Original subtitles

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEN FORDHAM: Over five breathtaking qualifying heats,

Australian Ninja Warrior history has been rewritten.

BEN: What? What?

REBECCA MADDERN: Oh, my goodness!

Our returning heroes have taken things to a whole new level...

REBECCA: You have set this island on fire!

BEN: You ripper!

..with powerhouse first-time ninjas hot on their heels.

REBECCA: That was spectacular!

BEN: But for some of our most promising...

FREDDIE FLINTOFF: Oh! Oh!

..one missed step...

REBECCA: Oh! BEN: Oh, no!

Everybody is shocked.

..has spelled disaster.

BEN: Tonight, the sixth and final qualifying heat,

and just 20 semifinal places remain.

I might only be 18

but I'm going to slam dunk this course.

BEN: Hoping to stake their claim,

the original Aussie Bachelor, Tim Robards...

I'm back this year because I know I can do it.

..the robot warrior, Rob Patterson,

who took fifth last year but is determined to go further...

Man, it's going to be so much fun.

..and Bronson Norrish.

I'm 120 kg.

Our heaviest ninja ever.

Here to prove that big boys can fly.

Plus, back at last,

season one's juggernauts, the Blue Mountains rock climbers.

We're back to conquer Mount Midoriyama.

The Cossey brothers, Lee and Ben.

The unbelievable Tom O'Halloran

and the legend that is Andrea Hah.

Last year, I was the only female to make it up the warped wall.

Can she write history again?

We're about to find out on Australian Ninja Warrior.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

REBECCA: Welcome once again to Ninja Island.

I'm Rebecca Maddern.

I'm Freddie Flintoff.

And I'm Ben Fordham and tonight, we have another contingent

of super-fit athletes

ready to take on the world's toughest obstacle course.

REBECCA: Among them, four of last season's biggest names.

The Blue Mountains rock climbers:

Andrea Hah, first woman up the warped wall,

Tom O'Halloran, last year's runner-up,

and the Cossey brothers, Ben and Lee.

BEN: Speaking of mountains, few come bigger than this bloke.

Heading the newcomers,

the heaviest ninja in the competition,

120 kegs of him,

Bronson Norrish.

There's also this season's youngest competitor:

18-year-old basketballer, Tatyanna Pogonza-Dumas.

REBECCA: And remember this bloke?

The Bachelor, Tim Robards is back.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Now, this year our prize jackpots to $200,000.

But our ninjas are going to have to conquer tonight's obstacles

for a chance at the finals.

There are some old foes and some new ones.

Let's take a look.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEN: First up, the familiar quintuple steps.

One missed step and you're wet.

In all of the heats, obstacle two is about coordination.

Tonight, it's the bungee slider to bullet.

(BUZZER)

Obstacle three, the bridge of blades.

It needs fast feet and balance

in the race to beat the spinning board blades.

REBECCA: The swing to cargo net makes its debut.

A deceptively simple looking swing out to the cargo net,

then climb down to safety.

Next, the double tilt ladder

saps the last of the ninjas' grip strength

as they climb across two ladders

with a massive transition in between.

Finally, the stairway to heaven.

The warped wall.

Get up it... (APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

..hit the buzzer... (HORN SOUNDS)

..and you're done.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEN: It's the top 20

who go the furthest and fastest tonight

that will make it through to the semifinals.

REBECCA: The ninjas are here.

They're pumped.

So, let's bring out our first competitor of the night.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEN: Well, last year,

the original Australian Bachelor, Tim Robards,

fell afoul of the cargo net.

But this year, he's ready to go and in peak physical shape as always.

Let's give it up, Ninja Island, for Tim Robards.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Go, Tim!

TIM: Last year, there was so much extra added pressure.

'Cause I have a bit of a profile,

walking with all the other guys, I think they're like,

you know, "Is this guy here"

"just 'cause he's done stuff on TV"

"or is he actually"

"Ninja Warrior worthy?"

I think I proved myself.

I got through a few good obstacles.

BEN: He's tucked himself right in on the pole

and that's perfect,

and he's off!

Last year, I had a bicep reattachment surgery

right before Ninja Warrior.

I can't let my arm bend much past 90 degrees.

This year, I'm feeling more confident.

My arm's healed up well so there's no excuses on that.

But, um... Yeah, still nervous.

I'm back this year because I know I can do it.

I know I can get through at least the heat and that's my goal.

I just really want to get through the first heat.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

It looks like he's been filtered and photoshopped.

AUDIENCE (CHANTING): Tim! Tim! Tim!

Did somebody give birth to him or was he grown in a lab?

Jesus Christ! What chance have we got?

BEN: And his new wife Anna watching on.

You can do it! BEN: Heat six, here we go!

(STARTER TONE)

REBECCA: Tim Robards hears the buzzer

and makes his season two Australian Ninja Warrior debut.

He's 35 years of age and he's always ready to go.

He's always in peak physical fitness.

BEN: Now, a new one, bungee slider to bullet.

This is something you'll never come across in your life.

Got to figure it out quick.

BEN: Yeah, he's got to ride that bungee down

and lache to the bullet.

How's he going to go?

ANNA: You've got this!

BEN: Grabs a hold of it. REBECCA: Yes.

BEN: Makes the transition. Go, Tim!

Just need to get onto the mat, Tim.

He has!

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

REBECCA: Now, he bolted over the bridge of blades,

if you remember last year,

so he's hoping to repeat history.

FREDDIE: Doesn't need to hesitate.

Just go for it, Tim!

BEN: Tim Robards, the first ever Bachelor...

REBECCA: Yes!

..and he's through the bridge of blades.

BEN: Oh, hang on. REBECCA: Ooh.

He's just started clutching the back of the knee.

Oh, Ben, it looks like to me it's a hamstring.

He's just had a quick look over at his fiancee, Anna.

Looking a little worried and that is not a great thing to do

when you're just about to jump onto the swing to cargo net.

Yeah, you've got to jump off that swing to the net.

If he can't push off that leg, he might be in some trouble here.

This is a new obstacle and I reckon easy to underestimate.

When you jump, you're pushing off an unstable base.

There! He's got it! Good catch.

Now, he's got to work his way down the net

and this will test that dodgy hammy too.

Come on!

FREDDIE: He's looking good so far.

Good style, good technique.

Keep them shoulders up, Tim.

Don't let them shoulders drop.

Reaching round. Interesting tactic but it's working.

ANNA: Keep going, Tim! REBECCA: It's tight.

Only 90 cm between the net and the water.

Oh, Tim just dropping a little bit but he's fine.

REBECCA: Come on, Tim!

BEN: He's home. REBECCA: One foot.

He's hosed.

The second foot.

He's OK. (APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

FREDDIE: Thumbs up from Anna.

He's again pointing... Yeah.

..to Anna that he reckons he might have a problem

with the back of his leg there.

He's in real trouble with the hamstring, I think.

But thankfully, the next obstacle

really only requires upper-body strength.

It does, Beck, but in a big, big way.

Double tilt ladders.

His arms will be shot after the cargo net

and now he's got to climb this.

Yes, Tim! Come on!

REBECCA: Well, no sign of fatigue yet.

ANNA: Tim, you can do this!

Have a look at his biceps and his triceps.

He is a machine.

BEN: Now, this is a tough transfer up the second ladder

because they move around on you.

BEN: Oh! REBECCA: Oh!

Gee, this thing is cruel.

He was able to hang on to that original ladder.

Anyone else, I reckon, would've ended up in the drink.

For sure. Oh, and he had to throw it away.

(BUZZER)

That's alright.

He's gone at the second last obstacle.

Well done, Tim Robards.

REBECCA: This is where Tim got into strife.

The explosive take-off needed for the bridge of blades

was too much for his hammy.

