Ugly scenes as refs have projectiles hurled at them after NRL semifinal

That is all for tonight’s live coverage of the NRL semifinal between the New Zealand Warriors and Newcastle Knights.

The Knights are through to their first preliminary final since 2013, with a nail-biting 12-10 win at Eden Park.

After finishing second on the NRL ladder, level on points with minor premiers Penrith, the Warriors’ hopes of a maiden NRL premiership ended with back-to-back home defeats.

ABC Sport will be back next weekend with live coverage of the preliminary final weekend.

We hope you join us then.

Goodnight.

Warriors coach Andrew Webster has said he was left frustrated by three late calls that went against his side.

“I thought they were trying to find ways to take it off us,” Webster said of two Bunker reviews that took several replays before a decision was made.

As for the non-call for an escort on the kick-chase, which would have given his side a penalty goal attempt to send the match into extra time, Webster said that was a clear escort.

“He [Tyson Frizell] goes across Leka [Halasima], pretending to catch the ball.”

Warriors coach Andrew Webster has spoken to the media.

Here are his first reflections of tonight’s loss.

A few errors. We created plenty of momentum, plenty of good looks, but we missed two poor tackles that led to tries.

We had a good opportunity to really dominate, and we didn’t.

There were three calls at the end of the match, all in favour of the Newcastle Knights.

1. In the 73rd-minute, Knights centre Bradman Best dropped a pass, but the Knights challenged, believing the pass had touched the thumb of Warriors player Ali Leiataua.

The Bunker ref Chris Butler looked at the replays for a while before deciding the ball deviated off Leiataua’s thumb, much to the displeasure of the crowd.

2. Warriors halfback Te Maire Martin was called for a strip on Knights winger Greg Marzhew.

The Warriors challenged, but the Bunker official Chris Butler ruled Martin, who was reeling back from the contact, stripped the ball.

3. In the 79th minute, Warriors centre Leka Halasima appeared to be obstructed in a kick chase by Knights prop Tyson Frizell.

Newcastle coach Justin Holbrook was asked early in his press conference about his view on the two calls.

He said he believed the ball was stripped from Marzhew, and he was not aware of any controversy surrounding the 79th-minute kick chase.

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Newcastle’s fairytale finals run has claimed another scalp as the Knights toppled the Warriors 12-10 to set up a preliminary final showdown with Penrith.

In front of a heavily pro-Warriors crowd at Auckland’s Eden Park on Sunday, the undermanned Knights celebrated one of their most famous victories with tries from Fletcher Sharpe and Dominic Young.

The Knights will play the Panthers at Stadium Australia on Sunday in their first preliminary final since 2013, which further underlines the club’s incredible revival under coach Justin Holbrook after they finished with the 2025 wooden spoon.

Holbrook, who guided the Knights to seventh at the end of the regular season, is the strongest candidate to be crowned Dally M coach of the year after his troops battled to finals wins over South Sydney and the Warriors without their first-choice front row and prized playmaker Dylan Brown.

From the kick-off, the Knights — led by captain Kalyn Ponga and the electrifying Sharpe — chanced their arm and were unlucky to have not scored twice in the opening 10 minutes of the semifinal.

Dane Gagai threw a forward pass to Young after a blistering break from five-eighth Sharpe, before the number six had his only try chalked off because of a Francis Manuleleua knock-on in the lead-up.

The Warriors could also count themselves lucky that Ali Leiataua was only placed on report after collecting Ponga high with no intent to wrap his arms.

Centre Leka Halasima crossed soon after Sharpe’s try was ruled out to give the Warriors a 12th-minute lead.

The home side enjoyed a bounty of possession and territory for the next 15 minutes, but a combination of poor last-tackle options and courageous Newcastle defending meant the Warriors came up empty-handed.

The Knights have made a habit of striking from distance this season and a break down the left through Bradman Best levelled the game.

Best burst through the Warriors’ right edge in the 29th minute and found Sharpe on his inside, the five-eighth juggling the infield pass to race 30 metres to score.

