Original subtitles

BEN FORDHAM: Last night, the epic semifinals began.

The course was longer, the obstacles tougher...

FREDDIE FLINTOFF: Oh!

..and the stakes were higher.

Oh! REBECCA MADDERN: Oh!

Tarzan! Gone!

In a field of some of our very best ninjas,

only three were able to complete the brutal course - DJ Ben Polson...

Whoo-hoo!

..science student Bryson Klein...

This lad is one to watch.

..and the amazing 'Flashlin' Ashlin,

hitting the button a minute and 40 ahead of the others.

And history was made,

with Olivia Vivian going far enough, fast enough...

This woman is phenomenal!

..to become the first ever Australian woman to qualify for the grand final.

Out of this world!

Tonight, semifinal two

and 30 more of Australia's best ninjas take on a new course

for just eight more coveted grand final places.

MAN: See you soon, Mount Midoriyama.

'The Robot Warrior', Rob Patterson,

is as close as they come to perfection on the course.

ROB: Adrenaline just takes over.

And another Warped Wall-conquering female ninja, Georgia Bonora.

GEORGIA: I want to prove that I belong here.

Plus, Alex 'The Mo' Matthews is back,

along with star newcomers - James Sayers, who calls himself 'Twitch',

and 'The Furvinator', all 58 kilos of him -

as well as the last remaining parkour twin, Brodie Pawson,

and the biggest name of all, Andrea Hah.

Can she join Olivia Vivian in the grand final?

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

We'll find out tonight

as the epic semifinals continue on Australian Ninja Warrior.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Welcome to the second semifinal of Australian Ninja Warrior 2018.

So far this series,

we've seen some of Australia's fittest, strongest and fastest

pit themselves against an obstacle course

that gives new meaning to the word 'brutal'.

Those who have survived the heats

now must take their game to the next level

if they want to win a place in our grand final.

On course tonight,

rock-climbing royalty Andrea Hah and Tom O'Halloran,

Olympic gymnast Georgia Bonora,

the lovable ninja known as Twitch, James Sayers,

West Australian supermum Tash Sergi and parkour champion Brodie Pawson.

Semifinal two will see another 30 everyday athletes take to a course

that's been extended and made even tougher,

so let's take a look at what's in store for our ninjas tonight.

There are nine obstacles in the semifinals,

three more than the heats, with each one more demanding than ever,

starting with the Quadruple Steps -

four steps for ninjas to cross with a bigger jump from the platform.

The Log Grip is next.

Ninjas hang on through two big jolts before making their dismount.

The Broken Pipes are two spinning pipes

either side of a central platform.

Ninjas can brake in the middle by stopping on that red mushroom

but you can't push off the black platform underneath.

Next is a new obstacle - the Spinball Wizard.

Using a tramp, ninjas reach the first set of handlebars,

then generate enough swing to lache onto a second set,

mindful that both bars swivel 360 degrees.

The I-Beam Cross is also new to the semis.

Ninjas crawl along a 7.25m suspended beam

with vertical and angled sections.

The legendary Warped Wall is obstacle six

and this is where the heats ended,

but for the semifinalists, there are three more obstacles to tackle.

Including the formidable Salmon Ladder to Floating Monkey.

Ninjas must go up three ladder rungs

before crossing the floating frames using detachable bars.

The penultimate obstacle is the Hourglass to Tramp to Pole Clinger.

Ninjas shimmy along a suspended hourglass,

then use a tramp to bounce up to a rope and transfer onto a pole.

And finally, it's the Chimney to Rope Climb.

After free-climbing 4m, ninjas can only use the rope for the last 3m.

They've got to get to the top of the chimney and hit that buzzer.

And for the top eight furthest and fastest ninjas tonight,

a place in the grand final is guaranteed.

Our first ninja is a season one semifinalist

hoping to go one better tonight -

former Olympic gymnast Georgia Bonora.

She was one of six women to climb the wall in the heats,

more than ever before.

GEORGIA: Being in that category of women being up the wall,

it's insane.

Insane.

When I was at the bottom of the wall, a lot of it's a blur, actually.

MAN: Georgia, get up that wall!

I remember hearing the Misfits shouting, "You can do it!"

Come on, you can do it! You've got it!

And I was like, "Heh..."

BEN: Her third and final attempt.

WOMAN: Go, go, go, go, go!

Feeling the metal bit on my fingertips,

that was the best feeling ever.

(BUZZER BLARES)

BEC: That is extraordinary.

The fact that there's more women getting up the wall

kind of shows women are starting to believe more in themself.

Looking at the semis,

I've been training a lot smarter, doing the obstacles in a row.

Hopefully that makes me a little bit more prepared.

Tonight, my goal is at least to get to the wall again.

I want to prove that I belong here in this competition,

prove that I know what I'm doing, even if it looks like I don't.

BEC: One of an incredible six females

to make it up the Warped Wall in the heats.

She now wants to tick the box marked 'grand finalist'.

You got this! You got this!

FREDDIE: 27-year-old Georgia Bonora, ex-Olympic gymnast.

She was in the heats on a night

where three girls made it to the top of the Warped Wall.

Fingers crossed she can do it again.

I would love to get another girl into the grand finals.

BEN: Wouldn't we ever! (DING)

Olivia Vivian booked her place last night.

Can Georgia Bonora do the same?

It's a big ask on this course.

The second semifinal is underway. Georgia's onto the Quadruple Steps.

Now, they're on a 45-degree angle

and there's one fewer than in the heats.

No problem for Georgia.

Tonight, she is supported by her sister Peta and friend Kate.

Now onto the Log Grip.

You'd imagine that she's well equipped for this course tonight.

This course can throw up a few surprises, though.

Freddie, just like these two big jolts, there they are.

She holds on tight. She makes it across.

Yes!

Now our first look at the Broken Pipes.

These caused havoc in the first semifinal.

They took out nine ninjas.

That's it, George! Yes, Georgia. Great style.

(LAUGHS) She makes sure she's only touching the red mushroom.

You can't use the black to get back up.

These fast feet - dance them to the other side. Come on, Georgia.

She makes it through the Broken Pipes.

Georgia Bonora moving onto obstacle four.

You would imagine this part of the course is to her liking.

Now, this is a brand-new obstacle, the Spinball Wizard.

An ex-Olympic gymnast.

She'll be no stranger to a trampoline, that is for sure.

This really tests the upper-body strength and your ability to swing.

She's got the swing happening.

And good leg drive.

Oooh, she's got a bit of an angle happening.

Yes, Georgia!

No, Georgia. Oooh!

So close for Georgia Bonora

but her grand final hopes slip through her fingers.

Whoo!

Georgia used her core strength and leg drive

to get the first handlebar swinging

but she couldn't prevent it starting to spin on its axis.

She tried to dismount quickly

but missed the second handlebar with her left hand.

Georgia, that was so close.

You're one of the few girls

who've made it to the top of the Warped Wall.

You gotta be proud of that, Georgia.

Yeah, I'm pretty proud.

I'm happy that I just got up to the top of the wall.

That's a pretty big achievement for me.

Will we see you again in series three?

Oh, yeah, of course. Definitely. I'll be there. I'll be there.

You're amazing, George!

Ladies and gentlemen, Georgia Bonora!

(CHEERING) Unlucky. Well done.

Yeah, George! Whoo-hoo!

BEN: There are no second chances on Ninja Island.

Just one shot to make it into the grand final.

OK, let's see how our next ninja is gonna fare.

We all fell in love with this guy in the heats

and can't wait to see him tear up the course tonight.

He calls himself Twitch and invites us to do the same.

James finished seventh in his heat

and made a lot of new friends along the way.

You're born with Tourette's

but I was diagnosed with Tourette's when I was four.

I must've been a real pain in the arse, yeah, from the word go.