He's battled on well

but after one good shot at the ladder transfer,

he just had nothing left.

Tim, that was an amazing effort.

Well done, mate.

You went further than last year but at one point

you were just rubbing the back of your hamstring.

Everything alright?

Mate, I tore it about six weeks ago.

I've been training my butt off to rehab it

and it went on the bridge of blades.

It just went twang.

So, ah...

Yeah.

There's a little bruise coming up.

You've got a chance of getting through to the semis

depending on the rest of the competitors

but the big question is, will you be fit?

Um, mate, I'm sure I'll just grit my teeth

and with the crowd going behind me, that was great.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING) Thanks so much. It got me through

and that just makes such a big difference.

Thanks, guys.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Ladies and gentlemen, Tim Robards.

Well done, buddy. Great effort, mate.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEN: Now, the wait is over.

Last year, Australia was in awe of their brilliance.

The Blue Mountains rock climbers.

All four are back with one aim.

To lead the race to this course's highest heights.

BEN COSSEY: We're the climbing ninjas

and we're back to conquer Mount Midoriyama.

BEN: And there he is!

REBECCA: Oh! BEN: She's done it!

Look at that!

I like what I'm seeing! Yes, yes, yes!

FREDDIE: Oh, yes, Ben!

Never give up!

Never give up!

I think us as a little team of four,

like, you'd want to feel like,

yeah, we're doing climbers proud

everywhere in the world.

Both the physical side of climbing

and the mental side of climbing

really translates quite well

into that Ninja Warrior course

in terms of just keeping calm under pressure

and doing your absolute very best.

BEN: It took six seasons for a woman to get up the wall in America.

Hang on a minute! She's done it!

She's done it! I can't believe it!

ANDREA: Of course, I'd really like to do better than last time

but at the same time,

the course is really hard and for each obstacle,

I feel like, you know,

you got a little bit lucky each time.

BEN: Hang on!

TOM: And you've also kind of got pressure on yourself

because you've performed last year and you want to do better than that.

LEE: If there's anyone that we're kind of backing more than ourselves,

it's... it's each other.

'Climbing Ninjas' has a good ring to it

but 'Cossey Posse' is probably a little bit more kind of Old West.

(CLICKS TONGUE)

(LAUGHS)

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

REBECCA: Here we go.

The first of the Cossey Posse.

Ben Cossey.

He made stage one of the grand final last year.

Come on, Ben!

BEN: I've been waiting a year for this.

These guys set the bar.

What's Ben got for us tonight?

(STARTER TONE)

Ben Cossey is back.

And we know he doesn't take too much seriously

but he needs to switch on.

Come on, Ben!

FREDDIE: I don't care how good you are, how fit you are.

This is a tough, tough obstacle.

REBECCA: Here he goes.

FREDDIE: Yes. Great work, Ben Cossey.

BEN: He's got that bullet.

REBECCA: Now, a big thing about Ben is that he always looks so relaxed.

Look at him just hanging there.

He's back in the zone.

ANDREA: Come on, Ben!

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING) BEN: Well done, Ben Cossey!

Steady.

Onto the bridge of blades now.

And jets through it!

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

REBECCA: Turns the corner.

Swing to cargo net now.

Oh, throws his Freddie Mercury T-shirt off.

I wanted that. I'm a fan myself.

Tucks his shorts in.

Not a great look but very functional.

BEN: Well, you can't afford to get wet.

You get under that cargo net, there's not a lot of space.

That's a good take-off so far.

REBECCA: It's a very good take-off on the swing.

BEN: Oh, wow! FREDDIE: Oh, Ben!

REBECCA: Oh, no!

Ben Cossey could be out.

Nobody saw that coming.

Just panicked trying to get off the swing onto the cargo.

BEN: And you can have a look at the reactions of his support crew.

They can't quite believe what's happened here.

And watch this.

Ben is nowhere near the net.

Diving forward

as the swing was pushing back.

Disaster.

Mate! (APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

That was, ah...

Ben! ..spectacular.

It all went wrong when you took the Freddie Mercury T-shirt off.

Well, it makes sense. Yeah, yeah.

I knew it was going to go wrong.

Can you put your finger on what happened?

I fell in the water. Yeah.

That's why I'm wet.

I gathered that.

Any particular reason or you just fancied a dip?

No, yeah. I think I expected too much of Mr Swing there

and just pushed down with my feet

and came a cropper.

Well, ladies and gentlemen, Ben Cossey!

Unlucky, pal.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Thanks, guys.

Oh!

REBECCA: Oh, I think we need a bit of time to absorb that.

Ben Cossey, in deep trouble and might not make the semis.

The other climbers will be hoping to do better soon.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEN: Coming up:

Adam Eyles was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis

when he was eight months old.

ADAM: One of the things I do remember

is hearing my brother say to one of his friends quietly,

"Yeah, my brother, you know, he won't live very long."

"He won't live to be a teenager sort of thing."

REBECCA: Olympic hopeful, Isabella Rositano has power to burn.

COACH: Izzy's not afraid of hard work.

She just gets in there and gets it done.

Whatever the task is, she keeps going till it's finished.

BEN: And one of him

equals two of him.

(LAUGHS)

Next, the Furbinator.

This heat's lightest male ninja,

ready to show the big boys how it's done.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Welcome back to Australian Ninja Warrior

and heat six.

The last chance for ninjas to qualify for the semifinals.

REBECCA: Only the top 20 go through

and right now, Ben Cossey will be crossing his fingers

after crashing out on the swing to cargo net.

Tim Robards is better placed

after making it to the second last obstacle,

the double tilt ladder.

BEN: Next up, an absolute powerhouse.

She's an aspiring Olympic canoeist and elite rower

who thrives on a challenge.

Isabella Rositano.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

ISABELLA: I spend every single day

doing something which will improve me as a sprint canoeist.

I do absolutely everything I can in my power

to make sure that when the day comes,

I'm in the best shape I can be.

GARY: Izzy's not afraid of hard work.

She just gets in there and gets it done.

Whatever the task is,

she keeps going till it's finished.

I do have an alter ego who is a mad rap artist

who just spits rhymes all the time.

I can conquer any obstacle without no drama.

My next one's going to be Mount Midoriyama.

REBECCA: Well, look out.

She's got plenty of energy.

(STARTER TONE)

Team Izzy there, cheering her on.

IZZY: Aussie, Aussie, Aussie! AUDIENCE: Oi! Oi! Oi!

BEN: Come on, Izzy!

And here we go.

If she wants to be on the world stage at the Olympic Games,

then this is going to be a good way

of getting ready for that level of competition and also awareness.

It's a big step up

just like it's a big step across these gaps

for someone who's 5'5".

Right now, it's... REBECCA: (LAUGHS)

..about the bungee slider to bullet.

REBECCA: Oh, isn't she loving this?

She grabs the bungee now.

It's a very low grip.

Here she goes for the ride of her life.

BEN: Come on, Isabella!

No! Splashdown.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

She's still celebrating though.

And you spotted it, Beck.

The lower you grab the bungee, the more they stretch,

and as Izzy rode it down,

that sudden stretch made it impossible to hold on.

Let's hope the Olympic career goes a bit better than that.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

REBECCA: Now, there's a great mini competition

going on tonight.

Later, we'll be seeing our heaviest competitor:

120 kg of brawn named Bronson Norrish.

But can all that muscle beat our heat's lightest male?

At just 58 kg, Stewart Furze reckons he's got the edge.

I'm Australia's next Ninja Warrior.

STEWART: I'm a mechanical engineer

and for fun I work on cars.

Back when I used to do a little bit of competitive motorsport,

one of the commentators came up with the name 'Furbinator'

because it sort of sounded incredibly intimidating

and then all of a sudden,

this tiny little guy gets out of the car.

