Original subtitles

MAN: No-one thought it would be easy, and they were right.

Oh, god! Oh! WOMAN: Oh, no!

Australian Ninja Warrior has lived up to the global reputation.

Oh, no!

This is the toughest obstacle course on the planet.

After two semifinals, only the elite have made the cut.

I can't believe it!

Tonight, semifinal three -

the last chance to make the grand final.

Again, the course changes with two new obstacles -

the Big Wheel and the Swinging Spikes.

30 ninjas will take it on,

among them parkour twins Dylan and Brodie Pawson,

who were unstoppable in their heat.

He has broken a minute.

Gymnast Celeste Dixon showed she's got what it takes.

Yes!

And can rugby league star Beau Ryan continue to defy the odds?

I would give anything to hit the buzzer

in front of my family and friends.

Only seven will qualify for the grand final

and a shot at Mount Midoriyama...

..as the search continues for Australia's first Ninja Warrior.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Hello. I'm Rebecca Maddern. I'm Freddie Flintoff.

I'm Ben Fordham,

and tonight the Australian Ninja Warrior semifinals conclude.

This course has become a whole lot tougher since the heats,

and that means every single competitor

will have to be at their very best

if they're to score a coveted spot in the grand final.

And this is where it gets really challenging for our athletes.

It doesn't matter how well you've done in the heat,

one lapse in concentration, one wrong move,

and your night and your dreams could all be over.

Now, Freddie, you've been keeping a very close eye

on all of our competitors.

Who do you like tonight?

Well, I'm loving our Indigenous marathon runner Jack Wilson,

the parkour brothers, Dylan and Brodie Pawson,

and not forgetting we've got

the number one Australian female obstacle course racer,

Janet Smith.

Ultimately, only seven of our semifinalists tonight

will go through to the grand final

and score the opportunity of trying to climb Mount Midoriyama.

We've changed up the course again tonight,

so let's take a look at the obstacles

our ninjas will be tackling.

Tonight, nine obstacles stand between the competitors

and a place in the grand final.

As always, the Quintuple Steps start things off.

Then the Log Grip.

Competitors use both arms and legs to hang on

through two big jolts to the other side.

The Spinning Log is next,

demanding speed, balance, and light feet to cross successfully.

On the Jump Hang,

competitors use a mini tramp to reach a 3.5-metre cargo net

before clambering down without touching the water.

Obstacle five is where we change things up a bit

with the Big Wheel.

Competitors swing across three large wheels,

two of which will spin.

The third swings like a pendulum.

Then it's the Warped Wall,

a 4.2-metre incline that was the end of the course in the heats.

Not this time, though.

Competitors face three more challenging obstacles.

The Swinging Spikes are next,

the second new obstacle in this semifinal.

Competitors will cross five hanging spikes,

including one attached to a bungee cord.

The penultimate obstacle is the Pole Grasper -

eight swinging aluminium poles

spaced at irregular intervals.

It will take both arm and leg grip strength

to make it through here.

And finally, the Chimney Climb,

a brutal seven-metre unassisted vertical climb

to the buzzer on top.

Only the top seven competitors who make it furthest through the course

in the fastest time will qualify for the grand final.

And let's kick it off right now with our first ninja.

He's 32-year-old luxury boat detailer Adam Chatfield.

He'll be hoping for a clean run on this semifinal course tonight.

In his heat,

Adam made it all the way up the wall in 2:21,

qualifying in ninth place.

I don't have a backstory like some of these other guys

that have been professional gymnasts in the Commonwealth Games,

Olympic medallists.

I am just a boat detailer, so I may surprise a lot of people.

Please don't touch that water!

And now he hits the wall.

In the heat, seeing the crowd just cheering,

my heart just pumped a million times faster than what it normally does.

(CHEERS)

Looking down at Declan and Lisa cheering back up at me,

it was just... it was incredible.

I'm married to Lisa and stepdad to Declan, who's seven.

Adam's strong enough to be the first Australian Ninja Warrior ever been.

Declan is absolutely my number one supporter.

All he has been talking about is Ninja Warrior.

He lives and breathes it, so I really don't wanna let him down.

I've just gotta make it all the way to the end.

So, here we go.

Semifinal number three.

The last chance for our ninjas to make it to the grand final,

and we're away.

You'll know that face.

That's music producer Ben Polson on the sideline there.

He and Adam are good mates and trained together in Perth.

Ben will also be running later tonight.

Take your time!

Yeah, now he's on the Log Grip.

We've had a couple come unstuck in previous semifinals.

Here he comes - one thud, two thuds. Oh!

And an ugly dismount, but he gets off nonetheless.

Now, for the first time tonight, the Spinning Log,

an obstacle that has really caused problems through the semifinals.

Oh! Hang on! Hang on! Oh, no!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

He's just climbed himself out of trouble.

Great save! Yeah! Whoo!

Now the Jump Hang. Freddie?

Here he goes onto the trampoline.

Yes! Grabs onto the cargo net.

The relief of getting through the Spinning Log will be short-lived.

That's it!

Needs to now concentrate at getting underneath this cargo net.

Going backwards.

You're right. You're right. You...

Yeah, it seems to be working for him.

Although the net is 3.5 metres long -

bigger than in the heats -

this is an obstacle he's faced before.

But this is a brand-new one. We haven't seen this one before, Bec.

He's just eyeing off the Big Wheel.

In fact, there are three wheels, and it is very tricky.

Onto the first one, and you can see that disc there -

it's spinning.

He needs to get enough swing to jump to the next level.

Just like that!

The third one he's about to jump to, the whole structure moves.

That's right.

Here he goes.

Oh, ho, ho!

Now, you need the perfect dismount.

Get enough momentum behind you before jumping for the mat,

and he does.

Come on, dude!

Western Australia will be roaring at the moment

as this 32-year-old gets ready to nail the wall.

He did it in the heats.

He's up! Up and home!

Now is his first glimpse of this second part of the course,

and waiting for him are the Swinging Spikes.

The grip strength will be tested.

Gotta get onto them first by using the rope.

Take your time, mate.

He's looking nice and strong early, Freddie.

This third one, it's got a bungee cord on it.

It'll drop down with his weight.

He does it. Makes the transition nicely.

Swing, swing!

Reaching for the last one now. Here he goes.

Yeah! That's it!

Now... Oh! Oh!

Well, Adam Chatfield!

Adam out on the Swinging Spikes,

and on the sidelines,

fellow competitor Ben Polson can't believe it.

Did not expect that.

It just goes to show you -

you're watching someone go through this course

and they're nailing every single aspect of it,

but fatigue can set in,

and the next thing, you're in the pool.

It all went wrong for Adam on that final spike.

As he tried to transition across,

his entire bodyweight was only supported by one arm,

putting far too much pressure on his grip strength.

Just a big difference between the heats and the semifinal?

It's hard being first, but I'm glad it's out of the way,

'cause the nerves are pretty tough.

But I'm sure your stepson Declan will be watching at home,

idolising everything you do.

Congratulations. Great effort.

Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for Adam!

Good stuff, mate!

A great start from Adam, all the way to the seventh obstacle.

Honestly, mate, you absolutely killed that, you really did.

Just have to wait and see if it holds up, you know?

Adam faces a long wait

to see if he's done enough to qualify in the top seven.

Up next, Janet Smith -

37-year-old mum of three and elite obstacle course racer

ready to take on the semifinal course.

REBECCA: She qualified 15th from her heat

after coming off on the Double Tilt Ladder.

Tonight she's hoping to set the record straight.

As soon as they heard that Ninja Warrior was coming to Australia,

my three girls, they're like, "Mum, you have to do this!"

And that's why I'm here today.

How's the focus on Janet's grip?

On the heats, I came off on the Tilting Ladders.

Ohh!

I am uber frustrated that I didn't get to slam the buzzer,

'cause I know I could do the Warped Wall.