(STRAINS)

My energy levels are very explosive and spontaneous.

Oh!

In my heat, I didn't feel the urge to have a tick.

(DING)

When I'm focused, when I'm doing something I'm passionate about,

the Tourette's is gone.

BEN: Look at those long legs! BEC: Oh, this guy is good!

It was literally one of the most amazing,

heart-pumping experiences of my life.

He is getting through this course on adrenaline...

Oh! No!

The fact that I'm back and I get to have another go is just...

I can't wait, man.

Oh! Yeah, I'm pumped. (LAUGHS)

From Melbourne, panel beater and heavy metal drummer, James Sayers!

This is one of my favourites and one of the crowd's favourites too.

Now, this lad suffers from Tourette's.

His nickname is Twitch.

Hopefully he's gonna get through this course tonight

and we're not gonna see a single twitch.

Come on, James! Yeah, come on, James.

His best mate Miki looking a little bit nervous on the sidelines.

(CHEERING) (DING)

BEN: Twitch, aka James Sayers, gets his semifinal mission underway.

And you know what, we just love his attitude.

This guy brings a smile to the island here.

And wouldn't we love to see him make the grand final?

Easy, man! Get a good grip!

Onto the Log Grip, clasping on with his hands.

Brings his feet up.

Come on, James.

Oh, yes, James!

(CHEERING) Now onto the Broken Pipes.

(PEOPLE CHANT)

Oh, he didn't even stop! Oh, wow!

That's not a twitch, that's celebration!

And that is how you do the Broken Pipes!

Fantastic stuff. Now he steels himself...

Easy, man. Just like monkey bars. Easy.

Launches himself for the first set of handlebars.

He's got enough momentum

that he won't have to be up there too long, I think.

This should be enough for a transfer if he's risky enough to do it.

Oh! He does it and holds it!

The crowd on their feet. Nice one, dude!

He is loving every second of this.

And you know what, this is just a joy to watch.

He's going full tilt

and now he looks up and contemplates what he's got to get through here.

Well, Ben, this is the second new obstacle, the I-Beam Cross.

They've got to crawl under this beam for over 7m.

It's all about grip strength.

Up he goes. All about being able to hang on.

Feet up, feet up!

This part, where you've got to go down,

I mean, it's one thing to climb up,

but when you're climbing in a downward direction

and then all of a sudden you face this dogleg turn

and now have to lift your body up again around that nasty corner...

Oh, this is so draining on the upper body.

He is slowing down a bit.

Come on, keep going there, James. Do not give up.

Come on, James. Come on, man. You got this.

Not far to go, James. Not far to go.

And he's down, happy to have survived that one.

He shakes his head and tries to shake out his arms.

But now, he's never faced the Warped Wall before.

Can he beat it for the first time in the semifinals?

I've got a great feeling.

James Sayers... The Twitch is up the Warped Wall!

James is eating up this course! (CHEERING)

This is astonishing stuff!

But he really needs to focus now, settle the adrenaline down

because he's about to face the three toughest obstacles on the course.

The Salmon Ladder first.

Bounces off the tramp. He's got to go up three rungs.

Steadies himself.

One... Oh, this is so hard.

Two. Oh, look at the pain on his face.

Just one more, James! Use the swing! Use the swing!

If he can just get through this...

Oh, he was halfway through but he just couldn't complete it.

What an incredible run.

Loved every second of that.

Good on you, James.

James's upper body was shot by the time he reached the Salmon Ladder.

He jumped up two rungs through sheer willpower

but rung number three was too much.

Bad luck, James.

How tough was that, mate?

It's not bad... No, it's so damn hard, man!

(BOTH LAUGH)

After every obstacle, the crowd were on their feet, chanting "Twitch!",

chanting "James!"

That means everything to me. Like, thank you all so much.

(CHEERING) That's what got me here.

And it makes my Tourette's kind of, you know, just chill out for a while

and just, yeah, it kind of just watches me, I guess.

James, it is the furthest fastest.

You did get a long way on the course.

You've still got a chance of making the grand finals.

Mate, I would love to see you in the grand final.

The crowd would love to see you in the grand final.

Ladies and gentlemen, James Sayers!

(CHEERING) Mate, you're an absolute superstar.

Thank you so much. Well done, buddy.

Thank you.

James Sayers lighting up Ninja Island

with that awesome performance.

Only time will tell if he's done enough

to be one of the top eight furthest and fastest ninjas

heading to the grand final.

BEN: Coming up tonight, Ninja Warrior legend Andrea Hah.

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

Parkour sensation Brodie Pawson.

Whatever I can jump to make the distance,

that's what I'm gonna try to do.

And small in stature but big in heart,

'The Furvinator', Stewart Furze.

STEWART: It's not all about rock-climbing guys or gymnastics.

I'm ready to go through and finish this course.

But next on the course, Louis FitzSimons, with a point to prove.

I want to prove that I'm better than what I showed last week.

I believe in myself. I want this more than anything.

Welcome back to the second semifinal of Australian Ninja Warrior.

Please welcome our next ninja, Louis FitzSimons.

The 22-year-old Sydney student

hit the water on the Bridge of Blades

but tonight he wants to write a different story.

There's some beast inside you. It doesn't have to be a dark beast.

It can be a force for good.

But that beast is everything I channel whenever I'm working out.

That's who I want to be.

And in my heat, I said some words quietly to myself.

He is really psyching himself up.

The words were, "A heart of fire, a mind of chaos, a body unbroken.

"Melody manifest destiny. I am the mad prophet."

I just ran those through my mind

on a loop over and over and over again.

"Melody manifest destiny. I am the mad prophet."

FREDDIE: Oh, Louis, no! That was a big hit!

I could've made that whole course

if I'd only made it through those rotating blades.

Tonight I want to prove that I'm better than what I showed last week.

I believe in myself and I want this more than anything right now.

It would be fantastic to make it all that way through.

(CHANTING) Louis! Louis! Louis!

There's dad Peter on the sideline, the ex-Wallaby and journalist.

Louis' brother Jake and sister Billi are there as well.

And Peter FitzSimons, famous for that red bandanna.

Louis wearing a blue one tonight.

I'm tipping it's exactly the same mantra

that he did last time in the heats.

Let's hope it helps him get a little further tonight.

MAN: Come on, come on! (DING)

Just see how quickly he got out of the starting blocks.

Honestly, Louis is on fire.

He wants to come back

and whip through the semifinals as quickly as possible.

Oh, the crowd's behind him.

His family's certainly behind him on the sideline.

He is attacking this course.

(CHEERING)

FREDDIE: In the heats, came off on the third obstacle,

which was the Bridge of Blades.

This one's tougher.

Go! He's got halfway.

I think he's alright here.

Oh! He's made it through!

(EXCLAIMS) Louis, Louis!

The adrenaline is pumping through his body

and he's using up every little bit of it.

WOMAN: Come on, Louis!

PEOPLE: (CHANT) Louis! Louis! Louis! Louis!

He's onto the first handlebar.

He needs to swing his legs back

and then drive his knees forward on the upswing.

It's not really happening for him at the moment.

FREDDIE: He looks like an electric eel.

Oh!

Oh, he's got no rhythm, this lad. Get a bit of rhythm.

One more! One more! One more! One more! Go!

He's just not quite coordinating his swing.

And meanwhile, his arms are burning

and it's gonna be really hard for him to hang on.

He's drawing hard. Jesus... WOMAN: Jump! Jump!

Oh, and it looks so simple

but if you don't know how to swing properly...

Oh! He's gone.

Louis FitzSimons - a great effort for a bloke

who was watching from the couch just 12 months ago

and decided he wanted to give it a crack.

Louis, well done!

Yeah, sadly, Louis didn't have enough core strength

to control his lower body.

