—an elimination final against the very team that has mastered September’s cauldron.
History favours the Panthers. They have not lost a finals match since 2021, when the Rabbitohs struck them down in the qualifying final—a defeat Penrith famously avenged weeks later in the grand final to launch their dynasty. That aura lingers still.
Both sides welcome reinforcements for this clash. The premiers regain strike weapons Brian To’o and Liam Martin, rested in the final round, while the Warriors call back Wayde Egan from a hip injury and Jackson Ford from suspension. Versatility will also be tested, with Kurt Capewell shifting into the centres for the injured Rocco Berry, and young Leka Halasima stepping into the starting back row.
For Auckland, the stakes could not be higher. For Penrith, it’s about proving that even on an unfamiliar path, they still know how to find the summit.
Warriors
1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 3. Adam Pompey 4. Kurt Capewell 5. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck 6. Chanel Harris-Tavita 7. Tanah Boyd 8. James Fisher-Harris 9. Wayde Egan 10. Jackson Ford 11. Leka Halasima , 12. Marata Niukore 13. Erin Clark Bench: 14. Te Maire Martin 15. Eddie Ieremia-Toeava, 16. Demitric Vaimauga 17. Tanner Stowers-Smith Reserves: 18. Taine Tuaupiki, 20. Samuel Healey 21. Kalani Going 22. Bunty Afoa 23. Edward Kosi.
Panthers Reshuffle as Stars Return for Sudden-Death Test
The Panthers welcome back two of their most reliable warriors just when the stakes are highest. Brian To’o and Liam Martin return to the fold after being granted an extended spell to shake off nagging injuries, their presence a timely boost as the premiers brace for sudden-death football.
But not all the news is good. Hooker Mitch Kenny has been ruled out with a hamstring injury, forcing Luke Sommerton into the No.9 jersey on one of the biggest nights of his young career.
The reshuffle ripples through the squad. Paul Alamoti keeps his place on the wing, leaving Thomas Jenkins to the role of 18th man. Martin’s return sees Luke Garner slip back to the bench, while Daine Laurie makes way entirely.
It is a side both strengthened and reshaped—an outfit still brimming with premiership experience but carrying the scars of September’s demands.
Panthers
1. Dylan Edwards 2. Paul Alamoti 3. Izack Tago 4. Casey McLean 5. Brian To’o, 6. Blaize Talagi 7. Nathan Cleary 8. Moses Leota 9. Luke Sommerton 10. Lindsay Smith, 11. Scott Sorensen 12. Liam Martin 13. Isaah Yeo Bench: 14. Brad Schneider 15. Liam Henry, 16. Isaiah Papali’i 17. Luke Garner Reserves: 18. Thomas Jenkins 19. Matt Eisenhuth, 20. Daine Laurie 21. Mavrik Geyer 22. Trent Toelau.
Key Stats
The Warriors have won three of their four finals games played in Auckland.
The Panthers have won nine of their last 10 games against the Warriors.
The Warriors have not defeated a Top 8 team since Round 14.
The Panthers have won their last 12 finals matches.
Warriors centre Adam Pompey has scored six tries in his last seven games.
Officials
Referee, Grant Atkins, Touch Judges, Chris Sutton, Phil Henderson, Bunker, Liam Kennedy.
Warriors Seek Spark as Panthers Loom in Sudden-Death Showdown
The Warriors arrive at September on shaky ground. A month ago, they were sitting inside the top four, eyeing the luxury of a double chance. Now, after a string of stumbles, they find themselves cast into an elimination final against the four-time defending premiers.
A packed stadium in Auckland will roar them on, the entire city desperate to see their side rise. Yet the truth is unavoidable—if the Warriors are to topple Penrith, they must rediscover the spark that carried them earlier in the season.
The bookmakers and the pundits lean heavily toward the Panthers, though not solely because of Penrith’s pedigree. The Warriors’ own patchy form has tilted the scales, leaving the premiers with an aura of inevitability despite showing signs of wear themselves. Even last week’s routine win over the Dragons came with a sense of effort rather than dominance.
Still, when it comes to September football, experience counts for plenty, and Penrith’s resume is unmatched. The odds are stacked, and the prediction is clear.
Tip: Panthers by 10.
Sharks v Roosters
Shark Stadium Cronulla, Sydney,7.50pm.
Roosters Soar into Finals, Sharks Ready to Bite in Blockbuster Clash
The Roosters have timed their run to perfection. From the depths of 10th place, they’ve stormed into September with five wins from their last six starts, sneaking into the finals in eighth spot and brimming with momentum. With James Tedesco producing some of the finest football of his glittering career and Mark Nawaqanitawase crossing the stripe at will, the Tricolours have piled on a staggering 202 points in that stretch. Confidence, belief, and attacking flair are flowing as they head into enemy territory.