I know I had more to give.

So, to get another crack, it's awesome.

Ninja Warrior, I am one of only six women left

and I'm not planning on going anywhere yet.

No doubt about it, this woman is quite amazing.

A terrific athlete.

She's 37 years of age

and she is a mother of three girls.

Yeah, unfortunately Taylor, Holly, and Lily couldn't be here tonight,

but they'll be watching and cheering at home

as mum finishes the first obstacle.

Will they ever!

Now, she actually takes part

in at least six elite obstacle course races

and three amateur races every year.

So, her calendar, it's full!

Here we go on the Log Grip.

First drop, second drop.

No! Oh, Janet.

She is shattered.

She had such high hopes in this competition. We all did.

Janet's semifinal run was over all too quickly on the Log Grip.

The second big jolt bucked her right off the log,

sending her straight down into the pool.

Janet. Freddie.

Dare I ask how you're feeling?

Oh, gutted!

What happened?

I think you just slipped off.

(LAUGHTER)

At least you're still smiling. Great effort.

Ladies and gentlemen, let's have a big round of applause for Janet.

How you doing? You alright?

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Yeah, tough break for Janet,

and once again we're seeing how difficult

these semifinal obstacles are.

But we're only just getting started.

Tonight on Ninja Island,

it's the last chance to make it to the grand final.

Can star of 'The NRL Footy Show' Beau Ryan

defy all expectations?

Rugby league is a bit easier, in my opinion,

'cause you know what you're gonna get.

This - you cannot prepare. You go hard or go home.

Chippie Sam Goodall nearly lost his leg in a motorbike accident.

MAN: Doctor said there was a high chance that I could lose it.

But he's here to do the tradies proud.

I'm certainly just a regular bloke, you know?

There's a million carpenters like me.

And right now in the warm-up area is baker Zayne Wealthall.

He's on the course next when we return on Australian Ninja Warrior.

REBECCA: Welcome back to Australian Ninja Warrior,

where our competitors are struggling to make headway

against this super-sized semifinal course.

While you were away,

three-time Olympic kayaker Warwick Draper showed his grit

on the Spinning Log.

This is a serious contender.

Oh! BEN: Oh, hang on, hang on.

But ultimately, he had to paddle his way out of the pool.

He'll be OK. Oh, no.

Canadian paediatric surgeon Kevin Robertson

found the cargo net wasn't child's play.

FREDDIE: Look at his face. Look at the determination.

Oh, no! Foot slips.

And back on the log, daredevil Caine Tsang started a Titanic struggle.

It's too slow. Oh.

Oh, nasty, but he saved himself! He was too slow.

Can he get up?

He is hugging this Spinning Log like his life depends on it.

I don't know. He's... No!

Desperate efforts from our ninjas.

They're giving everything to try and beat this course.

Let's see if our next ninja can rise to the challenge.

It's 20-year-old baker Zayne Wealthall.

Now, if he performs like he did in the heats,

he's got a fighting chance.

He was outstanding,

making it all the way up the Warped Wall

in the third fastest time.

Got the short shorts on, ready for action.

They are very short shorts.

He completed the heats in a very good time - 1:34.

Only Adam Chatfield has made it further

than the Warped Wall tonight.

Nobody else has gone past the fourth obstacle.

FREDDIE: Zayne skipping through.

Not a big lad.

He's obviously kind of tall, but he's lean, strong.

He is, and he goes onto the Log Grip now using the lower handles.

Makes it through well, and now onto the Spinning Log.

He looks incredibly focused, Ben.

He's not put a foot wrong.

Oh! Oh, what?

Oh!

It's the Rebecca Maddern jinx and it strikes again.

Next time somebody goes across the Spinning Log,

I'm not saying a word.

Not one word!

The Spinning Log collects another victim in these semifinals.

Zayne's second step started the log spinning,

making him lose his footing,

and sending him crashing head-first into the pool.

Absolutely shattered - shattered,

but at the end of the day, you know, what can I do?

Come back next year bigger and stronger.

Now, I know that many on Ninja Island

are keen to see our next competitor.

He is former NRL player and star of 'The NRL Footy Show', Beau Ryan.

He blew everyone away, including himself,

with his gutsy performance during the heats.

Beau crashed out on the penultimate obstacle on heat four,

but his brave effort was enough to qualify in 18th place.

In the heats, I just didn't want to make an idiot of myself,

even though I get paid to do that in 'The Footy Show'.

I hit the pipes, and I looked at it,

and firstly I couldn't work out how to get up it,

and then, when I finally got up it,

I couldn't get across to the other pipe.

Going up or going down!

Now I hate pipes.

I can't believe I'm here. It's a bit of a fluke.

I just Hail Mary'd everything and got here.

So, I'm ready to roll.

Rugby league's a bit easier, in my opinion,

'cause you know what you're gonna get,

and this - you cannot prepare.

You can be physically fit and strong,

but when you get out there, that all goes out the window.

I'm pretty lucky

that supporting me tonight on the sidelines will be my wife.

I would give anything to hit the buzzer

in front of my family and friends.

I'm very jealous of all of the other people that have done it.

Congratulations. I'm not bitter.

Tonight my strategy, knowing that I've got nine obstacles,

will be go as hard as I can for as long as I can.

Go hard or go home.

FREDDIE: The crowd are on their feet for this guy.

On your marks, get set, ball!

Well, he was genuinely fearful about taking on the heats.

He couldn't believe how far he went.

I thought he would go all the way to the semifinals,

because he's still so fit,

even though he's not competing anymore in the game of rugby league,

but he was so strong in the heats.

He was, he really surprised everyone,

and as you say, probably himself.

I mean, he is very fit, he's had years of difficult training,

but when you retire, you retire, so you do slack off a little.

Whoa, he just had a lucky dismount,

and says a little prayer as he finishes that one.

He's a big lad as well - 87kg.

Let's hope that he can get that fancy footwork

to get him over the Spinning Log.

Beau Ryan. His wife, Kara, watching on.

I'm not saying a word. Best you don't.

Oh, no.

And the poor bloke.

One of the nicest fellas in the game of rugby league - he's out.

He's just happy to make the semifinals.

That was a terrific effort, Beau Ryan.

Beau's attempt to cross the Spinning Log

didn't really get started.

His first step began the spinning,

and from there, there was nothing he could do to recover.

Beau, you're smiling, but I'm absolutely gutted.

How was you feeling out there, mate?

Um, I was happy to get across that, the punching bag thing,

but, yeah, I love team sport,

'cause you can sort of hide in the team, but...

Hey, tell me about it. Did it for years!

That's why... You know what I'm saying?

That's why I don't do boxing or any individual sports,

but I've loved every second of it, but it is tough,

and full credit to everyone that even has a go at it, mate.

I really loved it. Mate, we've loved having you on.

Absolutely unbelievable.

Let's give it up for the legend which is Beau Ryan!

Whoo!

Coming up, the battle for the final seven qualifying spots heats up.

Superhuman French firey Aurelien Apport has power and strength.

That was phenomenal.

But is that enough for this semifinal course?

You're the man, Aurelien! You are the man!

Parkour twins the Pawsons dominated the heats.

He has broken a minute.

Tonight we'll find out which brother really is the fastest.

And 19-year-old 'Tarzaniel' Daniel Weston is ready to shine.

You're gonna do really well, OK?

You're gonna get into the grand final.

Stoked for you. Killing it.

Killing it! I love you.

BEN: Welcome back to Ninja Island,

where a serious case of commentator's curse

has afflicted the Spinning Log.

REBECCA: This is a serious contender.

Oh. Oh, no!

He's not put a foot wrong.

Oh! Oh!

It's the Rebecca Maddern jinx, and it strikes again.

Jokes aside, Freddie, there are some problems down there tonight.

Behind me is the Spinning Log,

and it has got our ninjas petrified.