He couldn't get that swing going

and instead of using the momentum, he couldn't find any rhythm.

He kicked in the wrong moment.

Eventually, his upper body just couldn't hang on.

Louis, you attacked that course and you set off like a train.

You was aggressive. Yeah.

No, I said the exact same words as I did last week

and it got me through all that.

But I didn't practice my swing enough.

I was... I should've practised harder.

Are you gonna practice in the next 12 months

and come back season three?

Absolutely. Winners gain confidence and get lazy.

Losers try harder than ever.

Amazing. I like it. Ladies and gentlemen, Louis!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Louis saving his best performance for the semifinal

but coming up short on the Spinball Wizard.

BEN: Now, according to the old saying,

good things come in small packages

and our next ninja is one of this year's lightest male competitors.

So let's welcome The Furvinator, Stewart Furze.

Stewart surprised a few in the heats

and looked good on the course

until coming undone on the Double Tilt Ladder.

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

People won't take me too seriously.

The Furvinator, ready for business.

You know, you can make the mistake of underestimating this guy

but you don't have to be big to be tough.

Yeah, my heat was fantastic.

Oooh! Oh!

That was just unlucky.

Everyone was, like, "Wow, you did really well, you know.

"We never expected you to get that far."

For me, it was frustration

that I didn't get the opportunity to try the wall,

because I'm a short guy, so I really wanted to prove that I could do it.

Ladies and gentlemen, The Furvinator!

Well done, mate. Great effort.

Tonight's the night I'm going up that wall, definitely.

I'm looking forward to showing everybody,

including Ashanti and my family, what I can do.

It's not all about rock-climbing guys or gymnastics.

I'm just an engineer that trains in the gym.

I'm ready to go through and finish this course.

There's girlfriend Ashanti

leading the chants with Stewart's mum and sister.

WOMAN: (CHANTING) Let's go, Stewy, let's go!

(DING) There is nothing of this guy.

58kg. Only 5'6". But here he is in the semifinals.

All our ninjas come in different shapes and sizes.

He was quick and strong in the heats but this is a step up tonight.

He's on the Log Grip. Hangs on tight.

And he's through obstacle three.

OK, the Broken Pipes. He'll be light on his feet.

That will help, but you never know on this obstacle.

Making sure he's well away from the black.

FREDDIE: Yes, Stewie boy!

I reckon this bloke's got a real chance.

Yes, but has he got the swing, Freddie?

We've seen it's not as easy as it looks.

Grabs onto the first. No swinging problems for this lad.

Getting closer and closer to them second bars.

Come on, Stu.

Yes, Stu!

I'm telling you, this lad's gonna do it.

He's gonna do it. WOMAN: Go! Go, Stewart!

The Furvinator's on a mission here.

Yes!

The Furvinator makes that crucial landing.

And now he's got the I-Beam Cross.

But has he got the upper-body strength to crawl over 7m?

Keep going. WOMAN: Come on, you got this.

Yes! Come on! Keep it going!

Oh! The legs are off but he cleverly gets them back up.

Whoo-hoo-hoo! Now the dogleg.

Finding this a little bit tough.

FREDDIE: Bit of an underdog. Not expected to get round.

There's one person expecting - that is me.

And the family on the side. That's four people, actually.

I must admit, though, I have got one concern about The Furvinator.

He's never been to the Warped Wall before.

(CHEERING) And here he is.

The Furvinator up against the Warped Wall for the first time.

The wall is nearly three times his size.

Look at him. He makes the burrowers look tall.

Beat the wall, The Furvinator.

(EXCLAIMS) Go on, Furvy!

You beauty! What a moment here on Ninja Island!

The pocket rocket, Stewart Furze, up and over the wall.

The Furvinator didn't get to the top of the Warped Wall in the heats

but here he is now,

he's on the second part of the course in the semis.

Here he goes, flying onto the Salmon Ladder.

Hasn't he done well! There's the first rung.

There's the second rung. Can he go one more?

Yes! Wow!

He's hit all three.

Stewart Furze is now onto the Floating Monkey Bars.

At 5'6", has he got the arm span to plant the first bar in the slot?

Oh...

He's got it! Yes!

Now the next one.

Yeah... Oh! BEN AND ANDREW: No!

What a fantastic effort, though.

The Furvinator defying expectations again.

It was so close for Stewart

but he just couldn't get that second monkey bar into the slot.

As he swung back, the pressure was just too much for one arm to take

and he lost his grip.

I thought you was going all the way, mate.

You was killing the course!

I had it in me but, you know,

my goal was I really wanted to make it up that Warped Wall

'cause I thought I just didn't have the reach for it.

But I did that, so I'm just stoked about that.

You can do anything, Furv. You are The Furvinator.

You can do anything, mate.

Ladies and gentlemen, The Furvinator!

(CHEERING)

The Salmon Ladder to Floating Monkey

ending another great run from a new ninja.

Who is gonna make it past obstacle number seven?

Coming up, the Robot Warrior, Rob Patterson.

ROB: Every athlete really wants to prove themselves

against this course.

'The Mighty Mo', Alex Matthews. (CHEERS)

I love what being in a competition brings out in me.

It brings out things you never thought you'd be able to do.

New hero Jack Gooch from WA.

JACK: After my car accident, it was a miracle that I survived.

I absolutely can't believe that I'm running the semifinal.

And Titanium Woman Zoe Featonby.

Hey! Hey!

Confident. Come on. Easy. You've been here before.

You've done it all before. Shake it all off.

Just gun it and just back yourself.

Welcome back to Ninja Island,

where this semifinal course is already causing our ninjas

plenty of problems.

While you were away,

three more stepped up to try and grab a grand final spot.

Rod Thorncraft, the oldest ninja in the semifinals at 59,

found the Log Grip too hot to handle.

No!

Gold Coast welder Shane Rogers came unstuck on the Salmon Ladder.

FREDDIE: Oh!

Wow. What a spectacular fall backwards.

And Titanium Woman, Zoe Featonby,

showed her mettle on the Broken Pipes...

That was the most brutal fall onto that mushroom.

That was a big landing. But she's a tough girl, this one.

She's got titanium in her spine!

..only to miss her grip on the Spinball Wizard.

Oh! Oh! No!

It's over for Zoe Featonby.

Next on the course, one of the standout athletes from season one,

the Mighty Mo, Alex Matthews.

He made it all the way to the second stage of the grand final last year

and is determined to do the same this time.

ALEX: I love what being in a competition brings out in me.

You've got everyone cheering you on

and you find this next level of adrenaline.

We've had some good ninjas come unstuck here.

Oh! No, not one of our heroes!

Brings out things you never thought you'd be able to do.

All of a sudden, you're, like, "How the hell did I do that?"

FREDDIE: Yes, Alex Matthews! What a recovery!

There's only a few spots going for the grand final, obviously,

and I know the competition is pretty stiff.

A couple of new faces,

a couple of old familiar faces you need to be worried about.

Thanks for coming. Thanks for coming.

I have Mia and Mum coming down tonight to cheer me on.

It's awesome to have her here

but you don't want someone to come all the way over and cheer you on

and then bum out on the first obstacle, so...

To get to the top of Mount Midoriyama would be bloody amazing.

But you can't really assume anything.

Hopefully I can put on a good performance

and make it worth the trip over.

Go, the Mo!

FREDDIE: I'm not gonna lie, I'm excited.

Alex Matthews, the everyday Aussie.

He just flies through the Ninja Warrior course.

And tonight his dad's here for the first time.

His mum's here. His partner's here. They're all here to support him!

(DING) MAN: Go, son.

(CHEERING)

His mission starts right now.

The clock is underway

and Alex Matthews from Perth is back for redemption

after falling at the Swinging Ropes

in stage two of the grand final last year.

Now the Log Grip.

