2025 FW1 EF Sat - Warriors (6) 8-24 Penrith (7) @ Go Media

[League Unlimited News]

NRL 2025 - 2nd Elimination Final
Warriors v Penrith Panthers
Go Media Stadium, Penrose / Rarotonga, Aotearoa (TICKETS)

Saturday 13 September 2025
NRL kickoff 4:05pm AEST / 6:05pm NZT
Live on Fox, Kayo, Nine, 9Now, Sky Sport NZ

Teamlist

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

14. Te Maire Martin
15. Eddie Ieremia-Toeava
16. Demitric Vaimauga
17. Tanner Stowers-Smith

18. Taine Tuaupiki
20. Samuel Healey
21. Kalani Going
22. Bunty Afoa
23. Edward Kosi

Ins & outs
Out: Rocco Berry (centre), Samuel Healey (hooker to reserve)
In: Wayde Egan (hooker), Jackson Ford (front row)
Changes: Tanner Stowers-Smith (front row to bench), Kurt Capewell (second row to centre), Selumiela Halasima (bench to second row)

Teamlist

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

14. Brad Schneider
15. Liam Henry
16. Isaiah Papali'i
17. Luke Garner

18. Thomas Jenkins
19. Matt Eisenhuth
20. Daine Laurie
21. Mavrik Geyer
22. Trent Toelau

Ins & outs
Out: Mitch Kenny (hooker), Thomas Jenkins (wing to reserve), Thomas Jenkins (wing to bench)
In: Brian To'o (wing), Luke Sommerton (hooker), Liam Martin (second row)
Changes: Luke Garner (second row to bench),

Referee: Grant Atkins
Sideline Officials: Chris Sutton, Phil Henderson
Video Referee: Liam Kennedy

HEAD TO HEAD - 1995 - 2025​

	TOTAL	WARRIORS	PENRITH	DRAWN
ALL MATCHES	53	19	33	1
GO MEDIA	21	10	11	0

LAST FIVE MEETINGS​

YEAR	ROUND	RESULT	VENUE	CROWD
2022	Round 24	PENRITH 46-12	BlueBet	17025
2023	Round 10	PENRITH 18-6	Suncorp	50183
2023	Qualifying Final	PENRITH 32-6	BlueBet	21525
2024	Round 11	WARRIORS 22-20	Suncorp	47517
2025	Round 16	PENRITH 28-18	Go Media	25012

BIGGEST WINS​

YEAR	ROUND	RESULT	VENUE	CROWD
2001	Round 9	WARRIORS 52-8	Ericsson	16876
2013	Round 10	PENRITH 62-6	Centrebet	9386

LAST THREE MATCHES​

	Round 25		Round 26		Round 27
WARRIORS	GOLD COAST	W 32-18	PARRAMATTA	L 22-26	MANLY	L 26-27
PENRITH	CANBERRA	L 16-20	CANTERBURY	L 4-28	ST GEO ILLA	W 40-20

STATE OF PLAY: 2025 SEASON​

	POSITION	PLAYED	BYES	W-L-D	FOR	AGAINST
WARRIORS	6th	24	3	14-10-0	517	496
PENRITH	7th	24	3	13-10-1	576	469

 

[Evil_Mush]

Dumb timing, should be the Sunday, if not 5pm start NZ time.

Half the pubs in the country will changeover to ABs game at half time and relegate Warriors game to one screen with no sound.

 

[Fangs]

Warriors at home so they are some sort of chance.

Penrith should be too good.

 

[Evil_Mush]

I hope we win against all expectations just to spit in NRLs face and put this fairytale bullshit to an end

 

[Fangs]

I hope we win against all expectations just to spit in NRLs face and put this fairytale bullshit to an end

Touch of destiny about Penrith this year. 5 peat is what the fans want.

Would be a nice reward to see the Warriors win a finals match but can't see it. Especially without Barnett and Metcalf.

 

[Evil_Mush]

Yeah, the way we've been playing the last two months hasn't exactly been an inspiring watch for us but we live in hope

And I don't really care about the ABs (terrible NZer), but really is a shitshow putting only our 5th ever home final on at the same time.

Pretty sure they did this to us last time we played Penrith in a finals game on 2018 too. Have a vivid memory of watching it at my local pub while some dumb ABs game commentary was blaring over the speakers. Was also an uninspiring loss that day

 

[Fangs]

Pretty sure they did this to us last time we played Penrith in a finals game on 2018 too. Have a vivid memory of watching it at my local pub while some dumb ABs game commentary was blaring over the speakers. Was also an uninspiring loss that day

Any clash in 2023 when they played? It was a Saturday day match as well I'm pretty sure.

 

[Leber]

This year will go down as the "what if" year.

Comfortably in the 4, lose our top prop and top half among loads of other backs. Still cling on to 6th.

I think we could have given the comp a shake this year with those guys. Ah well. I'd still rather play a finals game and lose, instead of not being there at all. So that's something.

 

[shiznit]

WTF is with that timing?? Seriously… what are the NRL thinking?

I love the NRL and watch most games… but these SA v AB’s tests are pretty massive so I’ll be switching over when that kicks off.

The pubs will do the same without a doubt. They should have played them on either Friday or Sunday.