Once you put your weight on it, it starts to spin,

and your legs can be taken out,

and the result can be very, very ugly.

Now, it's not just about physicality.

It's also mental.

Toughen the mind and the body will follow.

Oh, words of wisdom from Freddie for our next competitor.

Get ready for the first of the parkour twins.

Dylan Pawson is the only ninja

to have completed the heat in under 1:00.

Go, Dylan!

He blew everyone away in the heats,

getting to the top of the Warped Wall

in just 58 seconds,

and he's primed and ready to do it again.

Brodie and I have been training parkour for like, nine years.

So, when we just run the course,

it's just there's no hesitation at all.

The heat went, actually, a lot better than I thought.

I was just completely calm. Just... I've never been that calm.

He has broken 1:00!

That is how you do it, fellow ninjas!

I've been doing a little bit of bragging,

just 'cause Brodie and I know I beat him by eight seconds,

and I rub it in just a little bit.

If my brother gets into the finals and I don't, I'll be gutted,

but I'm determined to beat him again in the semis.

Smash it, Dylan! Come on! You can do it!

And there he is - twin brother, Brodie,

who had an amazing run himself.

I love these guys. I think they are a sensation.

They're only 22 years of age.

They just love taking risks, and they love a challenge.

(CHIME SOUNDS)

Well, we've seen, Bec, the parkour enthusiasts

do very well so far on Australian Ninja Warrior.

They just don't seem to think about it.

I mean, they do this kind of stuff, obstacle course racing, every day,

whether they're doing it officially in competition...

Oh, no! Yes!

He just kept his feet above the water.

Yes!

Nearly a huge shock there.

Now, Dylan, compose yourself for the Spinning Log, please.

No! He falls!

Can you believe it? He's down.

I don't know what happened there.

We had high hopes for Dylan and he's crashed out.

He saved himself on the Log Grip,

but couldn't get past that Spinning Log.

Yeah, that log started spinning right now on his second step.

It looked like he might be able to rescue it using hands and legs,

but, no, it wasn't to be.

He was in the water.

Dylan, you had a blistering time in the heats - less than 1:00 -

but tonight, what happened, mate?

Oh, I just... just stuffed up.

Yeah. (LAUGHS)

Well, unlucky, mate. No worries.

The crowd right behind you. You go and see your brother.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

What a shock.

Yeah, you gotta do it quick, eh? Yeah. Did I go real slow?

You went pretty slow. Yeah.

It looked like you slightly hesitated a tiny bit.

Oh, really? A little bit.

Damn, that's unlucky. I'm gonna be gutted.

Alright.

Brodie will get his chance

to restore Pawson family pride a little later.

OK, next up rugby coach Francis Cullimore.

As a former Waratah, Francis is used to high-pressure situations,

so he'll be expecting big things tonight.

He scraped into the semifinals

in 18th spot from his heat

after completing the course in 2:55.

Ninja Warrior is definitely out of my comfort zone,

but I've got the mentality to go all the way.

I'll just go out and give it my best

every single time I have a crack at anything.

My heat went really well.

My mindset was just to attack it and do as good as I can.

He gets the jump, gets the grab.

He won't have any problems with the toughness of this course tonight.

I was quite gassed. I couldn't even talk.

I think I missed the first attempt at it,

but the second one, I managed to get up there and hit the buzzer.

He's there!

I've learnt a lot from my heat for the semifinal.

Don't rush it, take a breather,

If you've got a good mindset

and you can control emotions on the night,

I think you've got a chance with anything you do.

And Francis has definitely got a chance tonight, Freddie.

FREDDIE: Oh, Francis Cullimore, I remember you.

Look at the size of this man.

95kg of pure muscle.

And there's the cheer squad -

wife, Kerrie, sister, Moana, and good friend Cedric.

They'll be hoping Francis can become only the second ninja

to make it past obstacle number four.

Yeah, it's incredible, isn't it? Let's see how he goes.

Taking his time on the Quintuple Steps.

As well as his rugby achievements,

Francis is a champion bodybuilder too.

Just a great competitor.

WOMAN: Hold the bag! MAN: Go, go!

And now he has a look

and takes a firm grip on the handhold.

Pushes off. Hold it! Hold it, hold it!

No problems on the Log Grip.

Let's just stand back and watch how he tackles the Spinning Log,

because he's 95kg.

I know what you're thinking. There's too much of him.

Well...

No, I'm absolutely wrong!

Francis Cullimore, I'm happy that you proved me wrong. Well done!

He checks out the trampoline,

which will take him onto the cargo net.

He lost a little bit of energy last time on the cargo net.

Big jump. Nice grab.

The net's a lot bigger this time - 3.5 metres.

Watch your booty.

The strength as he just comes past me.

The size of the arms.

This man is a tank.

Butt up! Butt up! Take your time.

He completed the course last time around,

so got to the top of the Warped Wall.

He could go all the way.

REBECCA: Yeah, but the 95kg is hanging pretty low

above that swimming pool.

No, you're not! Keep your hands high up! You're right!

He's right, he's right.

Keep going, keep going! But he gets past!

His wife, Kerrie, so relieved, so happy.

Only Adam Chatfield has gone further than this tonight, Freddie.

It's so far, so good.

This is where it'll get tough for him.

I know he's built,

but he's gonna have to carry that mass, that bulk,

across these wheels.

Yeah!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Oh, yeah. He's pretty to watch.

Oh! Isn't he?

He's just grabbed onto that wheel there,

and he won't let go.

He's got a tremendous grip.

Oh, no, no, no! Oh, no!

Bec, you've done it again!

Talking up his grip strength

and guess what brings the big fella down.

Watch Francis's hands as he jumps onto the last wheel.

Instead of grabbing the flat horizontal section of the wheel,

he gets the curve,

and with his full body weight heading down,

he can't readjust his grip in time.

You're one of the heavier competitors.

Do you think that played a factor

as you was trying to grab onto that last wheel?

Oh, definitely - it definitely played a factor.

Trying to hold a flying 100kg Kiwi,

I don't think I had any chance of hanging onto that.

I just really wanted to get past that rolling thing,

and I bolted past that, so I'm stoked.

And it just shows, you know, you can be any weight, any size,

and any age, to be honest, and you can do anything you want.

I'm so sorry, Francis,

but wise words, and a great effort to get to obstacle five,

the Big Wheel.

Remember, the top seven ninjas

who go the furthest in the fastest time will go through.

Still to come on Ninja Island, get ready for the tradies...

The plumber is doing very, very well.

..as Ryan Solomon has Mount Midoriyama in his sights.

The journey continues for Sam Goodall.

MAN: It feels great to be back on the island for semifinals.

Yesterday I was knocking a house down

and today I'm on a course

with people that have been to the Olympics.

And gymnast Celeste Dixon lost her grip in the heats...

I think I shocked myself that I actually got it, and I let go!

..so she's come up with a new plan.

Wing it. (LAUGHS)

REBECCA: The competitors on Australian Ninja Warrior

all want to make it through the course in record time.

BEN: But it's the ninja who goes furthest and fastest

that will be given the title of Performance of the Night.

Thanks to Berocca.

Welcome back to Australian Ninja Warrior,

where so far, only one competitor has made it past halfway

on this semifinal course.

Let's see if our next ninja can change all that.

29-year-old Sam Goodall. He is ready to go.

He's a chippie from Western Australia

who drove for five hours to get to the Ninja Warrior audition.

FREDDIE: Now, for me, this is what Ninja Warrior is all about -

everyday heroes having a go.

Well, he certainly had a go in the heats, Freddie,

where he came unstuck on the Cargo with Lache,

but still did enough to qualify in 14th.

MAN: I'm certainly just a regular bloke, you know?

There's a million carpenters like me.

You know, I think tradies are the ninjas of the country.

I'm hoping to bring some of that to the course.

The crowd's on his side. Come on, Sam.