Holds on through the bumps and moves on now to the Broken Pipes.

Oh! Oh, no!

Alex Matthews just falling off to the side.

We'll check - did he touch the black bit?

He's still up there.

Oh, I hope he hasn't.

So do I, Freddie. We better have a look at the replay.

Alex takes a stumble, but you can see,

when he starts pulling himself back up,

he's making sure his knees are clear of that black area,

so he's not using them to get back on.

He's OK, Freddie.

It's a nervy run from Alex Matthews.

Alright. Up onto the handlebars.

WOMAN: Come on! Breathe!

Gets the kick happening. Starts moving those legs.

Is he gonna transfer?

Yes, he is!

One more swing...

And he's down!

Alex finding a way, as he always does.

Well done!

He says he trains for a little bit of everything,

rather than anything specific,

so let's see how his grip strength holds up here.

Come on, baby! You've got this!

Alex needs to shimmy up, get his fingers on the top again.

Yes, Alex Matthews.

Good job. Nearly there.

I reckon he's just beginning to find his groove now.

Whoa! Moving well!

Look at that for speed! The leopard crawl underneath.

He's down. And he doesn't break stride!

Alex Matthews, straight up the wall!

It's been tough but he's made it.

And now there are three obstacles left.

Breathe! Focus!

Second part of the semifinal course

starts with the trampoline to Salmon Ladder.

Come on, babe. You got this. Can Alex Matthews get through this?

Yes!

He steadies himself. How much has he got left in the tank?

There's the first rung.

And the second.

Come on, the Mo. Yes!

Now onto the Floating Monkey Bars.

Yes, you got this!

Only Stewart Furze has got this far. This is a huge test.

Let's see how he goes.

This first bar.

Lands it. MAN: Deep breaths.

And now he's got to do it with the other arm.

The Mo!

Oh, yes!

Look at him. Look how cool he is. Look how calm he is.

MAN: Big swing. WOMAN: Big swing, big swing.

Yeah, he needs a big swing, alright.

And that's exactly what he delivers. (CHEERING)

He's on track for a place in the grand final.

BEC: It's looking like it.

He's now onto obstacle eight - the Hourglass to Pole Clinger.

Take a big breath, babe.

Is he gonna be the first ninja up the chimney?

Gee, this is a complex obstacle, this one.

Gotta get onto the hourglass first, drop down, hit the trampoline,

to the rope and then shimmy down the pole.

This isn't about power, this is about precision.

Yes, you got this!

Need to drop and then bounce onto the trampoline.

MAN: Big swing.

Yes! Yes!

He's mastered the tramp! He sticks it!

Yes! Thank you!

Alex Matthews coming down the pole! Yes!

Oh, Alex, we love you!

We love you, Alex! We love you!

He kisses the red carpet and it welcomes him like a VIP

to the final obstacle, the Chimney to Rope Climb.

It's 7m up - 4m free-climb, the last three rope-climb.

He can do this one.

We've no ninjas up to the top of the chimney in this semifinal so far.

Can Alex Matthews break the curse?

2m. Come on, Alex.

He's got five to go.

Here he goes.

He's just gotta make the transfer onto the rope now

that he's at the 4m mark.

He grips it. He's struggling a little bit here.

Come on, Alex.

He's trying to use the legs to wrap around,

to give him a little bit of grip.

He uses the thighs, he uses the arms.

Oh... Just faltering a little bit.

Oh, you're almost there, babe! You're almost there! Come on!

Hang on a moment, he's going upside down!

He's put the legs up!

Alex Matthews goes through the hole, leans forward, hits the buzzer!

(BUZZER BLARES) He's done it!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Yeah!

Wow! Ninja Island is alive!

Can you believe that?

Let's give him a huge round of applause!

It was incredible stuff from Alex Matthews,

the first ninja to complete this semifinal course tonight.

It was a battle all the way, but he showed plenty of heart

and lots of skill to put himself in the box seat for a grand final spot.

Mate...

Alex Matthews, the first ninja up the chimney.

I've never seen you as animated as when you got to the top.

Can you tell us how much that meant to you?

A lot.

Yeah, having, like, the family here for it, I was feeling the heat.

Like, I didn't want to disappoint them.

They've all travelled from Victoria and WA and I wanted to go up.

How much more difficult was the course this time round to last year?

That was astronomically harder.

Well, you've definitely not disappointed.

Alex, that was unbelievable. First ninja up the chimney tonight.

I'm sure you want to go and see the family.

Well done, mate. Thanks, mate.

Oh, there we go.

Ladies and gentlemen, Alex Matthews! (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

It can be done.

Alex Matthews proves this course can be beaten tonight.

A hell of a battle, but he got there in the end.

Let's have a look at what he's done to the leader board.

You're sweating more than me.

Well, there he is -

the Mighty Mo sits on top after that incredible performance.

The lightest man in this semifinal, Stewart Furze, is in third,

with James Sayers - Twitch - in fourth.

Louis FitzSimons currently holds sixth place,

one ahead of Georgia Bonora.

The top eight furthest and fastest will qualify for the grand final.

And at the moment,

it's the Mighty Mo, Alex Matthews, setting the standard.

Who can join him on top of the chimney?

Still to come, she proved anything is possible in season one

but can Andrea Hah make the grand final?

WA supermum Tash Sergi out to impress.

TASH: I feel like I've got nothing to lose.

I just have to commit and just go for it.

And Adam Matusz ready to save the day again.

One, two, three, Polska!

(ALL CHEER)

The competitors on Australian Ninja Warrior

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

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 Ninja Island

and the second semifinal of Australian Ninja Warrior.

Just before the break,

we saw 34-year-old Fremantle firey Alex Matthews become the first ninja

to crack this course and make it all the way to the buzzer.

Yeah!

On the course now is 37-year-old teacher Adam Matusz.

FREDDIE: Come on, Matusz.

Oh! Oh!

Matusz!

That's the best dive of the night!

MAN: Come on, matey.

There's his wife Maria and sister Natalya, who's flown in from Poland.

Big swing here, Adam.

Adam Matusz, originally from Poland.

He's told his kids he is a superhero.

They've never believed him, but now they're starting to believe.

Big feet action here, Adam. WOMAN: Keep it nice and straight!

That's it. Up he goes.

Nice and straight! Lift those legs up!

Adam Matusz... Oh! He's going backwards!

BEC: Oh! Matusz!

How did he do that? Matusz!

Matusz! You magician!

Oh, my...

He's got more tricks than Harry Potter, this bloke.

Love it! This man is a superhero!

Adam Matusz with a jaw-dropping save in the semifinal.

Take your time. Breathe. Breathe.

WOMAN: Take your time. Let's go. Breathe.

And that is good advice from Maria and Natalya,

to take his time and focus,

because now he's up against the I-Beam Cross.

Nice and easy. That's it!

Well done! That's it, my friend.

He's got to compose himself and concentrate on the crawl.

He's got a background in climbing.

That'll help him. It will.

But here's the dogleg.

Pulls himself up and then get his legs up.

Oh, it really saps the arms, this obstacle.

Keep going! Keep on going!

FREDDIE: This is one of the things I love about Australian Ninja Warrior.

This man, Adam Matusz. What a hero. (CHEERING)

He's made it to the wall, Freddie. Further than he went in his heat.

And he knows the size of the task in front of him.

Come on, buddy.

He's quickly becoming a crowd favourite.

We want him up the wall after that incredible save.

Beat the wall! Beat the wall!

An unlikely champion makes his mark on Ninja Island!

Adam Matusz! And he's got a right to bow!

You bet you does! (CHEERING)

Crowd going wild here. Just three obstacles to go.

Yes!

First the Salmon Ladder.

Come on, Adam. Dig deep.

MAN: That's it. Stop that swing.

Three rungs in front of him.