Sandon Smith had no issue with the conversion to make it 6-6 at half-time and Newcastle didn’t take long to hit the front.

Manuleleua jolted the ball loose from Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and on the first tackle the Knights spread the ball to the right where Gagai unleashed Young with a flick pass and the towering Englishman touched down.

Smith again made the conversion to open up a six-point buffer with 35 minutes to go and it felt as if the Warriors were running out of chances as winger Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad failed a head injury assessment and Leiataua had a try ruled out for obstruction.

Halasima scored with an incredible 70th-minute finish to give the Warriors hope but Taine Tuaupiki missed the sideline conversion.

Both Tuaupiki and Ponga went off for head injury assessments in a nail-biting final 10 minutes, but the Knights held firm to win.

There are just two weekends left in the NRL and NRLW seasons.

Next weekend is the preliminary finals, with a spot in the grand final up for grabs.

NRL preliminary finals

Dolphins vs Sydney Roosters

• Friday, September 25, 7:50pm AEST, Lang Park

Penrith Panthers vs Newcastle Knights

• Sunday, September 27, 4pm AEST, Stadium Australia

NRLW preliminary finals

Sydney Roosters vs Canberra Raiders

• Saturday, September 26, 7:50pm AEST, Sydney Football Stadium

Gold Coast Titans vs Brisbane Broncos

• Sunday, September 27, 1:05pm, Robina Stadium

Warriors halfback Te Maire Martin is speaking to the host broadcaster in New Zealand after the team’s 12-10 loss to the Newcastle Knights.

The number 7 says the result is “a bummer”, with the Warriors being bounced in straight-sets.

“We’d like a few moments back, but that one hurts,” he says.

“Just a bit unfortunate we didn’t play the footy we wanted to play in the last two weeks.”

We always knew it was going to be a good game, in a great stadium, and to come out on top, we couldn’t be happier.

Good news for the Newcastle Knights.

Kalyn Ponga has passed his HIA and he will be available to play in next Sunday’s preliminary final.

He is speaking with Fox League at Eden Park, and you cannot wipe the smile of his face.

“Just proud. I feel like crying. Everyone probably counted us out five or six weeks ago.”

The Knights have stunned the Warriors with a 12-10 triumph in Auckland, setting up a preliminary final against Penrith next Sunday.

Newcastle halfback Sandon Smith is over the line.

There was a kick from the Knights that bounced several times, and Knights winger Dom Young collected the ball.

The ball is passed to Dane Gagai, who drops the ball, it bounces, and then he kicks it to the in-goal when Smith grounds the ball.

Less than two minutes to play.

Warriors 10

Knights 12

The Knights have been awarded a penalty for a strip against Warriors halfback Te Maire Martin.

But the Warriors challenge, believing it was a loose carry by Knights winger Greg Marzhew.

The Bunker is siding with ref Ash Klein’s decision.

Geez, if the Bunker called that a loose carry from the Knights, I don’t think many would have complained.

Warriors 10

Knights 12

The Knights have lost their fullback.

Kalyn Ponga comes off for a HIA.

The Warriors have a big chance.

Kalyn Ponga sent a pass to Bradman Best, who would have been away if he had caught the pass.

It’s been ruled a Knights knock-on by ref Ash Klein, but Ponga immediately challenges — Ponga believes the ball flicked off the fingertips of a Warriors defender.

We look at a heap of replays, and Bunker ref Chris Butler reckons he sees a knock-on against the Warriors.

This massive crowd at Eden Park is not happy with that contentious call.

Warriors 10

Knights 12

Leka Halasima; take a bow.

He dives for the corner, and pretty much all of his body is over the touchline.

But the Warriors’ winger contorted his body around the corner post and he grounded the ball.

“That is unbelievable” — Luke Lewis.

From the left touchline, Taine Tuaupiki misses the conversion attempt.

Warriors 10

Knights 12