I'm not very tanned, I don't have big muscles.

I think people probably won't take me too seriously to start with.

I'm gonna go. I'm going to race this weekend as well.

He might be small

but he's also...

He's very good at using strength which would be...

Um...

Power to weight ratio.

Yeah, that.

(LAUGHS)

In athletic things like football or basketball

or something like that, you know, the bigger guys are always favoured.

When it comes to motorsport or ninja, you know,

that's not necessarily the case

and I guess I've always been out to prove that.

(TYRES SCREECHING)

REBECCA: Furby says it's all about power to weight ratio.

He's got very little weight, so I hope he's got some power.

Do it! Do it!

BEN: His partner Ashanti, sister Jess, mum Glenys.

(STARTER TONE)

REBECCA: The Furbinator. Here he is.

Our lightest male ninja.

58 kg and 5'5".

BEN: And look at the focus.

It's the Furbinator focus.

FREDDIE: All up for the Furbinator!

REBECCA: It's a good start, Freddie.

Just needs to get swinging now.

It's great style.

BEN: So far so good, but it's still a big swing to safety.

Build the momentum.

Yes!

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Nice work, Furby.

Now, the bridge of blades.

You'll want to be light here.

REBECCA: Well, I like what I'm seeing so far

and he skips through the bridge of blades.

Pretty heavy landing but he recovers.

ASHANTI: Come on, Stewart!

You got this!

The Furbinator takes off his T-shirt.

He's ready for business.

Come on, Stewart!

BEN: Don't forget Ben Cossey was ready for business, too,

and it didn't quite work out, but let's pump up the Furbinator!

Let's go, Furby!

FREDDIE: Swinging away, getting closer.

Great technique from the Furbinator.

This lad's a contender, I'm telling you.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING) This lad is a contender.

REBECCA: Yes, but there is a long way to go.

GLENYS: Keep your back up! Keep it up! Keep up! Up, up!

Keep it up high!

REBECCA: I tell you what though. What he lacks in size,

he is certainly making up for in pure guts.

He is not going to quit, is he?

BEN: I thought he'd be running out of puff by now.

But he's not. Not at all.

BEN: Look at him. REBECCA: I don't how he did that.

Like he was stuck in a spider's web.

I don't know how he did that.

The swing to cargo net's done and now the double tilt ladders.

Come on, Furbinator.

Come on, Furbinator.

I think he can hear us up here.

This is a sensational run.

He's a good climber.

He's got good technique.

He's a natural, that's what he is.

REBECCA: Oh...

BEN: He's going to be fine here, Beck.

Well, he's got a big leap but he hasn't got a big wingspan,

so it's a mighty leap to that next rung...

Yes! Oh, he's strong. ..but he does make that transition.

He is really strong and only 58 kg,

and he's strong enough to go all the way in this competition.

Just two rungs to go.

REBECCA: Oh! BEN: Oh!

(BUZZER) You know what?

That was just unlucky.

It was unlucky.

It wasn't a case of him losing strength. He missed it.

REBECCA: The Furbinator

throws the arms up to the crowd,

celebrates the moment.

As if to say, "I'll be back."

And you can see here how close the Furbinator came.

He just missed his grip with his left hand.

And he didn't have enough strength, sadly, to hold on.

Stewart, that was an amazing effort.

You're the lightest man on the course.

Do you think that was working for you?

Definitely.

Bridge of blades, that's an advantage to be my weight.

So, yeah.

Fantastic effort, I think, for me.

So... Oh, I'm buggered now.

Ladies and gentlemen, the Furbinator!

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING) Well done, mate. Great effort.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

REBECCA: Time for a break but stay right where you are

because there's more incredible action ahead

here on Ninja Island.

BEN: Still to come,

Australian fencing champion, Amy Reynolds,

on the comeback trail.

I've learned that pain is only pain and that willpower is everything.

BEN: He's king of the dance world,

but can muso Rory Garton-Smith work his moves here?

RORY: I've sort of become used to being in front of crowds

that are up to maybe 15,000 to 20,000 people.

But having said that, when I get up there tonight,

I'm telling you now, I'm going to be terrified.

BEN: Andrea Hah,

the only woman to make it up the warped wall last year.

Hang on a minute! She's done it!

She's done it! I can't believe it!

REBECCA: And up next, Tom O'Halloran,

the second of our Blue Mountains climbers,

fired up to make amends for Ben Cossey's early exit.

You saw me get to the grand final last year

and I'm psyched to go even harder this year.

BEN: Welcome back to Ninja Island

where the second of the Blue Mountains rock climbers

is about to take the course.

Tom O'Halloran was the best performer

of the Blue Mountains climbers last year,

finishing second overall behind Fred Dorrington.

Come on, Tom!

REBECCA: And there's Tom's wife, Amanda,

and little gorgeous Audrey,

along with the rest of the climbing crew.

AUDIENCE (CHANTING): Let's go! Let's go, Tom!

(STARTER TONE)

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

We welcome Tom O'Halloran to season two.

Come on, Tom! Come on!

FREDDIE: Physique-wise, perfect for this Ninja Warrior course.

BEN: 5'11", 67 kg.

FREDDIE: Height and strong,

and agile, more importantly.

Oh, look at that, look at that.

AMANDA: Come on, Tom!

REBECCA: Got a transfer here.

One swing.

Nicely done.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Bridge of blades.

Oh, he's too good! Too good!

He's doing a good time, too, Beck.

Come on, Tom!

Yeah, good idea, Tom. Take that T-shirt off.

REBECCA: (LAUGHS)

Well, Ben Cossey did that, too, but we know how that ended.

BEN: Here he goes on the swing to cargo.

Big swing!

Yeah, watch the feet! Come on!

Good one!

BEN: Look at him sticking the head out and thinking,

"OK, that's what I've got to grab a hold of."

REBECCA: Come on, Tom.

Yes, got it.

Not a bad technique.

He took the swing all the way to the net.

He didn't even have to jump.

Come on, Tom! Come on!

Have a look at the physicality of this guy.

He is so lean and light.

Nice and high! Yeah, stay high!

Higher!

REBECCA: There is not an ounce of fat.

Freddie, how good is this guy?

Oh, he's just breezed underneath the cargo net.

This is fast.

This is so fast.

REBECCA: To the double tilt ladder.

Sizes it up.

Like he's on a rock face.

No one has beaten this obstacle yet.

And he's up.

BEN: And he's on his way.

This is where the climbers really shine.

Come on! Come on, Tom!

FREDDIE: Look at the control, look at the poise.

Looks at home on these.

AUDREY: Come on, Daddy!

He's making it look a little bit too easy.

BEN: It ain't easy, Freddie.

This is a massive transfer up to that second ladder.

FREDDIE: Oh, hang on! BEN: Whoa!

REBECCA: Oh, Tom! (LAUGHS)

BEN: Got it! (APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Power to weight ratio on this lad is near perfect.

Look at him, one-handed now. He's showing off.

BEN: (LAUGHS)

We're watching one of the greats in action here, Freddie.

AMANDA: Big swing!

Come on!

REBECCA: Oh, look at this man go!

Amazing!

Come on!

BEN: Now, no shock, no surprises.

No worries!

Tom O'Halloran... (HORN SOUNDS)

..is up the warped wall

and no doubt, into the semifinals

on season two of Australian Ninja Warrior.

Tom, you've done it again!

Awesome!

AUDREY: Dada!

Daddy! Sock it!

REBECCA: Now, that's what we've come to expect

from the Blue Mountains crew.

One tiny slip on the ladders was the only blemish.

Tom O'Halloran, first up the warped wall tonight.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEN: Andrea Hah and Lee Cossey still to come later on.