How much petrol has he got left in the tank?

One. One.

Come on, buddy. Come on.

WOMAN: One more. Two more, two more.

Oh... Push, push...

Two... Two!

Oh! Whoa!

He just gave that everything.

That was something special to watch.

We did just wonder how much the previous obstacles

were taking out of him

and in the end, Adam's upper body had nothing left.

He made the first rung but just couldn't stick the second.

Did you surprise yourself at how far you got?

I did. I did. Big time. Big time.

I'm so happy to get up the Warped Wall.

This was like a plus.

I've never done the Salmon Ladder in my life before.

So, even getting the first one, I'm super happy. So, yeah.

Surely you've just shown your kids you are a real-life superhero.

I am! Hey, Polska!

(LAUGHS) (CHEERING)

Ladies and gentlemen, Adam Matusz!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

He put on a hell of a show and Adam Matusz is in the running

to be one of the top eight furthest, fastest ninjas tonight.

Awesome.

But up next is supermum Tash Sergi from Scarborough, WA.

The Basket Toss ended her run in the heats

but she's made it here tonight,

where she's sure to make her kids proud.

I'm definitely not your average mum.

I'll never just sit there and watch the kids play.

You know, sometimes I'll have one kid hanging off me and I'll think,

"Let's see if I can do a one-armed dead hang."

They think it's a game and in my head I'm, like, "It's training."

I feel so lucky that I've even got my kids.

The doctors told me it was highly unlikely that I would have kids.

And then, when I was 24, I fell pregnant.

I couldn't believe it. It was, yeah, a little miracle.

My partner and my kids can't be here tonight

but I was stoked that I was one of those lucky ones

good enough to make semis.

All these obstacles I've never done before.

You've just gotta have everything right and perfect timing,

so I feel like I've got nothing to lose.

FREDDIE: Tash Sergi from Western Australia.

Her family will be at home watching tonight,

willing her onto the top of the Warped Wall,

willing her through to the chimney.

A real supermum. Real determined. Wants to do it for them back home.

She's got plenty of support in the crowd.

And on the sidelines, her mum Sharon, sister-in-law Kate.

(DING) (CHEERING)

Dressed head to toe in black. She is a real warrior.

She's strong and fit. She's got the skills to back it up.

She was just terrific in her heat.

She's done so well to be here

but she'll only be satisfied if she can do well tonight.

(CHEERING)

FREDDIE: Now onto the Log Grip.

Needs to wrap her arms around, find the handles at the back.

WOMAN: Hang on! Hang on, darling!

She'll get one leg up, then the other,

then she'll go for the ride of her life.

It's a bumpy one.

Slipping a little...

(CHEERING)

PEOPLE: Go! Go! Go! Go! Go! Go! Go! You've got this!

Here she goes, across the Broken Pipes.

She's had a stumble. Oh!

Oh, has she used her knee to push off the black there?

(BUZZER BLARES) No.

I thought she'd done it.

What happened?

Let's have a look at the replay.

The rules say you can't use the black platform to your advantage

and right there,

she uses her knee to push herself back up.

It's a tough call but rules are rules.

FREDDIE: Tash, come down here.

I'm sorry to let you know you've been disqualified,

using the black bit in the middle of the Broken Pipes to get back up.

TASH: Yeah. I was really in the moment then.

I thought I was gonna get a lot further

and, yeah, I'm pretty disappointed.

But it's alright. I had a good crack.

Ladies and gentlemen, Tash Sergi! (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Not the way she would have wanted her semifinal to end.

I'm sorry.

But Tash has done so well to get here in her debut season.

Still to come, 'The Parkour Prince', Brodie Pawson.

Oh, no!

Last year, we both fell on the Spinning Logs.

This time around, I can only expect the semis to be harder.

And two new ninjas ready to make their names.

'The Pole Ninja', Ben Toyer, and WA's Jack Gooch.

JACK: I am trying to stay as relaxed as I can.

Welcome back to Ninja Island

and a semifinal course that's proving a real tough nut to crack.

Just three ninjas completed the course in semifinal one

and so far tonight, only one ninja has been able to make it all the way.

Next on the course is Jack Gooch from WA,

a ninja who knows all about overcoming adversity.

Come on, Jack! Come on, Jack!

JACK: In the heats, I fell off the Spinning Basket.

(BOTH EXCLAIM)

Jack Gooch! He's got wet, Gooch.

I thought to myself, "Why did I jump too early?"

Lucky I got far enough that I got through.

I really believe fitness is a way of life.

When I was 19 years old, I had a heart attack.

I was absolutely shocked

that it could even happen to someone so young.

Six weeks after that, I was in a car crash.

I was coming home at 5:00 in the morning.

I fell asleep and drove into a tree.

I broke my back and was bedridden for over six months

and it was an absolute miracle that I survived.

Two years later,

I absolutely can't believe that I'm running the Ninja course.

It was a big wake-up call to adjust my life

and it really forced me to adopt a healthy lifestyle.

I always wanted to get better and I always train hard

and I definitely don't take life for granted anymore.

FREDDIE: Jack Gooch, 24, from Perth.

An underdog in this tournament so far. But I've got high hopes.

Jack showed his fighting spirit in his heat,

managing to qualify in 13th.

Come on, Jack Gooch.

Let's get another ninja to the top of the chimney

to join Alex Matthews.

BEN: It'd be a fairytale, Freddie.

It's a big ask.

Obstacle number one's done.

Here's the Log Grip. You got this. Easy, easy.

Carmen, his girlfriend, on the sideline,

trying to give him some advice.

Here we go. One drop, two drops, and he's through!

Now, how's he gonna handle the Broken Pipes?

Slow and steady or lightning fast?

Oooh, gee! Get up!

He keeps himself clear of that black platform.

He's through. That's all that matters.

Three down, six to go.

He's been rock-climbing for years,

which is really going to help on this course, particularly this one -

it's all upper body, swinging, momentum and then a transfer.

Is he gonna go?

Oh, just lost a little bit of momentum there.

There we go. That's the way, son.

Come on, Gooch!

Oh, the Gooch! Yes!

I didn't think he was gonna make that.

I thought he'd gone too soon. But he's still here.

Come on, Jack. Get onto that platform.

Yes!

Now the I-Beam Cross. This one saps the energy.

Here we go.

(CHEERING)

Scaling underneath the I-Beam.

Looking comfortable underneath here.

Like a gecko on the top of your roof.

Yeah, and it's the dogleg that's the tricky bit.

Jack's 70 kilos.

You can see he's having to work that upper body hard.

He gets back onto the straight.

Come on. You're so close.

Jack Gooch scaling down.

Crowd right behind him, egging him on, as we all are.

Yes, he's through the I-Beam

and facing the Warped Wall for the first time!

Rising to the occasion.

The 24-year-old from Perth with his first ever look at the Warped Wall.

The crowd really getting behind him.

PEOPLE: Beat the wall! Beat the wall!

Gooch has got it. Gooch has got it.

Let's have a look at the approach.

It's good. The pace is perfect.

Yes! And he's sky-high!

This is an incredible run from the Gooch here.

He didn't make it past the Basket Toss in the heats

and now he's over the Warped Wall

on what is a very challenging course in the semifinal.

The fairytale is on.

FREDDIE: Taking deep breaths. Eyeing up the Salmon Ladder.

I'm backing this lad all the way.

Shake it out. You need that. You need it.

He's a minute and a half slower than Alex Matthews.

Can he become only the second new ninja

to go all the way to the semifinals?

We love to see them go oh-so-well.

Will he go up the Salmon Ladder?

One... Yes, Jack.

And again.

Oooh.

Yeah, he's correcting it to make sure he's got the best shot at number two,

which he just lands.

And now one more to go. There you go.

And with that, he is onto the Floating Monkey.