In the heats, I fell off a bit earlier than I was hoping to.

And he's slipped just like that!

At that point, when I hit the water,

I thought, "This is it. I'm going home."

It feels great to be back on the island for the semifinals.

Yesterday I was knocking a house down

and today I'm on a course

with people that have been to the Olympics.

It is daunting, but I can give it a crack.

Coming out to a thing like this, Ninja Warrior,

it's a huge spotlight, it's a huge moment in my life.

Now, it is a huge moment,

and Sam was desperate to share it with his wife, Rachel,

but they live five hours from Perth.

It is a very long way to come,

but thanks to a bit of technology,

there she is, watching on at home in WA.

Hello! I love you.

Good luck.

Freddie, you're a Sam fan too?

I want this lad to get through. I want this lad to do well.

I am right behind this lad.

Whether I should stay impartial,

whether I shouldn't have favourites, I'm not quite sure,

but Sam Goodall - come on, son!

Go, go, go.

Righto, this is his first obstacle tonight, the Quintuple Steps,

and he does pretty well.

Through the first obstacle. Keep your eye on the clock.

It's about time tonight as well.

He'll struggle to see around this log.

He's only 5'9".

It's not just about the arms on this one.

It's about the knee grip and the inside thigh grip as well.

Some competitors have come to a nasty end,

but he gets himself through, Sam Goodall.

And he flashes the number two again,

letting everyone know, "There you go - two down."

Many more to go.

It's gonna be a long night if he does that for nine.

And all of a sudden, here we are on the Spinning Log.

Go on, Sammy!

And he is lightning fast. Oh!

There you go - he gives the three.

Come on, Sammy!

He's got six to go.

Off the tramp, onto the net.

Oooh, flying through the air, just like... just like a gymnast.

And as far as his sporting career,

he wanted to be a sprinter, dreamed of going to the Olympics.

He broke his leg in a motorbike crash.

He nearly lost his leg

and he was out of any form of competition for two years

as a result of that accident.

And he's a little bit slow here on getting off the net,

and that T-shirt's been hanging a little close to the water,

but he gets one foot on, two feet.

He's OK.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Takes a breather,

and very soon he'll launch himself at this obstacle

that he's never seen before until this moment.

(HEAD THUDS) (AUDIENCE EXCLAIMS)

Oh, my word. Banged his head on the wheel.

I think he's hurt himself.

Shakes it off. That's the spirit, Sam. Come on, Sam.

Looks like a bad knock, but he wants to carry on.

Here he goes from one wheel to the next.

He gives himself a lot of swing and he holds on.

That's so strong without a bang to the head,

but with one, it's amazing.

On to the third and final wheel.

Just looking at his head now, you can see that red mark,

or maybe it's even a cut.

I wonder how much that is troubling him now.

He needs to get off this wheel. He needs to get off soon.

He's wasting too much energy. He is down!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Now shows the five fingers.

That means he's made it to the Warped Wall.

He never made it this far in the heats.

Can he make it up the wall now?

Rachel's watching. Can he do it, Bec?

Here he goes. We'll soon find out.

Whoo!

Yes, he does! What a moment for Sam Goodall.

Fantastic.

He's now thinking, "Righto, all of that is behind me."

He's got two obstacles in front of him

before he gets a shot at the Chimney.

I just hope he's not too distracted

by that nasty bump above his eyebrow.

But he's just given the thumbs up. He's OK.

Oh, I wish I was there.

I get the feeling he's not gonna give up at this point.

He's come too far.

And here he goes. He's up on the rope.

Straight onto the first spike. Grips it with two hands.

Transfers to the second one.

Now he's eyeballing the third.

This is the one that's got a bit of bungee on it.

He's got both hands on that spike,

swinging, but in the wrong direction.

He's gonna have to get the swing in another direction, and he does.

He gets the right hand onto the next spike.

I mean, he's not approaching this course in textbook fashion,

but he's getting through, Ben.

Who cares? Oh! (GASPS)

He's OK. He's alright.

I thought he might be in danger of disqualification,

but his left foot hits the front mat before he falls back,

and his right foot does not touch the water.

A close shave, but Sam's now gone past Adam Chatfield

and is the new leader on the course.

Seven down. Two to go.

Yeah, but number eight is a killer - the Pole Grasper.

He's gone a lot further than many thought he would,

based on the fact he never even saw the Warped Wall during the heats.

I know, this is incredible, but now this is really brutal.

He's gone high, and that's what you like to see on this obstacle -

people going high to get as far away

from those sharks down in the water below as possible.

Remember, he's only 5'9", so, not that tall,

which could be a disadvantage here.

Yeah, he's just passed the 6:00 mark,

and a bit of stress on the face, I must say.

He's gotta support his entire body weight.

Now, he's struggling to reach this next one.

Oh, he is, he is!

This is where the problem is being up high,

because the pole up high has got no flexibility.

That means the next pole is a long, long way away.

Oh, so, he wants to go down a little.

Sliding. Manages to get it.

And that's a big gap between those last few.

Now, this is a smaller gap between these next three.

He's onto the last one.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

He's done it!

The man who only got to the cargo net during the heats

now signals eight down, one to come.

I don't know what he's done in the last few days,

but he has prepared himself so well!

You've got this, babe.

It might've just been an unlucky run during the heats

that brought him unstuck.

Let's see how he goes now.

Flying the flag for all the tradies out there.

Come on, son!

67kg, 29 years of age.

He's making his way up the Chimney Climb

and he's doing it pretty quickly.

He's halfway. Can he go all the way?

He's tough, he's tired,

but he's looking absolutely terrific,

and he is home!

Oh, Sam! What a performance.

Oh, my goodness.

Sam Goodall, hit the buzzer,

and celebrate a wonderful achievement.

The first ninja to complete the course tonight.

And after indicating each number after conquering each obstacle,

he points at the ultimate obstacle of them all, Mount Midoriyama.

Well done, mate.

The WA chippie battled through adversity

after a nasty bump on the Big Wheel,

and then dealt with whatever this course could throw at him.

He made it to the top of the Chimney Climb

and gives himself a great chance of qualifying for the grand final.

Realistically, did you think you'd get to the top of the Chimney?

Nah, no way.

I was planning to do a bombie in the first pool, actually,

but, um... then I thought that wouldn't be really

taking the course seriously, and it deserves respect.

So, I'm chasing down this big girl next time.

Oh, she's the queen. She needs a king.

Hopefully one of us will be it.

There we go. Not too many tradies I know could do that.

Ladies and gentlemen, big round of applause for Sam Goodall.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Sam's amazing effort has taken him

right to the top of the leaderboard.

Fellow West Australian

Adam Chatfield

is in second place,

with natural bodybuilder

Francis Cullimore in third.

Oh, amazing stuff here.

It takes all types to conquer this course.

We'll have more for you on Australian Ninja Warrior shortly.

Still to come...

Up, up, up, and he's away!

..the first competitor to beat the wall.

Yes, he's done it!

'Deadly Ninja' Jack Wilson is one of the big favourites.

Can parkour twin Brodie Pawson go further than his brother?

And right now in the warm-up area is French firey Aurelien Apport.

He's on the course when we come back.

BEN: Welcome back to Ninja Island, where, before the break,

we saw a gutsy effort from WA chippie Sam Goodall.

FREDDIE: Banged his head on the wheel.

And he became the first semifinalist tonight

to make it all the way up the Chimney Climb.

Absolutely terrific!

REBECCA: Up next, all the way from France,

Aurelien Apport, a former fireman and paramedic.

And wait till you take a look at this bloke.

Can he go all the way

in the semifinals of Australian Ninja Warrior?

Aurelien qualified from heat five in 12th spot

after completing the course in 3:23.

(DRIVING ROCK MUSIC)

Come on, Aurelien.

What amazing strength to drag his own body weight up there!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

You're the man, Aurelien! You are the man!