But looking at the early leaderboard,

Tom has climbed his way

right to the top.

Based on time,

the Furbinator, Stewart Furze,

is ahead of Tim Robards.

Ben Cossey is fourth.

But how long will he stay there?

REBECCA: Only the top 20 furthest fastest make the semis

but our next ninja is used to tough competition.

Amy Reynolds competed in fencing at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Tonight, she's primed to put her competitors to the sword.

Amy Reynolds!

AMY: I've been competing internationally since I was 15.

I've been to World Cups,

and Junior World Championships,

and All Asia Champs,

and Commonwealths,

and was regularly competing

on the national and international circuits.

But unfortunately,

I was diagnosed with a heart condition

at 22 years old.

When you start to get things

like a loss of feeling in your fingers

and heart palpitations

and chronic chest pain, you start to go,

"You know, there really might be something wrong here."

What they found was that I had something called

chronic idiopathic myopericarditis,

which causes chronic chest pain.

So, I used obstacle course racing as a way to come back

because it was a fun way to get myself better,

instead of a stressful one.

MAN: OK. You ready?

I've just started back competing nationally.

COMMENTATOR: Oh!

Yes! What a hit!

COMMENTATOR: Amy Reynolds in her comeback competition

has secured gold.

AMY: I've learned a lot through this comeback.

I've learned that pain is only pain and that willpower is everything.

AUDIENCE (CHANTING): Amy! Amy!

FREDDIE: She's used to the big occasions.

She's used to the big stage.

There's none bigger than this.

Or none harder.

Go get 'em, babe!

BEN: Her coach, boyfriend and proud mum, Kerry, watching on.

(STARTER TONE)

And here goes Amy.

She'll have good balance from all of that fencing experience.

When she had that heart problem, she was sleeping 17 hours a day.

What a comeback.

And what achievement being here on Ninja Island tonight,

about to complete her first obstacle.

(CHEERING)

REBECCA: Well done, Amy.

Up you go!

Bungee slider now.

She will not have seen anything like this before.

She looks a little nervous to me.

FREDDIE: I'm not sure if there's any transferable skills

from fencing to sliding down a bungee trying to grab a bullet.

BEN: There's only one way to find out, Freddie.

Here we go. She's grabbing on

but she's not holding on! (BUZZER)

REBECCA: Oh, Amy! Such a shame!

BEN: It's almost like

she was left behind a bit there at the launch

and then had to play catch up,

and then there was too much weight and something had to give.

That was phenomenal.

I came to get out of my comfort zone

and tell you what, I've really done that.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEN: Coming up...

REBECCA: Can she beat the wall again?

Andrea Hah is back.

But next, Perth DJ, Rory Garton-Smith

pumped up for the biggest gig of his life.

WOMAN: Going to be fantastic.

Going to be great. I'll see you guys out there.

Going to be great.

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.

(HORN SOUNDS)

REBECCA: Thanks to Berocca.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

REBECCA: Welcome back to Ninja Island

where over the break,

the bungee slider to bullet claimed three big scalps.

BEN: Former AFL footballer, Mitch Harley,

thought he'd kicked a goal...

Oh, great technique, great technique.

But in the end it was just a behind.

FREDDIE: Oh, no!

REBECCA: This is really tough obstacle.

Gemma Rolfe is one of the world's top obstacle course racers.

It didn't help.

Oh!

(BUZZER)

BEN: And remember this guy from last season?

Ooh!

(BUZZER)

Part-time stripper, Magic Matt Wilson was back

and he still knows

how to put on a show.

Oh! Yes, Magic Matt.

REBECCA: Oh, whoa!

The bullet threw him away.

Not happy.

Next on course, from Western Australia,

he records music under the name Elk Road

with one of his songs

making it into last year's 'Triple J's Hottest 100'.

Rory Garton-Smith.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Go, Ror!

Whoo!

I think that in life you should just take

absolutely every opportunity that you can

because cool stuff like this

passes by quick

and you've got to jump on it.

I study law at university.

I'm on track to graduate at the end of this year,

which will be great

and then, as like as a hobby,

I've got a music project called Elk Road.

(PUMPING DANCE MUSIC)

I've had some success on Triple J.

I've done 'Like a Version' and 'Hottest 100'.

I've sort of become used to being in front of crowds

that are up to maybe 15,000 to 20,000 people

and that gives you, like, a big adrenaline rush

and, you know, you get, like,

big bursts of confidence when you work off them.

But having said that,

this is something completely different

and I feel like all that confidence that I have from that

is not necessarily translating into tonight.

When I get up there tonight,

I'm telling you now, I'm going to be terrified.

But I'm going to give it everything I've got

and I'm going to have fun with it.

REBECCA: I'm sure he will

and there is his mum,

and brother Rufus is hedging his bets. (LAUGHS)

Just make it past the first one!

"Just get past one obstacle", he says.

Well, that's brotherly love for you.

(STARTER TONE)

RUFUS: Come on, Ror!

You can do it! Just one!

BEN: Just 26 years old.

Yeah!

Law student, musician... RUFUS: Keep going!

..ninja warrior.

How impressive's this bloke?

REBECCA: Well, it is a different pace to a mosh pit.

He's taking it very carefully here.

BEN: Slow and steady wins the race.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

RUFUS: You did it! You did it!

REBECCA: He said, "I'm through the first one!"

BEN: Good on him.

It's easy from here. Don't worry.

Well, actually it's not that easy.

This obstacle has taken out five ninjas already.

AUDIENCE (CHANTING): Let's go, Rory! Let's go!

BEN: That's a good high grip.

AUDIENCE (CHANTING): Lets go, Rory! Let's go!

Yes!

Great effort from Rory Garton-Smith.

FREDDIE: Getting the momentum he needs now.

Swinging back and forth.

Going to have to straighten his arms a little bit

to get underneath, and there he goes!

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Must be happy with that!

REBECCA: A musician who's proving to be quite an athlete.

Now, the bridge of blades.

I reckon this is like running along a windowsill in an earthquake.

Oh, hang on. (CROWD GOES SILENT)

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

FREDDIE: Oh... REBECCA: (LAUGHS)

Bit of an entertainer here. He's loving life at the minute.

BEN: Righto, Rory.

Rory, your job is to do the obstacle course.

We'll worry about the crowd.

BEN: Whatever floats your boat, Rory.

Get through the...

Oh, he's in the drink!

That's a shame.

BEN: For a musician, Rory's timing was not on song.

See how he hops hard on that first blade.

That killed his momentum,

so the third blade was well on its way down

and so was he.

Rory, you was enjoying that, weren't you?

Getting the crowd going.

Freddie, I was having the time of my life out there.

That was so much fun.

You've had two million views for your live lounge

on 'Like a Version'.

I reckon you might get another two million

for that wipeout. That was pretty spectacular.

Anyone who gets through it, a lot of respect. That is hard.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING) Well, ladies and gentleman. Rory!

Well done, mate. REBECCA: Bad luck, Rory.

It goes to show, you've really got to fight

every step of the way on this Ninja Warrior course.

But that won't be an issue for our next competitor,

former national amateur boxing champ, Cody Philp.

CODY: Did boxing for 13 years, competed professionally.

Broke my hand, then decided

getting punched in the face

isn't the best thing for a living.

There's four of us brothers grew up together,

raised by a single mum.

Hey, mother. How you doing? Hey, love.

They're my rock. Everything.

Anything I can do to make them proud

and give them a high in life, that's my goal as well.

KAREN: Is that going to be hot enough, that barbecue, Broughton?

No, she's a bit struggling.

KAREN: The motivation he's got and he gets everybody going,

and...

I'm just so proud of him.

Remember them times when you guys used to pick on me?