OK. Really quick. Come on.

Just wiping his hands. That's a good sign.

Got plenty left in the tank.

Now, how's the hand-eye coordination here?

Spot on. Wow.

Oh...

Go, go, go!

Yes! Yes! The Gooch hangs on!

He's going nowhere, Jack Gooch!

Go on, Jack. Yes! Come on, Jackie boy!

He's one obstacle away from the chimney.

Oh, god.

I'd be feeling so confident for him

but I know that that damn trampoline is in front of him.

He's come so far.

Heart attack at 19.2013, had a car crash and broke his back.

Now look at him, trying to book a place

in the grand finals of Australian Ninja Warrior!

Onto the Hourglass to Tramp to Pole Clinger.

He gets one shot, one chance to keep his dream alive

and it's all about that bounce.

Yes!

Now, here we go.

The moment of truth, as he comes down to the trampoline...

Please tell me what happens. I'm not looking. I'm not looking.

Oh, he's done it! Yes, he's done it!

Oh, he's done it! Come on, Jack!

Gooch hangs on! You ripper, Goochy! Go, the Gooch!

Oh, how good was that! And look at him scramble!

You're almost there! You're almost there!

(CHEERING)

And now he's going to get a shot at the chimney.

Oh, this is what Australian Ninja Warrior does to you.

You invest in people. You want them to do well.

And Jack Gooch, how I want him up that chimney.

Just sizing up the 7m to the top.

Hang onto your hats, everybody, because this will be a moment.

24 years of age, from Western Australia.

His first time on Australian Ninja Warrior.

He didn't finish the course in his heat

but all of a sudden he's in the box seat to complete his semifinal run.

7m high. At 4m, needs to transfer onto the rope.

4m.

And now he's got the rope climb all the way up that chimney.

Oh, he must be spent by now but he's got to really dig deep

to just make it up one or two more metres.

Come on, the Gooch! You've got it in you!

We know you have!

6m. Come on, little fella! Keep pushing!

You can see every muscle rippling on his back.

He gets the feet up there.

He's on the shelf.

Yay!

And the Gooch is on top of the world! (BUZZER BLARES)

Go, the Gooch! Yes! Go, you good thing, Goochy!

Yes! And all hail the Gooch!

That's good. He's a good egg. They love you.

Australia loves you. You did it. You couldn't do it in your heat.

How the hell did you complete your semifinal run?

I couldn't have done it without all you guys here.

(CHEERING)

You know what, get your breath, take it right down,

'cause you are a champ.

A fairytale comes true here in the second semifinal.

No wonder he's smiling.

Jack Gooch only qualified 13th from his heat

but delivered a breathtaking run to become just the second new ninja

and only one of five in total to complete a semifinal course so far.

Get in here, Jack Gooch. Come on, son.

I tell you what, mate, like the rest of the crowd,

I've lost my voice shouting at you to get through that course.

You didn't make it through in the heats.

Saved the best for the semifinals.

Can you believe that you've got to the top of the chimney?

It's kind of surreal right now,

so maybe in a few more minutes I'll realise.

Mate, stop playing it cool. Everybody's so excited.

(CHEERING) It's your first time on the show.

You're a new breed of Ninja Warrior heroes.

How far can you go, Jack? How far can you go?

I'll take it right to the end.

I think that's as far as we go. Ladies and gentlemen, Jack Gooch.

Go and see the missus on the side.

That was amazing. Thank you.

A new Ninja Warrior legend born before our eyes.

Jack Gooch joining Alex Matthews

as the only ninjas to go all the way so far tonight.

Let's check out the leader board.

Alex Matthews stays on top

but the Gooch is now right behind him in second place.

Stewart Furze and James Sayers round out the top five.

Adam Matusz is in sixth after his thrilling run.

Louis FitzSimons is in eighth, the final qualifying spot.

The race to make the top eight furthest fastest

is really heating up.

No doubt there'll be more shocks and surprises to come.

Coming up, two of last year's grand finalists.

Is 'Robot' Rob Patterson programmed for success tonight?

And can Blue Mountains climber Tom O'Halloran scale the heights?

Welcome back to the second night of semifinals here on Ninja Island,

where before the break, 24-year-old Jack Gooch from WA

became only the second competitor to reach the buzzer.

And while you were away, three more ninjas accepted the challenge

of the world's toughest obstacle course.

Cancer survivor Nathan Ryles

tried to correct himself on the Salmon Ladder...

He looks so good.

..but got it wrong.

Male pole dancer Ben Toyer reached the same point...

He's got to take that up three rungs. Go, baby!

..but had nothing left to give.

Oh! Whoo!

Then Blue Mountains climber Tom O'Halloran

looked set to make it all the way...

I can't imagine this is gonna be a problem.

Look at him. He's like a cat underneath there.

Come on! Yes!

..but buckled under the pressure on the second last obstacle.

Oh! Oh, Tom!

Tom O'Halloran lost all strength and he ended up in the pool.

Get ready.

He was the youngest grand finalist last year

and now he's back on a mission to go all the way in season two.

It's the Robot Warrior, Rob Patterson.

He was perfect in his heat

and completed the course in the fastest time.

ROB: Analysing mechanical robots, it's very physics-based.

Ninja Warrior course is just the same.

Go, Rob! He wants it!

He's hungrier than ever before!

If you analyse how each obstacle reacts with physics in mind,

then you can get past it.

Whoo!

Tamara, my girlfriend, she was so stoked.

It's awesome having her there.

Are you feeling ready? Yeah, ready.

Training? Mmm.

It's awesome to date a ninja. (LAUGHS)

He can think so fast that he can see everything happening.

He can plan it all through before it's even happened

and if something goes wrong, he can fix it.

Ninja's the ultimate test because it's just such a global phenomenon.

Every athlete really wants to prove themselves against this course.

I really want to push myself. No mistakes whatsoever.

Everything done quickly and all the way to the top

in the most efficient time possible.

FREDDIE: Returning stage two finalist from season one,

Rob Patterson.

He stormed through the heats.

Hopefully he's gonna storm through this semifinal course tonight

and make it to the top of the chimney.

Let's go! Let's go, Rob!

Yeah, that's my gut feeling - he's gonna go all the way tonight.

BEC: Well, Ben, he certainly ticks all the boxes, doesn't he?

MAN: Come on, Rob! Come on, Rob!

Cousins Jessica and Dave make up Rob's cheer squad tonight.

Girlfriend Tamara couldn't make it

but says she'll be here if he makes it through to the grand final.

The two jolts coming...

Good dismount.

Now the Broken Pipes.

So dangerous early on.

But look at him go.

What about the light footwork there?

So skilful on this course.

We've seen different styles,

different techniques on the Broken Pipes.

That was as good as any.

Rob Patterson straight into his swing.

Poetry in motion! Oh, there's the transfer.

Look at him go.

The big kick. One swing and he's down.

How good is the Robot Warrior? MAN: It's all you, Rob!

Now on the I-Beam Cross. He's going for a fast time here.

I think he realises if he doesn't get to the top of the chimney,

he wants to get as far as he can in the least possible time.

Yeah, he is flying. He is something to behold, this guy.

He is 30 seconds faster than Alex Matthews.

But look, now his legs have come off the beam, so it's all arms.

That's got to be putting some pressure on them.

You'd think so, Ben. Let's go, Rob.

Mate, all the time in the world.

Cousin Dave there with some sound advice on the sidelines.

No mistakes, Rob. Here he goes.

Rob Patterson, up the Warped Wall already.

You can just see why he is one of our returning heroes.

He doesn't make a big fuss.

He just gets down to work, gets down to business.

Here he is, Rob Patterson, up to the Salmon Ladder.

He's blitzed his way through the first part of the course.

He knows the second part is even harder.

Perfect form on the tramp.