Come on, Lien!

Wife Caroline and stepsons Ryan and Billy

will be hoping Aurelien can keep going.

And, Freddie, you remember this bloke from the heats, don't you?

FREDDIE: I tell you what, I remember these abs right now.

Absolutely massive!

Look at the shoulders, look at the size of him,

but it's not always an advantage on this course.

You gotta drag it all the way round.

Yeah, 'massive' is the word, Freddie.

He weighs in at almost 100kg,

and he's a freak on this course.

He is. He is indeed.

He showed in his heat that he has the strength, Ben,

but he's gonna need more than that to get into the grand final.

One down.

But he moves onto the Log Grip. He hasn't seen this before.

He takes a fair grip around it.

Holds on. Makes it across.

Onto the Spinning Log now.

Not an easy exercise for the big guys, this one.

Easier for the little fellas who've got that low centre of gravity.

Light feet! Light feet!

Is he gonna be too heavy for the Spinning Log?

AUDIENCE: Aurelien! Aurelien! Aurelien!

No! No! Oh! Oh, no!

Aurelien gone!

He just had too much weight to get him across that log.

Aurelien's second step started that log spinning.

He couldn't rebalance in time for his next step,

so that rolled him off the log,

and after a heavy impact, he was in the pool.

Oh, my god. Look what they've done to you.

That looks like it's a pretty tough pole to get over, literally.

As we bid au revoir to Aurelien,

our next competitor could not be more different.

Yeah, that's right - long and lean.

Music producer Ben Polson was one of the fastest in the heats.

He used to be a 'Ginger Ninja',

but dyed his hair because he reckons blonds have more fun.

Now, he had fun in the heat.

He got up the Warped Wall.

How will he do right now in the semifinals?

MAN: Music production has been a huge passion of mine

for about five years now,

and it kind of lets my creative side out.

I feel like I've always kind of stuck out,

whether it's the ginger hair or the white hair or being 6'4".

He's pretty tall.

What the? Holy... What?

He didn't even run up to it.

I'm warmed up, I'm ready, and super excited to be in the semis.

Obviously it's a great deal to make it this far.

I've got all the hopes that I'll make it even further,

but I can't let it get to my head.

You know, I wanna be the guy out that which kind of proves to people

that you can be whoever you want,

and at the end of the day, you can succeed.

And earlier tonight,

Ben ran the sideline for his mate Adam Chatfield,

and it's good to see that Adam is returning the favour now.

Come on, buddy!

Well, I think we're about to see Ben Polson smash this course

and go all the way up the Chimney.

Funny you say that.

I've got a really good feeling about Ben Polson.

I wonder if you do at home as well.

Well, we did until you put the Bec hex on him, the Maddern curse.

Now, the Log Grip.

He's done that wall. Yeah, Ben!

FREDDIE: No problems whatsoever.

This is the one, though - the Spinning Log.

This is the one the ninjas worry about, but look at that,

using his big long legs to skip across.

Nicely done. Nicely done. Now the Jump Hang.

He's 6'4" and that's an advantage here.

Yes!

Now, he's working his way down that net.

At 3.5 metres,

it's as much about concentration and coordination as anything else.

Keep your feet up.

Just needs to keep his back up. He is long.

He's getting closer and closer.

Doesn't want to get stuck here.

Reaches out with one of his long legs

and the other one comes up as well, and he's through.

Righto. Now it's the Big Wheel.

We saw Sam Goodall in strife here earlier,

but amazingly, Ben is more than a minute inside Sam's time.

See how the height is an advantage there.

He didn't have to take too much energy to get off the mini tramp.

Grabs a hold of the second wheel.

And now it's time for the big transition.

Come on, Ben. Oh, yes!

Oh, he grabbed it, let go of it, then grabbed it again.

It doesn't matter. He now needs to focus on the dismount.

Sweet!

Has a look at the Warped Wall.

We seem to have got here very quickly.

AUDIENCE: Beat the wall! Beat the wall!

And now Ben Polson - first time lucky!

Ben Polson! Yeah!

Three obstacles left for the music producer from WA,

and the crowd is beginning to get excited.

On to the Swinging Spikes.

And keep your eye on that clock.

He is 2:00 faster than Sam Goodall at this point.

Look at how high he is, the arms still at 90 degrees.

Plenty of power there.

When you see the arms go straight, that's when they're tiring.

He hasn't done it once. Now the dismount. Nice work.

Now he takes a breath

and contemplates the obstacle, the Pole Grasper.

He's only the second ninja to get this far tonight.

He's nice and high, Ben.

He is, and again, that height will be an advantage here.

He's got that big wingspan,

and he's getting a perfect grip with the feet.

He seems to be doing it smoothly.

Easy, Ben!

Oooh, although a little bit of a slip there.

Ben, have a look at that core strength, though.

To get your legs up nice and high,

and to maintain that height takes skill.

One more, one more. Oooh!

One more!

Oh! Oh, his heel was right over the end there.

Half a foot hung over the edge. Yeah.

But he's OK, and for just the second time tonight,

we get a look at the Chimney Climb.

You need plenty of grip going up this Chimney Climb.

This is unnatural, for a human being to be in a chimney

and expected to pull all your weight up seven metres.

Yeah, but if anyone can do it, he can.

He's streets ahead of Sam Goodall's time.

Can he make it all the way?

He is doing it, Ben.

Five metres. Six metres.

Seven metres. Yes.

All the way to the top.

Oh, ho!

There he is - Ben Polson. What a run!

Yes, the fastest time of the night by over 3:00,

and one step closer to Mount Midoriyama.

That was absolutely incredible.

Told you I had a good feeling about this guy, Ben.

Yeah, you were right.

His run had the perfect combination

of speed, power, reach, and mental toughness.

Maybe he rode his luck a little on the Pole Grasper dismount,

but all in all, that was about as good as it gets.

You're one of our tall competitors.

Do you think that helped you on the course?

Obviously my 6'4" height is gonna help with a lot of this,

but it was a lot more tiring than I anticipated.

So, once again I'm underestimating the course,

but I'm glad I got through.

You say it was a lot more tiring than you thought,

but you did get the fastest time of the night so far.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

That's an amazing thing, to get the fastest time of the day so far.

Hopefully it holds up that the next time I talk to you,

it's at the top of that mountain.

I would love that.

Just one thing - that hair dye is fooling no-one.

I can see the ginger on the side. You're one of us.

Ladies and gentlemen, Ben Polson. Well done, mate.

Still to come on Ninja Island,

'Tarzaniel' Daniel Weston has all the confidence of youth on his side.

The thing I'm bringing to the semifinals that no-one else is

is raw talent.

Feels, like, real natural.

Didn't have to train to do anything I can do.

And it's time to show exactly what he's got.

Whoa! (SHRIEKS)

And warming up right now is a man with a point to prove.

Brodie Pawson is on the course when we return.

BEN: Welcome back to Australian Ninja Warrior

and the last of the semifinals.

While you were away,

we saw two more ninjas pit themselves against this monster course.

44-year-old Hungarian gymnast Farkas Pungur

came dressed as an Egyptian pharaoh.

FREDDIE: Oh, no, Farkas!

And it wasn't long before his grand final hopes were history.

And Luke Williams showed his mettle.

Here he is, the South Australian, and he's straight up.

REBECCA: Oh, the power!

Ultimately making it all the way to the buzzer.

Yeah!

He barrels the Chimney and he's one step closer!

What a run! Take stock, fellow ninjas.

Yeah!

But on the course right now,

there's something pretty special going on.

Tom Hazell, a truckie from Northern NSW,

is currently making his way across the Pole Grasper,

but that's not the half of it.

He's closing in on the night's fastest time of 4:40,

set by Ben Polson.

Look at him go.

You'll remember Ben's very tall, 6'4".

Tom here is only 5'8",

but it's not slowing him down at all.