Waiting for them at Sharks Stadium is a side every bit as dangerous. The Sharks, too, are on a roll—seven wins from their past eight, capped off by a 24-6 statement victory over the Bulldogs. Their middle men, Addin Fonua-Blake, Toby Rudolf, and Tom Hazelton, have been relentless, setting the platform for Craig Fitzgibbon’s squad to flex their muscle at just the right time.
The boost is even bigger with Nicho Hynes cleared to play after a downgrade spared him suspension. His showdown with Roosters halfback Sam Walker—who has tallied 15 try assists, nine tackle breaks, and 38 goals since returning from injury—promises to be one of the defining battles of the contest.
History favours the Sharks at home. In Round 20, they dismantled the Roosters 31-18, with ten of their players cracking the 100-metre mark. Now they welcome back five-eighth Braydon Trindall from an ankle injury, while Briton Nikora lurks among the reserves after serving a three-match ban, likely to slot in before kickoff.
Two teams in top form. Two backlines buzzing with firepower. Two forward packs ready to bash each other into the turf. The stage is set for one of the finals’ fiercest opening blows.
Sharks
1. William Kennedy 2. Sione Katoa 3. Jesse Ramien 4. KL Iro 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo , 6. Braydon Trindall 7. Nicho Hynes 8. Addin Fonua-Blake 9. Blayke Brailey 10. Toby Rudolf , 11. Billy Burns 12. Teig Wilton 13. Jesse Colquhoun Bench: 14. Oregon Kaufusi, 15. Siosifa Talakai 16. Thomas Hazelton 17. Braden Hamlin-Uele , Reserves:18. Daniel Atkinson 19. Mawene Hiroti 20. Jayden Berrell 21. Briton Nikora , 22. Hohepa Puru.
Robinson Sticks Solid as Roosters Roll with Winning Formula
For Trent Robinson, there’s no need to tinker when the machine is humming. After watching his Roosters dismantle the Rabbitohs in Round 27, the coach has shown full faith in the same 17 to carry that momentum into finals football.
Behind them, Sandon Smith and Salesi Foketi wait patiently among the reserves, while Ethan King once again fills the familiar role of 18th man—a duty he has shouldered 15 times this season.
It’s a statement of trust from Robinson: the belief that continuity, not change, is the Roosters’ sharpest weapon as the stakes rise.
Roosters
1. James Tedesco 2. Daniel Tupou 3. Billy Smith 4. Robert Toia, 5. Mark Nawaqanitawase 6. Hugo Savala 7. Sam Walker 8. Spencer Leniu 9. Connor Watson, 10. Lindsay Collins 11. Angus Crichton 12. Victor Radley 13. Naufahu Whyte, Bench: 14. Benaiah Ioelu 15. Egan Butcher 16. Blake Steep 17. Siua Wong, Reserves: 18. Ethan King 19. Salesi Foketi 20. Sandon Smith 21. Tom Rodwell, 22. Makahesi Makatoa.
Key Stats
The Sharks have lost all three finals games against the Roosters
The Roosters have won nine of their past 12 games against the Sharks.
The Sharks have won their last six games at Sharks Stadium.
Roosters winger Mark Nawaqanitawase has scored seven tries in his last two games.
Sharks winger Ronaldo Mulitalo has scored 45 tries in 42 games at Sharks Stadium.
Officials
Referee, Todd Smith, Touch Judges, Drew Oultram, Michael Wise, Bunker, Chris Butler.
Sharks and Roosters Set for Finals Fireworks in Unpredictable Showdown
Momentum meets momentum in a clash that promises fireworks. The Sharks storm into the finals fresh from dismantling the Bulldogs and buoyed by the best news they could hope for—Nicho Hynes cleared to play after his dangerous contact charge was downgraded. With their winning streak stretching back to Round 17 and a heaving Sharks Stadium behind them, Craig Fitzgibbon’s men look every bit a side ready to surge deeper into September.
But across the halfway line stands a Roosters outfit in equally irresistible form. James Tedesco is playing as if the years have fallen away, leading a side that has rediscovered its spark at just the right moment. Their run of victories has been as dazzling as it has been ruthless, the Tricolours arriving with both confidence and menace.
This is finals football at its most unpredictable. Both teams play with flair and freedom, both thrive on attacking brilliance, and neither deserves to see their season end so soon. It feels like a game that could go anywhere—golden point, a blowout, or something in between.
One thing is certain: it will be spectacular.
Tip: Roosters by 2.
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