Just stupid by the NRL…

 

[Evil_Mush]

Any clash in 2023 when they played? It was a Saturday day match as well I'm pretty sure.

I dont recall, but I was also at that game in the stadium, so unaffected by pub TV decisions

Similarly, I was at the ABs France pool game in 2011, which ended up clashing with the Warriors-Storm preliminary final (the only time I've been to an ABs game, well f@ck me I guess ). I remember frantically leaving the stadium and ending up with a mate on a boat party we crashed at the Auckland Viaduct (waterfront bar precinct) watching the final 15 odd minutes of that game, having totally forgotten everything of the ABs game I'd just seen in person

 

[Timmah]

WTF is with that timing?? Seriously… what are the NRL thinking?

I love the NRL and watch most games… but these SA v AB’s tests are pretty massive so I’ll be switching over when that kicks off.

The pubs will do the same without a doubt. They should have played them on either Friday or Sunday.

Just stupid by the NRL…

While I agree, the NRL is between a rock and a hard place here.

The rock: In addition to the NZ-SA test, AUS-ARG is also being played that afternoon, which Ch 9 has the rights to. They couldn't have made the WAR-PEN game that hour earlier as a result.

The hard place: Ricky having a colossal sook about turnaround times ensuring the Raiders-Broncos match was Sunday afternoon. The simple solution would've been put the Wahs on Sunday - but Rick wasn't having it

 

[age.s]

f**k Ricky Stuart. If he had any influence over the decision Vlandys should be shot out of a cannon.

 

[shiznit]

While I agree, the NRL is between a rock and a hard place here.

The rock: In addition to the NZ-SA test, AUS-ARG is also being played that afternoon, which Ch 9 has the rights to. They couldn't have made the WAR-PEN game that hour earlier as a result.

The hard place: Ricky having a colossal sook about turnaround times ensuring the Raiders-Broncos match was Sunday afternoon. The simple solution would've been put the Wahs on Sunday - but Rick wasn't having it

I get it… and to be fair to Ricky and the Raiders he has a valid point.. but then that’s why the leaders of the NRL are supposed to make the big decisions I guess…

it just sucks for the Wahs as Home finals games in NZ are pretty massive over here when they happen.

 

[Stinkfinger]

WTF is with that timing?? Seriously… what are the NRL thinking?

I love the NRL and watch most games… but these SA v AB’s tests are pretty massive so I’ll be switching over when that kicks off.

The pubs will do the same without a doubt. They should have played them on either Friday or Sunday.

Just stupid by the NRL…

Friday would have meant a 9.30pm kickoff which probably would have run foul of local authorities anyway. They were never showing this game at 5.30pm on a Friday in Eastern Australia. Sunday was grabbed by Ricky and his Raiders who did win the minor premiership. It's all a balancing act. I honestly don't know why rugby couldn't come to the party and put their game back half an hour. Pretty pig headed of them.

 

[Bazal]

Tbh switching to the ABs is just gonna save the poor Wahs fans from watching their team get pasted...

 

[shiznit]

Friday would have meant a 9.30pm kickoff which probably would have run foul of local authorities anyway. They were never showing this game at 5.30pm on a Friday in Eastern Australia. Sunday was grabbed by Ricky and his Raiders who did win the minor premiership. It's all a balancing act. I honestly don't know why rugby couldn't come to the party and put their game back half an hour. Pretty pig headed of them.

You’re not f**king wrong… infact you’d think Sky would pressure NZ Rugby to do so.

I actually think it would work out perfectly if they did… I think no matter what happens the test will be massive in NZ and the NZ viewers will still watch if it’s later… and I think the Warriors finals game would be the perfect lead in…

and pretty much NZ’s entire rugby schedule is based on Asian, South African & European TV times as the vast majority of AB’s viewers come from overseas so I’m pretty sure the later the game in NZ it works out better for overseas viewers.

I remember when we hosted the RWC in 2011 the final kicked off at 9pm NZT which is about 7pm Sydney time.

it’s just NZ Rugby would never consider changing the kick off time to accommodate the NRL… they are too f**king stubborn I reckon.

 

[Vic Mackey]

Didnt the NRL play a Storm V Parra final at 3pm Saturday a few years back to avoid an AFL final? I remember cause I missed the first half. Surely they could have accommodated this too?

Wont matter though, Ivan might rest players in preparation for their game against Canterbury/Melbourne next week. PENRITH by 18.

 

[shiznit]

Didnt the NRL play a Storm V Parra final at 3pm Saturday a few years back to avoid an AFL final? I remember cause I missed the first half. Surely they could have accommodated this too?

Wont matter though, Ivan might rest players in preparation for their game against Canterbury/Melbourne next week. PENRITH by 18.

Just quietly I reckon the Warriors are gonna pump them…

After watching these buggers for 30yrs this is EXACTLY the type of game they win… when they are at home with no expectations… lol

 

[Vic Mackey]

Just quietly I reckon the Warriors are gonna pump them…

After watching these buggers for 30yrs this is EXACTLY the type of game they win… when they are at home with no expectations… lol

nothing would make me happier mate, just don’t see it

 

[shiznit]

lol… no real logic at all with it… just Warriors logic…

but also wouldn’t it be the most Warriors thing ever for them to end the Panthers historic run and then get knocked out the following week when then entire conutry jumps on the bandwagon…