He's negotiated the Pole Grasper in almost record time.

Here's the dismount. WOMAN: Go, go, go!

Yes! No mistake.

The truckie from NSW is straight to the Chimney Climb.

And have a look at the clock.

He's only one second behind Ben Polson at the same point.

4:40 - the time to beat.

He's at the three-metre mark

and he's got ten seconds from now

if he wants to achieve the best time of the night.

Come on, Tom. Six metres. Seven metres.

He's going to make it. Will he get there?

Will he beat the best time of the night?

He's one second outside it, but what a run.

Sensational.

That was absolutely amazing.

What a nail-biter.

But after that close shave,

music producer Ben Polson hangs on

to top spot by just one second.

Luke Williams has leapfrogged

WA chippie Sam Goodall into third,

while Perth boat detailer

Adam Chatfield is hanging in there

in fifth position.

I'm excited about our next competitor,

because it is Brodie Pawson.

He and his twin brother, Dylan, were easily the fastest in the heats,

but we've already seen Dylan come unstuck on the Spinning Log.

Can Brodie prove once and for all that he is the fastest brother?

We're about to find out.

The twins finished first and second in their heat,

Brodie finishing eight seconds behind his brother.

Yeah, buddy!

Speaking of, there is Dylan.

We were all so shocked when he crashed out after just 22 seconds.

Now the pressure is all on Brodie,

but he's got all the tools in the kit to tame this course.

Yeah, here's the Log Grip.

Dylan struggled here, but Brodie is through without a hiccup.

Quick steps, quick steps! Come on!

Here we are now at the Spinning Log.

This was Dylan's downfall.

Come on, Brodie. Oh, no! He's come off at the same spot.

Oh, damn!

FREDDIE: The log takes no prisoners,

That Spinning Log seeing the twins off this evening.

Stuffed up exactly where I stuffed up.

Oh, that's incredible -

the Pawson brothers coming off the Spinning Log

in almost identical fashion.

Both were in trouble right from their second step.

Both tried to outrun the spin.

Both dumped in the pool.

Is there anything you two don't do together?

Twins, mate! It's twins!

What advice did Dylan give you going into this?

Oh, he said just go fast,

and I tried going fast, and quick steps,

but, um, far out.

Yeah, well, we've enjoyed having the two of you on the show this year.

Congratulations. Go and join your brother.

Ladies and gentlemen, big clap for Brodie!

The twins went out on exactly the same obstacle.

What are the chances?

And just like that,

two of the big favourites are out of the running for the grand final.

Our next ninja is another big favourite.

Daniel Weston, known as Tarzaniel,

and after watching him swing his way through the heats,

we're on the edge of our seats to see if he can do it again.

He was an enigma in the heats,

going all the way up the Warped Wall,

finishing in second spot,

with just Ben Polson beating his time.

MAN: The thing I'm bringing to the semifinals

that no-one else is is raw talent.

Feels, like, real natural.

Didn't have to train to do anything I can do.

He's lanky, he's lean, and he's on the top of the Warped Wall!

I hit that buzzer in the heats.

Just felt like everything in my life had just pulled together

and brang me to that moment.

Oh, usually I'm just cruising around, climbing trees,

playing in my backyard on the bars.

I don't go to gym, I don't do CrossFit or anything.

So, to win this, it'd be the best feeling ever,

'cause it'll just prove gym's not everything.

He's a lunatic, this bloke.

Mum, Michelle, Uncle Glenn, brother, Jacob,

ready on the sideline.

I love this kid,

and I say 'kid' because he's only 19 years of age.

I think that is incredible.

To be standing in the semifinals as a genuine contender

is quite remarkable.

Yeah, second only to music producer Ben Polson in the heat,

and he'll have him in his sights tonight.

Skips through the Quintuple Steps as if they weren't even there,

and at six foot, his reach should help him here on the Log Grip.

Not a problem there, Freddie. FREDDIE: Nonchalantly.

Didn't even grip onto the log with his feet. Come on, Daniel.

Oh, my word.

Skips across... the Spinning Log,

which has found so many out tonight.

Here he goes onto the net.

Look at the big wingspan, and keep an eye on that clock as well.

You gotta be careful about every move,

but you've also gotta be conscious, Bec,

of what's happening on that clock.

Well, you are racing the clock, and he's doing it well at the moment.

He is a full 20 seconds faster than Ben Polson was at this point.

WOMAN: Keep it high! MAN: Stay high!

Stay high, Daniel! Keep your hair up!

Careful. Head up! Head up!

That hair could be a problem.

Keep it up! Keep it up!

Oh, that was the hair in the swimming pool almost.

Take your time, Daniel.

Coming up to the 1:00 mark.

He's got a big smile on the dial, but this is the Big Wheel.

Nice jump. Grips the first one.

Gets ready to swing onto the second.

Big swings.

He needs to keep that momentum to get onto the third wheel.

Oh, yep.

That surprised him a little bit, I think,

because that wheel swings on a pendulum.

Now he needs enough momentum to make the dismount.

Takes his time a little bit, but now it's exit time,

and Daniel Weston shapes up,

takes on and beats the wall!

FREDDIE: Now it's the part of the course which he's never seen before,

but I'm guessing he's not bothered.

Put whatever you want in front of this young lad

and he'll take it on.

Does he have the energy, does he have the stamina,

just to keep on going?

We want to see him in the grand final of Australian Ninja Warrior.

Imagine at 19 years of age beating all the big guys,

beating every single person who stands in his way.

Well, he wants to beat all the gym junkies, and he's doing -

careful on that one - and he's doing that right now,

swinging from the air just like Tarzan

and doing it with incredible style!

Yeah, Daniel!

Whoo!

Daniel Weston - two more to go!

Yeah, here we go. It's the Pole Grasper next.

He's almost a full minute faster than Ben Polson,

because he's taken no time to get a breath.

He's so young, I suppose.

He's just got that natural energy,

switching and changing and moving between these poles.

Using his feet very well.

Gripping on, taking as much load... Oh, he's slipping down.

..off on his feet as he possibly can.

Get up there, Daniel. That's it.

Pulls himself up.

Uses all of his strength to pull up his body weight.

Swings around on the last pole.

He now just needs to navigate the dismount.

Oh! And he can't.

He's in the pool! Daniel Weston!

Damn, Daniel!

Oh, Daniel was beginning to tire on the last pole.

Facing side-on to the mat,

he pushed off from the final pole,

but didn't get enough height or distance to clear the water.

He got a toe onto dry land, but couldn't save himself.

He's still smiling, though,

but I think Daniel will be disappointed he fell short.

The good news is that he was so quick

to reach the penultimate obstacle

that he stands a good chance of making the top seven.

Still to come on Australian Ninja Warrior,

the Deadly Ninja, Jack Wilson is on a mission.

But I'm doing it for my Indigenous heritage.

Can he reach the ultimate challenge, Mount Midoriyama?

Failure - it's not an option.

Jetskiing plumber Ryan Solomon is hanging on for the ride.

Have a look at the muscles, the pecs. It's all working.

And 31-year-old gymnast Celeste Dixon

is hoping she sizzles on the course.

Bring home the bacon.

Bring home the bacon. I like bacon.

You'll be OK, girl. You'll be fine.

BEN: Welcome back to Ninja Island,

where it's the third semifinal

and the last chance for our competitors

to qualify for the grand final.

So far tonight, WA chippie Sam Goodall

pushed himself through the pain barrier to conquer the course.

REBECCA: Parkour twins Dylan and Brodie Pawson

shocked everybody by crashing out at the same point.

And Perth music producer Ben Polson looked awesome

as he posted the fastest time so far.

Right now in the warm-up gym is plumber Ryan Solomon,

putting the finishing touches to his prep.

He'll be hitting the course very soon.

Up next is South Australian gymnast Celeste Dixon.