Slows his body down. Stops it from swinging.

There's one rung.

Corrects it.

There's two.

And completes the trifecta!

Now comes the Floating Monkeys.

He's got to take this black bar with him.

This is the tricky point. Go, Rob!

If you miss it, then all the strength,

all the weight goes through one arm.

He needs to be precise with this one.

Yes. He gets it in that ledge.

He needs to do it one more time.

Oh, he missed it!

And then fixed it. (CHEERING)

Down straight away.

And he's still faster than Alex Matthews.

Into the second last obstacle.

All the time, Rob!

This is such an impressive run. Stage three finalist last year.

Wanting to stake his claim again this year.

After dominating seven obstacles, Rob Patterson finally takes a moment.

He's been perfect so far.

He'll need to be again on the Hourglass to Pole Clinger.

The hourglass has posed no problems for the ninjas whatsoever.

It's the next bit - it's the trampoline.

You gotta bounce in the middle.

You've got to time right, reach the rope above.

Yes! He's on it! And he's straight onto the pole!

He wants this. He's got his eye on the chimney.

I don't think he's gonna take any time or any rest.

(EXCLAIMS)

He wants to get right up to the top of the chimney

and celebrate here on Ninja Island.

Quickly getting into the chimney. Scaling up.

4m. This time is unbelievable!

At the moment, he's over a minute and a half ahead of Alex.

Looks like he's slowing down just slightly, feeling the burn,

but he's gonna get there.

What an extraordinary athlete!

Yes! Rob Patterson! (BUZZER BLARES)

That was insane!

This bloke is a machine.

Whoo-hoo!

Perfection from Rob Patterson. So cool, so controlled.

He never looked in trouble.

He was always a step ahead of Alex's time.

And he put his foot down right at the end to finish in a big way.

Rob Patterson, that was amazing.

What I'm about to tell you now is absolutely incredible.

You reached the top of the chimney

a minute faster than any other ninja so far tonight.

A minute? A minute.

Tell us how you're feeling. Whoo!

Dude, that's awesome.

After that tramp, I knew I had it, so I just pushed as hard as I could.

But a minute - that's insane. I didn't think I was that fast.

Did you find any part of it difficult?

Each individual obstacle is completely and utterly conquerable

but it's putting them all together that's the real challenge.

Ladies and gentlemen, the fastest ninja of the night up the chimney,

Rob Patterson! Yes.

(CHEERING) WOMAN: Well done!

Thank you.

That was amazing!

What a performance. Whoo!

'Robot' Rob Patterson

is going to take some beating in this grand final.

Let's take a look at the leader board.

Not only is Rob a minute faster than Alex in second place,

he's over three minutes quicker than Jack Gooch in third.

The Furvinator, Stewart Furze,

drops down to seventh, one ahead of Ben Toyer, who's in eighth.

That's the final qualifying spot, meaning, unfortunately,

James Sayers is out of the running for a spot in the grand final.

Wow.

The competition to make the top eight furthest, fastest is intense.

With just two ninjas left, it's gonna go right down to the wire

before we have our grand finalists tonight.

Still to come, can the Parkour Prince, Brodie Pawson,

become the king of Ninja Island?

But next, she's beaten the wall.

Can Andrea Hah go all the way and make the grand final?

The course looks pretty tricky, but just go for it 100%. (LAUGHS)

Welcome back to Ninja Island and a cracker of a semifinal.

Only three ninjas have been able to finish this course tonight,

guaranteeing their spots in the grand final.

Ninja Island is alive! (LAUGHS)

Many of the top ninjas have met their match on obstacle seven,

the Salmon Ladder to Floating Monkey.

The race for the remaining qualifying spots is down to seconds and inches.

Now the moment we've all been waiting for -

champion climber and Ninja Warrior legend, Andrea Hah.

Last year, she was the first female ninja to make it up the Warped Wall.

This year, she did it again

and now has set her sights on the grand final.

So, this year there's been six women get up the wall in the heats,

which is awesome.

This is absolutely extraordinary!

Last year, I got the furthest out of any of the other women.

What a moment, Ben. She's a real contender to make the top seven.

I was really close to being able to finish.

She's got 45 seconds to get to the buzzer.

I think she's gonna do it.

Australia holds its breath!

Oh, no! She touched the water. Oh, she touched the water!

I got disqualified 'cause I hit the water with my foot.

It was the tiniest touch with her toe!

I was really excited to get where I was

but it was just a little bit disappointing, I suppose,

not feeling like I got to give it a good go.

What a shame!

I feel really lucky

to be able to get another chance at the semifinals.

The thing I love about this Ninja Warrior course

is it's a really nice combination of mental and physical.

It doesn't matter that we're women. We can still do it.

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

Ladies and gentlemen, Andrea Hah!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

How good's this! An exciting time for fans of Ninja Warrior.

I reckon a lot will be saying to themselves,

"OK, we know she can get to the wall.

"We know she can get up the Warped Wall.

"But what about those obstacles beyond it?"

This is where she got to last year, the semis.

She wants to go to the grand final!

MAN: Nice one.

That's Lee Cossey, her fiance, on the sidelines.

He's got his own semifinal coming up but tonight it is all about Andrea.

She is the ninja that everybody is still talking about 12 months on.

She made such an impact.

Rides the bumps, one, two, and through!

Nice one.

She's got to watch the clock.

She's got just over two minutes

to make it all the way to the Salmon Ladder

to be in with a chance of being in the grand final.

Here we go on the Broken Pipes.

Starts her run. Awesome.

Stops, revives, survives.

And so precise.

(CHEERING)

I just love watching this woman and how she approaches each obstacle.

Awesome. All the way.

She never seems to get ahead of herself

and that is why she's been so successful in this competition.

Awesome. (CHEERING)

This is gonna be a big one,

the transition from the first handlebars to the second set.

Big swing.

Can she stick it?

Yes, she can!

Incredible.

That core strength, to get that momentum to get off that obstacle.

And she's just coming up to the I-Beam Cross.

I can't imagine this is gonna be any problem for Andrea Hah.

Strong grip.

Mountain climber in the Blue Mountains.

Leopard crawling underneath.

She's got about 40 seconds to get to the Salmon Ladder.

If she's outside that, she'll have to complete that entire obstacle

if she's gonna go through.

That's it. Nice one.

She's looking good, Bec.

And now she drops down.

It's time for this battle to continue.

Now Andrea Hah trying to make it a hat-trick on the Warped Wall.

She's done it twice. Can she make it a third time?

4.2m.

But this wall means so much to Andrea Hah.

PEOPLE: Beat the wall! Beat the wall!

Here she goes. Pump the arms. Up the Warped Wall.

No!

Oh, she's a long way short this time.

Maybe fatigue starting to kick in.

She's gonna have to dig deep now.

LEE: Come back.

She has two more attempts. She's not gonna panic.

She'll be alright.

Well, you might remember she did it in her third attempt in the heat.

Now in the semifinals, the pressure's on.

Time's ticking too.

The crowd right behind her, chanting, "Beat the wall!"

Come on!

I know the whole country will be willing her up the wall on this one.

Come on, girl!

Yes! She does it! She does it!

That is such a relief for her.

She must go to bed at night thinking about that Warped Wall

because it's given her such joy but such agony as well.

The wall cost her some time, Bec.

She's over a minute slower than Ben Toyer to the Salmon Ladder.

She can't beat him for speed but if she beats this obstacle,

Andrea Hah will be in the grand final.

This is incredibly tough

after doing the obstacles before the Salmon Ladder.

One.

Two. She doesn't want to waste too much time.

She lands it!

She'll be so relieved now because this next part of the obstacle...

And look, she does the one-arm hang to rest the other arm.

This is going to be more up her alley than the Salmon Ladder.

Take it with you. Taking the first one.