Yeah, wouldn't do it now though. Yeah.

We'd get punched. (LAUGHS)

He's an amazing guy.

Yeah. He's a great brother

and he's going to whip it.

He'll be right. He'll be right,

and he'll get to the end.

Course he will.

(LAUGHS)

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEN: And watching on, there's Mum, Karen, and the family.

They're excited and they're also nervous,

and they're all wearing T-shirts with Cody's nickname:

"Cody Flashmurrie."

REBECCA: He looks like he's in the blue corner.

Ready to go, ready to rumble.

(STARTER TONE)

Now, he's not wearing a lot

but those budgie smugglers

are in support of mental health awareness.

A very big issue for many Australians.

KAREN: Take it easy! REBECCA: Here we are again.

The bungee slider.

High grip.

He is focused.

BEN: Now, watch, watch, watch.

REBECCA: Good start. BEN: Yes!

Swing those legs!

Onto the bullet. Swinging the legs.

Swing those legs!

BEN: And just look at the core strength.

He's so strong.

And now, he's done.

Surviving the bungee.

REBECCA: So lean, too, Ben.

5'9", 71 kg

and fast.

So fast! Got there.

You beauty.

BEN: He's got fire in the belly, Beck.

The boxing skills coming out.

Throwing a few lefts, throwing a few rights,

giving it a bit of this. Whoa! Go, Cody!

BEN: Now, swing to cargo net.

You can see, even for an athlete like Cody,

this is not as easy as it looks.

He's quite tentative.

Trying to get the swing right.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

REBECCA: Ooh! BEN: Oh!

He was a little bit hesitant but he recovered.

Yeah, it was a bit shaky.

KAREN: Watch your back! Hold your body straight!

Don't get wet!

BEN: His mum, ringside there, urging Cody on.

Come on, Codes! Come on, boy!

Let's cheer him home!

Come on, son!

He's gone through the middle of the net, which sags the most,

but he's safe this time. He's through.

KAREN: Go! MAN: Yes!

REBECCA: Wow. He's one fit lad, isn't he?

FREDDIE: All good, mate. Keep going, pal.

Even got time to chat to Freddie down there.

MAN: You've got this! KAREN: Come on, Codes! Come on!

BEN: We've got a potential winner here.

FREDDIE: Powering through.

As he goes from rung to rung.

Big gap on the next one.

Just trying to get a bit of momentum.

He's fine.

Now, this is the tricky bit.

He needs to swing, and swing back and forth,

get that ladder moving back up to the top.

Perfect. Oh, yeah.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEN: Come on, Cody!

REBECCA: You can see he's starting to struggle

but the top ninjas,

they know how to fight through the pain

and this newcomer is doing it.

Big swing, mate! Last swing!

Last swing!

Yes!

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

REBECCA: Final round now, Cody.

One last big effort.

AUDIENCE (CHANTING): Beat that wall! Beat that wall!

BEN: He's a newcomer to Australian Ninja Warrior

and this is his first attempt at the warped wall,

and he looks like an old hand!

Cody Philp makes it up there,

gives us a boogie,

and books his spot in the semifinal.

REBECCA: Yay!

Piece of cake!

I like it!

You are pumped!

How do you feel? So pumped. Amazing.

I just love it that my family's right here...

(CHEERING) ..supporting me 100%.

These guys mean the world to me.

KAREN: (LAUGHS)

Whoo!

BEN: Right from the start, Cody looked in control.

The closest he came to trouble was on the bridge of blades.

Just a tiny hiccup in a run to make his mum proud.

Come on, Cody. Come here. Come and see the family.

(CHEERING)

Come here.

Cody, you looked so determined on the start line.

Did you expect to be at the top of the warped wall?

I didn't. I didn't at all,

and I thought when I got there,

it'd take me about two or three goes.

So, I'm feeling pumped.

Karen, how proud are you of the boy?

Oh...

I'm going to cry! I'm so proud!

So proud, so proud, so proud.

REBECCA: Yes. Great run, Cody Philp.

And coming up, who else can do themselves proud?

BEN: There's Rob Patterson.

Fifth place in season one.

That is beautiful!

Looking to go even further this time around.

REBECCA: Bronson Norrish,

whose biceps deserve their own postcode.

I've got a lot more momentum to push me through the obstacles, hopefully.

How far can our heaviest ninja go?

BEN: And this season's youngest ninja.

18-year-old basketballer, Tatyanna Pogonza-Dumas.

I might only be 18

but I'm going to slam dunk this course.

REBECCA: Welcome back to Ninja Island

and the last qualifying heat before the semifinals.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Next on course is this season's youngest competitor,

a multitalented 18-year-old, Tatyanna Pogonza-Dumas.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

TATYANNA: I'm an elite basketball player.

I do a bit of modelling,

you know, I'm into graphic design

and love youth work.

To think that people would doubt me just based on the fact of my age,

that just drives me even more.

Because they don't know what I'm capable of.

They don't see how passionate I am about what I do.

I've got to be, you know, a competitor.

I've got to compete.

I've got to be in that zone.

I've got to make sure that there is nothing

that can possibly deter me from getting to where I need to get.

I need to forget the lights, forget the crowd,

forget everything that I know and just kind of go with it.

Don't think about it, just do it.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

REBECCA: The family is all here tonight.

Brother, sister, boyfriend and mum, Monica.

Come on! You can do it!

There's some big fans in the crowd too.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

(STARTER TONE)

BEN: Imagine being 18 years of age

and finding yourself in a pressure cooker environment like this?

FREDDIE: She's a basketball student, trains six days a week.

So, she's going to be fit.

She's going to be strong, she's going to be agile.

But all that goes out of the window on this next obstacle.

The bungee slider to bullet.

BEN: Yeah, this obstacle has taken out

nearly half of our competitors tonight and Tatyanna knows that.

She's got a nice high grip.

She's composed and she looks fierce.

Come on, Tatyanna!

REBECCA: Here she goes.

Down the slide.

Yes, Tatyanna! Yes!

She's done it.

She's onto the bullet.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Holding on, swinging those legs.

Keep swinging. Don't panic, Tats.

REBECCA: Oh! The core strength to get yourself swinging

when you're in a dead hang.

There's not many people out there that can do this.

She's shouting to herself, "Come on, Tats!"

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEN: Tatyanna, doing everything she possibly can

to keep her Ninja Warrior dream alive!

REBECCA: Oh, you just can't train for this obstacle.

The bungee slider to bullet claims another victim.

It requires massive strength, coordination and aerial ability,

and don't forget the ninjas have never tried this.

Definitely. I'm back next year.

Watch out.

BEN: Well, she'll be back and at 18, Tatyanna has youth on her side.

REBECCA: But our next competitor

was never supposed to have reached that age.

He's defied the odds and now plans to defy the course.

Please give it up for Adam Eyles.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Dad, we're making a Ninja Warrior application.

I can do some cross-country running to show my speed and agility.

What about chin-ups on the rings?

What about showing me running across the top of logs for balance

and leaping over things for agility?

(YELLS)

Ah!

Maybe not.

You can tell them that you have cystic fibrosis.

Oh, yes. The sympathy vote.

(MACHINE PURRING)

ADAM: When I was six or seven years old,

one of the things I do remember

was hearing my brother say to one of his friends quietly,

"Yeah, my brother, you know,"

"he won't live very long."

"He won't live to be a teenager sort of thing."

Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease.

The biggest impacts are probably on your lung health

and your ability to digest the nutrients out of foods.

Your life expectancy is reduced,

your quality of life is heavily impacted,

so you do tend to have ups and downs.

With my two daughters, the most I get upset

is when one of them will say to me,

"I don't want you to die, Dad."

"You know, I don't want you to die when I'm still young."