She produced a spectacular heat performance,

but came unstuck on the Double Tilt Ladder.

Come on, Celeste! Come on!

She made it to the penultimate obstacle in heat one.

Was unlucky not to go all the way,

eventually making it through in 16th spot.

WOMAN: I'm in the semis. I'm very shocked.

I didn't think I'd get through.

Could she be on her way to the Warped Wall?

My heat was really good,

but it all went wrong for me on the ladder transfer.

Bring home the bacon!

Oh, look at this.

I reached, I grabbed it, I got it,

and I think I shocked myself that I actually got it,

and I let go. (LAUGHS)

Oh! Oh! Oh, oh! Oh, no!

It happened so quick. You can't change it.

You wish you could, but you can't.

Strategy for tonight would be grip harder and fly further.

Steve, her dad, there, with Celeste's brothers, Ewan and Roddy,

and friend, Megan.

This fantastic gymnast from South Australia.

All of Adelaide, all of SA at the moment,

cheering her on.

We want to see a female competitor

get all the way to the top of that Chimney

and into the grand final.

Celeste Dixon - 5'3" in the old scale. 57kg.

Come on, Celeste. Come on.

She's gonna have to really work at getting a good grip.

Ahh, she doesn't know which one to take.

Do I take the far one or the closest one to me?

She's gone for the uneven grip, which we don't see a lot of.

Don't like the look of that, but...

She's gonna have to hang on for dear life.

Oh! She wasn't able to.

Celeste Dixon finds the pool on the Log Grip.

Poor old Celeste.

She couldn't decide which handhold she was most comfortable with,

and by selecting an uneven grip,

she made it harder for herself to hang on.

She also didn't grip the log enough with her legs,

which would have helped her stay out of the water.

It's been really good to be one of only six girls to make it this far.

It's a huge achievement.

My wingspan is this big and the guys' is that big.

(LAUGHS) So, it's good.

OK, here we go - our next competitor, Ryan Solomon.

He's a plumber who loves riding jetskis.

Now, during the qualifying,

he completed every obstacle in front of him.

He'll be looking to do the same right now in the semis.

He was impressive in the heats,

making it all the way through

with a little hiccup first time around

on the Warped Wall,

but he was able to get up on his second attempt

and qualify ninth.

AUDIENCE: Beat the wall!

Pretty pumped to make the semis.

It was pretty nerve-racking through the heat.

Attempt number two, and he's there!

Just an unreal feeling, getting to the top of that Warped Wall,

and I reckon it went just about as good as I could hope.

I spend my life in the water, on the water, around the water.

So, when it comes to the Ninja Warrior course,

the last thing I wanna do is be in the water.

And just like he did in the heats, Ryan whips off the T-shirt again.

Oh, don't you love it? And Amy does as well.

There's his girlfriend. Very vocal supporter.

Ryan's mum and dad are there too.

(CHIME SOUNDS)

Ryan's six foot and nearly 90kg,

and we've seen some of the bigger ninjas struggle tonight, Ben.

He'll be hoping to buck that trend, and now the Log Grip.

He's got fantastic core strength,

and the size helps on some obstacles.

It can be a hindrance on others.

Here he is - legs wrapped around it.

Makes no mistake of that one.

This is different, Freddie.

This is a big challenge, this next one.

FREDDIE: Oh, sleepless nights about this obstacle.

Needs to get some speed. Come on, Ryan.

Oh, starting off slow, but he's sure-footed.

Don't matter how you get across, just get across it.

Ryan Solomon completed his heat with little fuss.

He didn't get too caught up in the moment,

and I think that's exactly his approach in the semifinals.

Well, he's a Queenslander,

and that's the kind of Queensland approach.

No nonsense, just get the business done,

and have a look at all of those muscles in that body

as he negotiates his way down this cargo net.

Well, he's used to working hard.

He's a plumber,

and all the way through this competition, remember,

the tradies, they have been outstanding.

MAN: Yes!

And his time is looking outstanding as well.

He's neck and neck with Ben Polson.

And here he goes. Now taking on the Big Wheel.

The first Big Wheel. He's got two more to conquer.

Let's go! Grabs onto the second one.

AMY: Come on, baby! You've got this!

And this third one acts like a pendulum.

Needs to get it moving

so he can find the distance he needs to get onto the mat.

Oh!

Did he hurt his ankle there? I think he did.

I think he hurt his ankle on the dismount.

Is that going to cause him trouble going up the Warped Wall?

AUDIENCE: Beat the wall! Beat the wall!

I hope not, but I think you saw already

he struggled a little bit with the wall in his heat.

2:00 on the clock at the moment, and he's... Yes!

Yes! Whoo! He's there.

Good work, baby!

He's still pretty cautious on that ankle, you can see.

You'd think it'd have to slow him down.

4:40 is tonight's fastest time,

but right now, Ryan just needs to keep moving.

AUDIENCE: Ryan! Ryan!

And here he goes, making his way through the Swinging Spikes.

His time is good too.

He's the fastest to this point, but can he keep that going?

Ryan! Ryan! Ryan!

All of a sudden, he's got his back turned on the next spike.

He's gonna have to work out a way around that, and he does!

He turns the body around,

and finds enough room to grab a hold of it.

Whoo! Yes!

Up high, babe! Up high!

Up high, Ryan. Up high.

Here's where the ankle might come into play.

Most of our competitors use the ankle.

They use the feet to grab the bottom part of these poles,

although this is another strategy we've seen some of them doing.

Instead of grabbing it on either side of the pole,

they're pushing from one to the other.

We've done this plenty of times! You've got this!

FREDDIE: As you get tired, you do start to slide down the poles.

Give yourself as much height as you can

so if you do start slipping,

you're high enough to give yourself a little bit of room.

Incredibly, despite that ankle,

he is still on track to beat tonight's fastest time.

He's got 1:10 to get up that Chimney to the buzzer,

and he is not giving up, Ben.

The face is the giveaway, though, at this part of the obstacle course,

and he has started to show that he's struggling a little bit.

The brain's saying, "I just need to get one foot following the other,"

and he does.

Here we go.

Just seven metres separating Ryan Solomon

and a chance of reaching the grand final,

and a crack at Mount Midoriyama.

This is his moment to shine.

Ryan Solomon, 28 years of age.

A plumber by day, and he takes on the Chimney.

OK, 4:40 the time to beat.

This is gonna be close.

He's really getting pushed to his limits at this point.

Four metres, five metres!

Can he keep going? The ankle must be screaming!

Seven metres. He's at the top there.

Eight seconds to get to the buzzer.

His body is absolutely screaming,

but he's got just enough left to get himself through the hole.

And he's done that. He's on top of the world.

Hits the buzzer and finishes only four seconds behind Ben Polson.

Catapults himself into the final of Australian Ninja Warrior.

Ryan Solomon, that was a masterclass. Well done.

Oh, what a magnificent run

by one of the fastest tradies in the competition,

and look how he rolls his ankle on the dismount from the Big Wheel.

Anyone who's done that knows how painful it is,

but he battled his way through the next three obstacles,

up the Chimney for the third fastest time of the night.

What a phenomenal effort,

and you can see why Amy and the family are so proud of Ryan.

Whoo! Whoo!

Let's take a look

at the top three places

on the leaderboard.

Separated by just four seconds,

music producer Ben Polson

still on top,

with truckie Tom Hazell

and Ryan Solomon close behind.

Tradie Sam Goodall drops

to fifth position,

while West Australian boat detailer

Adam Chatfield is hanging on

in seventh.

And heading to the course right now is the Deadly Ninja Jack Wilson.

He's the final competitor of the night,

and he'll be hoping to force his way into that top seven

when we return on Australian Ninja Warrior.

REBECCA: Welcome back to Ninja Island,

where our last semifinalist is ready to take his run

at a grand final spot.

BEN: Here he is - the Deadly Ninja, Jack Wilson.