Gotta place it in there. Look at that.

One more of them and she's in the grand final.

Oh, close. No. Come on, Andrea.

Oh, misses again! Get it in the slot, Andrea!

Oh, no! Oh, millimetres!

Just millimetres away. But Andrea Hah misses out.

What an incredible performance.

She's usually so precise

but couldn't place the final monkey bar when it really counted.

Maybe the pressure got to her. The fatigue certainly did.

And she couldn't hold on with just one arm.

A big hug from Lee. She's putting on a brave face.

But Andrea knows she's missed a golden opportunity

to join Olivia Vivian

and fellow Blue Mountains climber Tom O'Halloran in the grand final.

Just one ninja left - parkour phenomena, YouTube sensation,

but can he add Ninja Warrior grand finalist to the highlights reel?

Buckle up, Australia. Brodie Pawson is next.

Welcome back to Ninja Island for the last run of this second semifinal.

We've had it all tonight. Oh! Go on, Furvy!

New heroes defying expectations.

Go, the Gooch!

Touches of class from returning ninjas.

He gets it in that ledge.

Alex Matthews goes through the hole, leans forward, hits the buzzer!

He's done it! Yeah!

Ninja Island is alive!

And a formidable course...

Oh!

..with no margin for error.

Get it in the slot, Andrea!

Oh!

Time for our final ninja from Brisbane,

the Parkour Prince, Brodie Pawson.

He went all the way in his heats and qualified second.

After semifinal heartbreak last year,

he is ready to make the leap to the grand final.

Being in the semis by myself,

it does feel a little bit weird, in a way.

In the heats, I was completely just in the zone.

There he goes! (BUZZER BLARES)

With Dylan, I remember, like, shouting, "Hold on, hold on."

But it was too late.

FREDDIE: Oh, oh, what a shock!

Yeah, I felt for him, but I guess we did find out the better twin.

Last year, we both fell on the Spinning Log.

Yeah, that was the killer for us.

Oh, that's incredible.

The Pawson brothers coming off the Spinning Log

in almost identical fashion.

Dylan will be here tonight,

so the goal for me is just to get past that spinning log.

If you have a slight bit of hesitation, you're just gonna go in.

This time around, I can only expect the semis to be even harder.

Whatever I can jump to make the distance,

that's what I'm gonna try to do.

FREDDIE: Here we go. 23-year-old Brodie Pawson.

One half of the parkour twins.

His brother did not make it through to the semifinals,

so this time he's riding solo.

He'll want to keep the family pride alive.

Do it for himself but also do it for his brother.

Pressure's on this young man.

(DING) There's the buzzer.

And the equation's the same as it was for Andrea Hah -

get to the Salmon Ladder quicker than Ben Toyer's time

and Brodie's in the grand final.

Oh, he's onto the Log Grip. Not wasting any time.

Onto the mat... Yes, he does. Makes it.

He stares down the Broken Pipes now.

What's he doing? This is a big run-up.

What's he up to, Brodie Pawson?

Oh! Oh, what was that?!

What?! What was that?!

No idea! Is that even possible?

FREDDIE: That is the way to do the Broken Pipes.

Don't even bother touching them.

Well, after all of that, now he's on the Spinball Wizard.

Look at the swing. Big leg drive.

Oh, look at this. The Spinball Wizard is no trouble to this lad.

And Brodie is over 20 seconds faster than Ben Toyer to this point.

MAN: Use those legs! Use your legs!

Bloomin' hell, look at him now, just scooting across.

He's after speed.

He wants to get to the top of the chimney

in the fastest time possible.

Legs! Legs! Legs!

Legs - good advice from Dylan,

to try to take some of the pressure off his upper body.

WOMAN: Keep going, keep going! Don't worry!

Keep going! You're almost there! Keep going! Keep going!

He's slowed down a bit. But he's at the end.

And now Brodie Pawson will face the Warped Wall again.

Relax. Just take it easy.

Takes a moment to size it up.

And then drops the hammer! Straight up! No problem!

The grand final in touching distance now.

He's at the Salmon Ladder 50 seconds inside Ben Toyer's time.

This one, though, might just test his upper body.

Take your time, take your time!

Brodie Pawson facing the Salmon Ladder. We know how hard it is.

We've seen strong ninjas, our favourite ninjas,

falling off at this point.

You've got it.

And his time is so good that at this stage he's into the grand final.

(CHEERING)

On the Salmon Ladder. He's got to go up three rungs.

One. That's one.

Yeah, that's it. That's two.

One more, one more!

No, no, he's only got one more.

Hang on a moment. He only went up two.

Did you count two? Yeah, he only went up two.

You've got to go up three rungs. That is a DQ.

Yep, set it up! (BUZZER BLARES)

Oh, my goodness. Oh, no. He was through.

Brodie Pawson, disqualified with one foot in the grand final.

One more. I was telling you, "One more."

Disaster for Brodie.

You've got to go up three rungs on the Salmon Ladder

but he reaches out and grabs the monkey bar after only two

and that triggered a disqualification.

Not sure whether it was fatigue or a brain explosion.

Brodie, unfortunately the red lights are on

for a disqualification on the Salmon Ladder.

You didn't go up far enough. You had to go up one more rung.

Did you know that when you left it?

Yeah, I did actually know... My arms are actually gassed.

But, oh, yeah, it sucks.

Now, we've seen all these ninjas struggle on the Broken Pipes.

You did not have that problem tonight.

I just wanted to full-send it on that one.

Just... I don't trust those pipes at all.

So just, yeah, just full-send on that one.

Mate, it was so impressive.

Everyone was just, like, gobsmacked, in the way in which you did it.

Yeah, parkour helps you on that one!

Do you think you could come back next year and go even further?

Yeah. (HALF-LAUGHS)

Next time around, yeah, I won't make a mistake like that.

Ladies and gentlemen, Brodie Pawson.

(CHEERING)

What a drama on the final run of the night.

Brodie Pawson was into the grand final.

His time on the Salmon Ladder

meant that he'd made the top eight but a DQ means you're out.

Let's have a look at the leader board.

The top eight furthest fastest ninjas

have qualified for the grand final

and Rob Patterson has wrapped up the heat,

over a minute faster than Alex Matthews in second place,

then Jack Gooch some distance back in third.

Seventh spot for Stewart Furze, 'The Furvinator',

and another new ninja, Ben Toyer, 'The Pole Ninja',

hangs onto the final qualifying spot in eight.

Rob Patterson takes out the Performance of the Night.

His lightning-fast run sends out a message loud and clear

going into the grand final.

Tomorrow night, the third of four semifinals.

And it's the toughest course yet.

Can anyone tame it?

The challenge is just going, "No, I can do that."

Determined to conquer it, the BMX Ninja, Daniel Walker.

People might have underestimated me, being a BMX racer.

But watch me. I'm gonna smash that course.

The Ninja Brothers, Jayden and Nathaniel Irving.

The Onesie Ninja, Laura Edwards.

To get through to the grand final would feel like I really made it.

And first in his heat, Barefoot Ninja, Daniel Mason.

Just missing out last year

has really given me that hunger to get there.

Plus, last year's furthest fastest, Fred Dorrington,

the Bachelor, Tim Robards,

and phenomenal gymnast Celeste Dixon.

She made it up the Warped Wall

but can she join Olivia Vivian in the grand final?

CELESTE: To get up that wall twice would be awesome.

But to get all the way to the end, that would be unbelievable. (LAUGHS)

That's tomorrow night on Australian Ninja Warrior.

Who will join our top ninjas in the grand final

and can anyone go all the way to the top of Mount Midoriyama

and become our first ever Australian Ninja Warrior?

Those questions will be answered starting tomorrow night

when the semifinals continue.

We'll see you then.

Goodnight, everybody.