OK, Holl. Your turn.

They have to understand that I have CF and what that means,

but I also, I guess, try and focus them on

let's just make the most of life, you know?

I often say, you know, work with what you've got.

Do the most with what you've got.

Come on, Daddy. Come on!

So, having something like Ninja Warrior to aim for

and to also get the message out about CF

was just a massive thing to try and do,

and so, yeah, it's been fantastic.

Our dad's got cystic fibrosis.

He's going to be the CF Ninja Warrior!

Yay!

(CHEERING)

Yeah!

(FEEBLY) Ninja Warrior!

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

AUDIENCE (CHANTING): Let's go, Adam! Let's go!

FREDDIE: I'm sure like me

and the crowd,

everyone at home urging him

to get to the top of the warped wall.

REBECCA: Oh, look at his daughters, Emily and Holly.

Their outfits made for tonight by mum, Lisa.

You can do it, Daddy!

(STARTER TONE)

BEN: Now, Adam passed the same physical exams

as the other ninjas, which is incredible

given that he's only got 70% of lung function

of an average healthy person.

REBECCA: Oh! Hello. A quick wave to the kids.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

The crowd is right behind him on Ninja Island

but he needs to switch on now.

The bungee slider is taking no prisoners this evening.

BEN: A big challenge here, Freddie.

FREDDIE: Looking down at the family for inspiration.

Well, he's going to have to keep his eyes on the course now.

This is where it gets real.

REBECCA: Oh, he's looked away.

Oh, he's got to go! Mate, you've got to go!

Oh!

(BUZZER) REBECCA: Oh, Adam!

Just took his eyes off the course.

Was looking at the family and it went.

Daddy!

BEN: It happened in the blink of an eye.

Adam looked at his family,

the slider took off and there was no catching up.

That's Ninja Warrior for you.

It plays no favourites.

Adam, it claims another one.

That is a tough obstacle, isn't it?

Yeah, very tough.

Yep.

What were the tactics coming into it?

Ah, just hold on as tight as I could.

(LAUGHS) But yeah,

it was more surprising than I thought it would be.

Very, very hard.

And it's an amazing achievement,

you just being here in the first place.

How have you enjoyed your time on Ninja Warrior?

So, yeah. Just being here's been absolutely excellent. Yeah.

Well, the family are so proud. They're waiting for you behind.

Ladies and gentlemen, Adam!

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

REBECCA: I reckon the Eyles family

will talk about this night for years to come.

Well done, Adam Eyles.

Wet!

Goody, Daddy!

Goody, Daddy! You did a good job.

Good job.

BEN: Still ahead...

When that buzzer goes,

you just focus 100% on the next obstacle.

Blue Mountains climber, Lee Cossey,

and another of the hot contenders, Brisbane's Rob Patterson.

Fifth in last year's grand final.

He won't stop until he goes better this year.

I'm feeling geed up and ready to go before the course, man.

It's going to be so much fun.

REBECCA: Welcome back to Ninja Island

and the last qualifying heat of this season.

Just 20 places left in the semifinals.

BEN: And over the break,

gamer Frank Crispo booked his spot,

taking one...

Two...

Three attempts to scale the warped wall.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

(HORN SOUNDS)

REBECCA: Concreter George Roueiheb

took a turn for the worse.

(BUZZER)

BEN: And 37-year-old Tuan Nguyen

fought all the way on his run.

Oh, yah!

Until the double tilt ladder

proved one rung too far.

BEN: Oh! REBECCA: Oh!

Freddie! Freddie got wet.

He made a big splash.

Next up, one of the best performers of season one.

He finished fifth in the grand final

and he's determined to go even better in season two.

Put your hands together for Rob Patterson.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

ROB: People from series one

might just remember me as a gymnast.

However, the robotics is a really big part of my life

and I love it.

Since series one of Ninja Warrior, I'm finishing up uni.

We've been working on a project. We're visually tracking some robots.

Analysing gymnastics and analysing mechanical robots,

it's very physics based.

It's very kinematics.

Ninja Warrior course is just the same.

If you analyse each obstacle

and how each obstacle reacts with physics in mind,

then you can get past it.

(HORN SOUNDS)

REBECCA: And he does it with class!

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEN: Rob Patterson, the robot warrior.

Switched on, ready to go.

Girlfriend Tamara on the sideline

and Tom O'Halloran's time to beat:

02:23.

Deep breath now, Rob.

He means business.

(STARTER TONE)

FREDDIE: Got past and on his way on the quintuple steps.

He's been on these before.

Just dancing his way through.

REBECCA: Bungee slider to bullet.

Go, Rob!

Rob's gymnastics is probably the best training

you can do for this.

BEN: He's off!

Onto the bullet!

Yes! Very composed.

Getting his swing going now.

And picking his moment.

He's through.

REBECCA: Oh, and isn't happy about that one?

Onto the bridge blades now.

Great concentration.

Here he goes.

Perfect! Just perfect.

BEN: And his time is good as well.

Halfway through.

He's three seconds ahead of Tom O'Halloran

at the swing to cargo net.

REBECCA: He doesn't look fast though.

He's so calm and he's so focused,

and that was a feature of him last year.

Hardly a missed step.

He's the professional package.

That's alright, and now,

on the cargo net, working his way down.

That's it! Go, Rob!

FREDDIE: Looking good so far.

You can see the tactics.

Coming down the side

where the cargo net is at its strongest.

You've got to watch that T-shirt at the back.

Doesn't want that dipping into the water.

Perilously close. The T-shirt dragging down.

If I was him, I'd tuck it in his pants.

There we go.

Good awareness there from Rob Patterson.

TAMARA: Go, Rob!

You can do it!

BEN: You've got to be multiskilled

to be able to make clothing adjustments

while you're negotiating that net.

Now, the crowd really cheers.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Go, Rob!

REBECCA: Tilting ladders

and this is where Rob really comes into his own.

Oh, look at him move.

He's got that fantastic core strength and body control

you see in gymnasts,

and that is why he's a threat in this competition.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEN: Good transfer!

He is a threat alright, Beck, and have a look at his time.

Tom O'Halloran, fastest tonight in 02:23,

and Rob is there or thereabouts.

REBECCA: Well, the clock is ticking

but Rob has got time to compose himself.

AUDIENCE (CHANTING): Beat that wall! The crowd is right behind him.

Listen to them.

FREDDIE: The crowd chanting, "Beat the wall."

He's been here before. He knows this obstacle.

BEN: And now, Rob Patterson from Brisbane...

He should get up the warped wall first go.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING) He does!

He's been here before. (HORN SOUNDS)

He wants it, he's hungrier than ever before.

Rob Patterson, a seamless run.

Congratulations.

Thank you!

TAMARA: Whoo!

Go, Rob! REBECCA: How'd it feel?

I feel great. I feel amazing.

That was ridiculously fun.

It was just like last year.

Just a little bit better.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

REBECCA: Have a look at this.

Fitter and stronger than last year.

Rob doesn't just study machines, he is one.

02:18 to the buzzer.

Fastest time of the night.

Come here, Rob.

Well done, pal. Great. Thank you.

What have you been doing to go one further this time round?

The only thing I've changed honestly, is I've increased the cardio.

So, as you can see, I'm pretty breathed at the moment,

so I'm still just mucking around in my gym and having a lot of fun.

Go and join your friends. Ladies and gentlemen, Rob Patterson!

Well done, mate. (APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Good job.

REBECCA: Let's have a look at the leaderboard.

With that, the robot warrior Rob Patterson

goes to the top

ahead of Tom O'Halloran,

with boxer Cody Philp in third.

Our lightest competitor, Stewart Furze,

is still well-placed,

and as the bungee slider to bullet

takes out more competitors,

surprisingly, Ben Cossey is still in the top ten.