A 24-year-old carpenter from Mount Isa

who turned his life around

and graduated from the Indigenous Marathon Project.

Jack made it all the way up the Warped Wall in heat one,

sending out warning signals to the other ninjas

and qualifying in fifth place.

MAN: Coming into the competition,

I'm not only doing it for myself,

but I'm doing it for my Indigenous heritage.

I've gotta make them proud.

So, I wanna really make an impact and make a statement tonight.

Up, up, up, up, and he's away!

Yes, he's done it!

The feeling of hitting that buzzer at the end of the heats was unreal.

Ladies and gentlemen, the first ninja to complete the course.

Felt like a rock star.

Rob de Castella was one of my mentors.

He's definitely the man that made me the man I am today,

and one thing he told me is harder the struggle, greater the triumph.

So, coming into the semifinals,

there's no way I'm failing tonight.

And take a listen to the noise here on Ninja Island.

Lots of support, including mum, Debbie, and brother, Mick.

FREDDIE: Oh, my word. They are back.

Just when I'd forgotten about the budgie-smugglers,

they are back on the starting gate,

and, yes, Jack Wilson is back inside them.

Whoo! Go, Jack, go! Whoo!

And we're off.

The last run of the semifinals, Jack Wilson.

Has he got what it takes to go all the way to the grand final?

We are about to find out.

WOMAN: Stick like glue, boy! Stick like glue!

Finishes the Quintuple Steps. Now it's time for the Log Grip.

There's not a lot of him.

MAN: Come on, let's go, brother. Come on! That's it! That's it! Oh!

Oh, whoa!

Oh, he's home. He's alright. Oh, well done.

That was close. Here we go on the Spinning Log.

Come on! Come on, boy! Come on, boy! Yes!

And he's just across!

That's the way! Come on!

Finishes it with a forward roll.

FREDDIE: Here comes Jack onto the cargo net.

Didn't use his hands, used his arms.

Pushed his hands through the gap in the net

and clung on for his dear life.

Keep it tight! Keep it tight!

One of the characters of the Australian Ninja Warrior.

Flew through the course first time.

Wanted to do that this time, but it's a little bit harder, Jack.

Them budgie-smugglers, they're gonna be under a little bit more pressure,

and talking of pressure, them smugglers aren't baggy.

They're not sagging down, they are skin tight!

(CHUCKLES) His time at this moment is the fastest of the night.

Look at that!

He's agile, he's a cardio monster.

Fantastic power-to-weight ratio, but this is a brand-new obstacle.

We can't underestimate something like this, the Big Wheel.

Tests out the trampoline, has a bit of a look either side.

He wants to make sure of what he's about to do.

I tell you who won't be missing Jack Wilson's run tonight,

and that is the great Rob de Castella.

He was his mentor,

and he'll be watching with great interest

into how Jack Wilson goes tonight.

Onto the first wheel.

Look at him - he's looking at the crowd.

Unbelievable!

Even has time to look into the crowd,

saying, "Look what I've just done."

Oh, he landed a bit high there.

Almost hit his head, like Sam Goodall did earlier.

Good transition! MAN: You got it, Jack!

It's not just strength here, it's strategy as well.

Your brain has to calculate what you need to do

to get your body to the mat.

Oh, yes! Beautiful!

He's got a smile, and he's straight up the wall!

No break! Straight up the wall!

All smiles on top,

but looking at the clock, he's 30 seconds slower than Ben Polson.

Will he make the top seven?

That's what we're all wondering,

but when you have a look at him,

he's got all of the ingredients for it.

That core strength.

All of the muscle right in the middle of the body.

Yeah, but he's also not heavy.

He's 74kg,

and that's a great power-to-weight ratio

to get yourself through the Swinging Spikes.

Come on, boy! Come on!

Here he goes on the rope.

Makes his first grab of a spike.

Come on! Come on!

Oh, come on! Is he just toying with us?

He's feeding off the crowd, I think.

He grabs onto the spike that's got a bit of bungee,

bit of elastic in it.

He's getting closer and closer to the end of this brand-new obstacle,

but look at his face now.

He's a bit worried, I think.

He's struggling. His arms are fully extended.

FREDDIE: Come on, Jack. Swing off onto the mat.

MAN: Flick, bruz!

Yes, Jack Wilson!

He's through the Swinging Spike,

and now from the Swinging Spike onto the Pole Grasper.

Oh, yeah! He seems really confident.

We haven't seen too many competitors through the entire semifinals

that have had time to look into the crowd and say,

"Hey, I'm on the Pole Grasper

"and I'm feeling pretty calm and confident."

Look at the legs work as well.

Every muscle of the body being utilised here.

MAN: Easy, Jack! Oooh! Oh, oh, oh!

He's slipping! He's slipping! He's getting close to the water, Bec.

Feet up! Feet up!

He needs to get off really... Oh, he's touch the water!

I have no words, Ben.

He was so confident, maybe too confident.

Jack Wilson did not make it through the Pole Grasper.

Jack started low,

but looked like he had enough strength to make it through.

One lapse in concentration. There it was.

And all of a sudden, he's in strife.

It was going so well.

You was cruising through the course

and then just dipped your toes in the water.

Yeah, didn't realise I was too close to the ground there.

I should've gone up a bit further, but never mind.

I felt really good out there. The crowd was behind me.

I felt... I felt very strong.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Well, you must be happy with your work.

An amazing effort to get that far on this course.

Oh, mate, I'm so grateful to be here.

This is an unbelievable experience.

This is amazing.

My biggest fans are right next to me right here,

and, yeah, I'm happy with my achievements tonight.

Top man, and we've all loved seeing your achievements as well.

Ladies and gentlemen, let's have a big round of applause

for the great man Jack Wilson.

Well done, buddy! Gutted for you, mate.

After an amazing night of action,

we finally have our last seven qualifiers

for the Australian Ninja Warrior grand final.

Music producer Ben Polson

leads the way,

closely followed by surprise package

Tom Hazell in second.

Plumber Ryan Solomon is third,

while gym owner Luke Williams

and chippie Sam Goodall

fourth and fifth.

Tarzaniel, Daniel Weston,

remains sixth,

but Jack Wilson does just enough

to snatch seventh spot to book

his place in the grand final.

No doubt who tonight's Performance of the Night goes to -

Ben Polson, the music producer from Western Australia

with a pitch-perfect performance

and the fastest time of the night.

Bravo, Ben.

Wow, I've been blown away. What a night.

No doubt about it, Bec.

We had some spectacular performances, some heartbreaking failures,

and you know what, the crowd has been extraordinary,

because they have pushed these ninjas every step of the way.

Freddie?

Ben, it has been a phenomenal display.

Ninja after ninja has stood up to be counted.

They know the grand final beckons,

and with that, a chance of making history

as the very first Australian Ninja Warrior.

Tomorrow night, the grand final,

and the fury of the full Australian Ninja Warrior course awaits.

17 obstacles must be conquered... Oh!

..to earn a chance at Mount Midoriyama.

Oh, no! So tough.

Across the globe,

it's taken up to seven seasons for someone to reach the top

and claim the prize,

but Australian ninjas have proved they're different.

Andrea Hah creates history on Australian Ninja Warrior.

From 250 everyday athletes, only 21 remain.

It really is the fittest and the fastest.

They have triumphed over obstacles in their lives...

MAN: 18 months ago, I broke my neck.

JACK: Growing up in Indigenous community,

there's a lot of drugs.

SAM: Broke my right leg and doctors said that I could lose it.

..and on this incredible course.

The fastest time of the night!

I've never seen anyone do that better!

They are the best of the best.

Mount Midoriyama awaits... tomorrow night.

That's all for tonight. Next time, it is our grand final.

We can't wait.

New obstacles

and the chance for someone to try to conquer Mount Midoriyama.

Don't miss it! Goodnight.