BEN: Still ahead,

the remaining two Blue Mountains rock climbers,

Lee Cossey and Andrea Hah.

I believe that Andrea's absolutely capable

of going all the way.

And we've seen what our lightest male competitor can do.

What about our heaviest?

The plan of attack for the warped wall

is to hit it with pace

and just don't stop until we hit the top.

Bronson Norris is up after the break.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Welcome back to Australian Ninja Warrior.

BEN: Earlier tonight,

in the battle of our lightest and heaviest male ninjas,

Stewart Furze, 58 kg,

made it to the tilting ladders.

REBECCA: Oh! BEN: Oh!

(BUZZER)

Our next ninja is twice as heavy.

REBECCA: Bronson Norrish, a former stockman turned stripper,

turned circus performer, turned entrepreneur.

No, I'm not making that up.

He's the heaviest ninja on the course.

Bronson Norrish!

Come on, big boy.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BRONSON: I'm 120 kg.

188 cm or 6'3".

My brothers are 6'5 ", 6'8".

I'm the smallest in my family.

My old lady wanted me

to become a male stripper

before she died.

I have performed as a stripper around the world.

London, Edinburgh, Spain, around Australia multiple times.

My party trick is throwing around fire in such a way

it does usually burn off my clothes,

so I do end up starkers.

(LAUGHS)

Tonight's going to be a slight struggle

because of my weight disadvantage.

But I can also use it to my advantage as well.

I'm here to prove that big boys can fly

and we can make it up and do what the little boys can do.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

FREDDIE: Well, he's a stripper.

He's taking it off.

Look at the size of him. He's 120 Ks.

He's the first one we've had that's heavier than me.

REBECCA: (LAUGHS) We hear it on the footy field.

The bigger they are, the harder they fall.

(STARTER TONE)

What are we going to see here?

BEN: I mean, what a fitting name

for a man with this kind of stature and structure.

'Bronson'.

Oh, yes.

REBECCA: Did you see how he just sort of stepped off that thing?

He didn't jump like all the other competitors.

We've got to be careful he doesn't break any of the equipment here.

He might break the bungees here.

He might snap them in two.

BEN: How's he going to be able to hold up that weight?

That's... Pow!

REBECCA: Wow! BEN: Yes!

Bronson, you animal!

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

REBECCA: He can't, can he?

Surely he can't go all the way.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEN: Now, this is going to be a real challenge for Bronson.

REBECCA: Yeah.

Because the bridge of blades

is notorious for punishing those who are heavy.

But he gets across! REBECCA: Ooh!

Nasty slam into the end there.

As he jumped onto that platform, you could feel it all moving.

Like an earthquake.

How's he going to do this?

How is he going to do this?

REBECCA: Now, he could break this swing quite easily.

BEN: Oh, come on now.

If he manages to do this... I love watching this guy.

..if he can sustain his own body weight on that net,

then that is going to be an unbelievable achievement.

Have we tested this net well?

Oh, my gosh. BEN: Oh...

He hasn't even tucked his legs in yet.

No. Did you see that?

I noticed that. He didn't seem to be feeling the pressure at all.

This guy is incredible.

FREDDIE: Hooking on with them elbows.

This is unbelievable.

Oh, just come up, Bronson. Come up, come up.

Don't touch that water. Watch them shoulders!

Oh!

Oh, so close!

REBECCA: Oh, Freddie.

This guy is a beast and he is eating up this course.

Come on, son!

Do it for the big 'uns everywhere!

FREDDIE: Unbelievable! REBECCA: Yes!

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Yes, yes, yes!

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEN: The double tilt ladder.

How's he going to go supporting his own body weight?

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

REBECCA: Come on, big boy!

My lord.

Look at those arms.

And aren't they working hard?

Now, the Furbinator made it to the second last rung.

Blooming heck.

BEN: Can Bronson beat that?

Mate.

BEN: Oh, how do you do this? REBECCA: Ooh...

I don't know. Look how low he is.

Oh, look at the shoulders!

He's just got this body

that you can't take your eyes off.

Oh, but this grip is hard!

BEN: Oh! REBECCA: Oh!

(BUZZER)

Bronson Norrish, you are a legend.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Yeah, the splash was like

when one of those killer whales does a show at Sea World.

We've just had a tsunami here on Ninja Island. (LAUGHS)

And this is why we love Australian Ninja Warrior.

Just when you think you've seen it all,

a big unit like Bronson Norrish bulldozers this course.

Look at the grip.

Going, going,

gone!

But not forgotten.

Mate, that... that was unbelievable.

When you started,

I thought you was going to pull the frame down.

Do you not think the weight goes against you?

The problem, man, when you start with the weight, you can't stop.

Just keep going.

How were the arms feeling?

You give way at the end.

Was it just the weight coming down?

Doing the cargo nets, absolutely destroyed my arms,

so by then I was, um, I was gone.

And I've been getting, mate,

you're a stripper, aren't you, by trade?

Ex-stripper, now circus performer.

Well, I think a few people would like you to take your top off,

see what's under.

Here we go.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Next season!

BEN: Don't worry about next season, Bronson.

You are through to the semifinals.

REBECCA: And the smart money says our next ninja will be there too.

One of the best rock climbers in Australia

and do we have to say,

one of our hottest favourites to win Ninja Warrior.

Last year, he finished seventh overall

and now that he's back,

we can ask, can he make it all the way to Mount Midoriyama?

Put your hands together for Lee Cossey!

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

FREDDIE: Last years stage two finalist,

Lee Cossey on the start line.

Already seen brother Ben go out on the cargo net.

He'll want to go one further than that tonight.

BEN: There's Ben and Andrea, and Andrea's up soon.

(STARTER TONE)

Here he goes. Lee Cossey, and fast.

He's not hanging around on the quintuple steps.

Straight through there.

REBECCA: Oh! That was crazy fast.

Steady on, steady on.

This is the toughest obstacle of them all.

BEN: Alright.

Oh, no! Hang on! REBECCA: Oh!

That's a shocker! (BUZZER)

Lee Cossey

has just taken a massive dive.

Lee has made the same mistake as Adam Eyles.

He wasn't watching the slider when it took off

and he's then dragged off the edge

and like Adam, there's no catching up from there.

Lee, do I have to ask how you're feeling?

Oh, a little bit surprised.

I let it go just a little bit early

and then it took it with me,

and I'm like, you can't save it from that point, so...

Is this is the obstacle

that all the ninjas are talking about backstage?

It's claimed a few already tonight.

I think so, yeah.

I think surprised a lot of people tonight. So, myself included.

And Andrea's still yet to come.

Can Andrea get through this? Definitely, definitely.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING) She can do it.

It's alright, man. Ladies and gentlemen, Lee Cossey!

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

REBECCA: Coming up:

Five women have made it up the warped wall this season.

Now, the one who inspired them all has her turn.

Andrea Hah, our very last ninja of the heats.

Feeling really nervous actually.

Um, but really excited at the same time.

First Australian woman up the warped wall.

Can she do it again tonight?

Find out next.

BEN: Welcome back to Ninja Island

where we've just seen Lee Cossey crash out early.

BEN: Oh, what? REBECCA: Oh!

That's a shocker!

Now, in the final run of the heats,

it's his partner's turn, Andrea Hah.

Now, remember,

in America, it took six years

for a woman to conquer the warped wall.

Andrea did it in our very first year

and she's carved the path for others to follow.

REBECCA: And she's got it!

BEN: Olivia Vivian.

What? What? What?

Betsy Burnett.

Celeste Dixon.

She can't believe it!

India Henry.

REBECCA: Sensational stuff!

And Georgia Bonora.

REBECCA: You are brilliant!

Yes!

BEN: Now, the question stands,

can Andrea Hah join them at the top of the wall?

AUDIENCE (CHANTING): Andrea! Andrea! Andrea! Andrea!

REBECCA: Well, well, well.

We are looking at a Ninja Warrior legend.

Even her climbing mates are in awe of what she's done.

What has she got in store for us tonight?

(STARTER TONE)

Here we go.

Welcome back, Andrea.

There is a lot of pressure on this woman tonight.

Good one.

BEN: She's the competitor in season one

that I just loved to watch the most because she changed the game.

Well, talking about game changers,

the bungee slider's changed the game tonight for so many

and she knows that.

BEN: Let's have a look at the grip.

It's a bit of a low grip, I think.

Come on.

Andrea.

REBECCA: Oh, the amount of pressure on this woman would be insane.

Oh, she's done it. Great dismount.

She is through. She passes the first big test.

She just can't bomb out.

She cannot bomb out.

Now, the bridge of blades.

These blades need power

or at least speed.

Yes! And she's through!

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Get real high!

REBECCA: Andrea Hah.

She is one tough cookie.

BEN: Now, this is the one that got Ben early on.

It's got to be playing on her mind.

There's nothing stable to push off from,

so the slightest slip up

and all of a sudden you're in the pool.

She's going to get as close to that net as she can,

so she doesn't have to jump too far.

Ooh!

Not easy to negotiate.

She's on! (APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

REBECCA: And she's now gone further than both Cosseys.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEN: How's she looking, Freddie?

Her bottom getting perilously close to the water.

Nice and high! Yeah.

The Cossey brothers need to let her know.

Keep - tell her where she is.

Keep the head up!

Look at the tension in that right arm.

Look at the veins and the power in the bicep,

pulling her whole body up.

Come on!

Ooh!

Head up! Head up!

BEN: She's so good. REBECCA: She is.

Ooh, look at that ankle.

She's got her foot stuck but she's not panicking.

She's very calm about it and methodical about it.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Now, this is right up her alley.

Yeah, the double tilt ladder.

It calls for a lot of climbing skills.

The transition is a big stretch for our smaller ninjas.

Andrea is only 5'4".

REBECCA: And here comes the tilt.

She's prepared for it.

Oh, look at her hanging there with just one arm.

Wow!

Big swing!

BEN: And now, look how low that is

and now she's got to get the height.

Let's watch this.

Not yet.

Yeah!

Yes!

REBECCA: Oh!

Gee, it's hard to watch.

Particularly, watch a champion

because you just don't want them to falter.

BEN: I don't want to get too far ahead of ourselves

but we all know what's up next.

One or two swings will get you there, Andrea.

BEN: Yes! REBECCA: Yes!

Welcome back, Andrea Hah!

Welcome back!

BEN: What about the smile on her?

Last year, she beat the warped wall on the first go in her semifinal.

But she didn't get up there in the heats.

REBECCA: (LAUGHS) She said, "Oh, here it is again."

"I thought they would've got rid of it."

Sorry, Andrea.

The wall is back.

She broke a Ninja Warrior record in season one

and now has the opportunity to put herself in the box seat

to own season two.

Andrea Hah!

Oh!

She touched it.

She touched it.

And she did just take a nasty tumble.

I don't think she's hurt herself which is great news.

But just add another ton of pressure.

She only gets another two goes at this.

You can do it, babe!

BEN: She knows she can get there, Beck.

She knows she can do it.

Come on, Andrea.

Australia is behind you.

Will she be a major contender in season two?

Go, Andrea!

Up you go! BEN: Andrea Hah.

Oh, she wasn't even close there, Beck.

What are we seeing here?

That's two strikes.

Another and she's gone.

Believe in yourself, Andrea Hah. You've been here before.

You've done it, you know you can do it.

Andrea! More time.

AUDIENCE (CHANTING): Beat the wall! Beat the wall!

REBECCA: She looks up at us.

Andrea, we want you to get up this warped wall.

Everyone here on the island is behind you

and everybody at home wants you to get up this wall.

Going to have a heart attack.

BEN: You're going up the wall, Andrea.

You are going up that wall.

Everyone here on Ninja Island knows it.

Come on, Andrea Hah!

REBECCA: Up she goes! Yes! BEN: Yes!

She's done it on the third time! Yes!

Andrea Hah! You good thing!

The woman that inspired so many female athletes

around this country has mastered the warped wall once again!

BEN: Oh, that was good!

Andrea!

Andrea!

Wow!

BEN: Hi!

Fancy seeing you here.

Yeah.

About time. (LAUGHS)

I forgot how high it was.

BEN: Andrea wins an epic battle with the wall.

Just a fingertip in it on her first attempt,

followed by that heavy fall.

Nowhere near on the second attempt.

And then this,

to confirm her place among the greats of Australian Ninja Warrior.

Andrea Hah, you superstar.

Andrea, come and... Come and get in here.

So good.

So good.

Well, that's how you do it, boys.

I know, yeah. (LAUGHS)

Andrea, you was flying through the course

and then you get the warped wall.

You're the first female ever on Australian Ninja Warrior

to get to the top.

But what's going through your mind this time round?

I just didn't want to not be able to make it again on the heats.

Yeah.

And you got to the semis last time round.

You reckon you can go further this time?

Get to the finals?

Oh, I'd love to hit the buzzer again.

Yep.

Alright then, Andrea. Thanks very much.

Ladies and gentlemen, Andrea Hah!

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

REBECCA: To the leaderboard for the last time in the heats.

Our final 20 qualifiers

start with the robot warrior, Rob Patterson,

and Blue Mountains climber, Tom O'Halloran.

Ex-boxer Cody Philp is through.

Andrea Hah was the ninth

and last ninja up the warped wall,

followed by the Furbinator, Stewart Furze.

The big man, Bronson Norrish, is through

and so, too, are both Cossey brothers.

Ben in 14th place

and thanks to the high number of fails on the bungee slider,

Lee Cossey's fast time saw him sneak through into 18th.

Well, that brings us to the end

of what has been a night of battle

between our ninjas and that bungee slider to bullet.

What a nightmare, Beck.

Oh, that is right, Ben.

All the athletes that qualified this year

are physically fit enough to conquer that obstacle

but it psyched them out.

Now, while Andrea Hah and Bronson Norrish were spectacular,

the performance of the night

has to go to Rob Patterson.

Fastest up the wall

and the one to watch in the semifinals.

(HORN SOUNDS)

Last year's grand finalist, Rob Patterson,

showing he's got what it takes to do it all again this year.

But let's see how he and the other qualifiers go

as we move towards the finals.

But for now, signing off

from another exciting night here on Ninja Island,

we will see you next time

when Australian Ninja Warrior returns!

Good night.

BEN: The heats are over.

But the journey to the top of Mount Midoriyama has just begun,

as the next week, the epic semifinals begin.

MAN: This time around,

I can only expect the semis to be even harder.

The brutal course is 50% longer

and the obstacles are harder than anything seen before.

ANDREA: You just have to believe in yourself and give it everything.

BEN: The best of the best

have earned their chance to conquer it.

MAN: In a way, I've been training for this moment my whole life.

BEN: Among them, a staggering 20 female ninjas,

six of whom have already beaten the wall.

WOMAN: And now, I want to be the first female

up in that grand final.

BEN: The pressure is intense.

You only get one shot.

BEN: There's no room for error.

One slipup could cost you everything.

BEN: Every ninja is laser focused.

WOMAN: I've got one destination in mind.

Fly through that course and make my way to the grand final.

MAN: The grand final. MAN: Grand final.

MAN: See you soon, Mount Midoriyama.

BEN: And it all begins Sunday night

on Australian Ninja Warrior.