Original subtitles

WOMAN: Last night, the ninja phenomenon entered a new era...

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

..when young ninjas exploded onto the course...

Yes!

These guys are obviously very young, but they can't be underestimated.

MAN: Amazing performance!

..as the attack of the teams...

That was extraordinary!

..went into full gear.

What? What? That is unbelievable!

16-year-old Ash Campbell...

The Stingray is on the precipice of a major upset!

..crushed legends...

Ashlin Herbert in the water!

..conquering the pool, and earning semifinals power.

Just watch out for the young guns, you know. We're coming.

Tonight...

..the evolution of the world's toughest obstacle course continues

when teams take on their older siblings.

He loves thinking he can beat me in competitions.

Who will win in a battle of the brothers?

I think I'm the better ninja.

Don't really like to talk myself up.

Yeah, in case he loses.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC BUILDS)

Plus last season's break-out stars...

MAN: This year I'm back to tackle the course again.

I'm here to win this time.

..return to the fastest course...

WOMAN: I have my sights set on the grand finals.

I know that I can make it.

..and attempt to beat Ninja Warrior royalty...

MAN: This year I am absolutely fired up.

..at their own game.

I am so determined to win.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC BUILDS)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Welcome to another huge night of Australian Ninja Warrior action.

I'm Leila McKinnon.

And I'm Jim Courier,

and we're here at Sydney Olympic Park,

and I can tell you, our ninjas are set for another incredible assault

on our fastest and more furious obstacle course ever.

Jim, this season's course is built for speed,

meaning we can expect some lightning times and epic thrills and spills.

That's right, Leila.

Last night we were stunned by the talent in the competition,

especially in our Attack of the Teens.

That's right.

Some of our youngest ninjas ever have exploded onto the course,

and last night we saw 16-year-old Ash Campbell

spectacularly beat Ninja royalty 'Flashlin' Ashlin Herbert,

taking out the heat and the Power Pool.

We've cranked it up a gear for heat two,

and it promises to be fast and furious tonight.

Ninjas must beat six obstacles to hit the buzzer.

First, the Shrinking Steps,

eight increasingly perilous steps,

each higher and smaller than the last.

Then a brand-new obstacle, the Candy Cane Rush.

Ninjas take a six-metre slide

before attempting to leap to a waiting saddle.

The timing of the release has to be perfect.

Obstacle three is the Domino Effect.

Ninjas run across five spinning dominos,

and it requires fast, light feet

and full lean-forward commitment.

Last night it saw the demise of five ninjas.

Another ninja killer is the fearsome Anaconda,

last night claiming seven ninjas.

Ninjas can test their strength by using the 27 knobs,

or take a shortcut.

There are two lache bars - potentially faster, but riskier.

Either way, there's a 3.5-metre leap for a safe dismount.

Next up, it was a ninja killer last year.

It's the return of Weight For It.

Here, ninjas swing from bar to bar,

their body weight pushing that first bar down

while sending the next bar rocketing upwards.

It's a leap of faith, and they need to make it four exhausting times.

(MOMENTOUS MUSIC BUILDS)

Survive all of that, and the 4.35-metre Warped Wall,

and hopefully, ninja glory awaits.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

(KLAXON SOUNDS)

Whoo!

(MOMENTOUS MUSIC BUILDS)

Don't forget, from the dozens

of ninjas competing tonight,

only our top 18 will move on to the semifinals stage.

And the top four Furthest Fastest of the night,

they'll go toe-to-toe in the Power Pool,

fighting for a unique advantage to use in those semis.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

This season, our ninjas will face off in the Power Pool.

Tonight, this is the ninjas ultimate destination.

The four fastest of this heat

will compete head to head across and five metres above the water,

with the victor earning a semifinal advantage.

This pool is a massive game-changer.

Conquer the Power Pool,

and that semifinal advantage could be the key

to earning a spot in the grand final.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

We cannot wait to get started.

A red-hot course is ready, and every one of our ninjas is set.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Our first ninja has leapt from the mall

straight onto our most formidable course yet.

Self-confessed shopaholic and first-time ninja,

welcome Yeye Zhou!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

(JAUNTY INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC)

So, my full name is Yeye Zhou,

and I'm 37 years old,

and I love shopping! (LAUGHS)

(JAUNTY MUSIC CONTINUES)

Shopping is, like, a quiet time for me.

You know, you just buy beautiful things, you know, shiny things.

I just love to wear this, like, bling, bling, bling.

It's just something different,

but also I'm a professional martial arts athlete.

(MOMENTOUS MUSIC SWELLS)

I started learning martial arts when I was five years old.

(MOMENTOUS MUSIC CONTINUES)

I enjoy training.

You've just gotta keep pushing yourself,

and anything's possible, you know?

You just gotta set your mindset, and you work for it.

I'm so excited for the ninja runs.

I've been training for my whole life! I'm coming for the buzzer!

(KLAXON BLARES)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Oooh, look at this!

Yeye has some skills!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Well, we would not wanna have a fight with Yeye Zhou.

She can move! Ahh!

Oh, a couple of flexes as well from Yeye.

Give me a 'Yeye' for Yeye, Will.

Yeye Zhou! (LAUGHS)

She's also a professional stunt performer.

So, we're hoping to see some big things from her.

Pumped up and ready to go.

I think she's gonna be fast on those feet.

I think she'd be a lot of fun in a nightclub.

That's a heck of a dance she's got going.

(CHIME SOUNDS) Can she dance across these steps?

Yes, she can.

Oh, yes. Heat two is off to a flyer.

It's a big 'yeah' to Yeye,

as she heads to the Candy Cane Rush.

And the key here is to time the release.

You only get one shot at it.

She's gotta just leap onto it, grab a hold,

go for the ride, make the transfer.

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

Just didn't get across to the slider.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

I don't think we've ever seen anyone have more fun

going down on obstacle two.

I did not see that coming. Yeye is gone too soon.

Timing on the Candy Cane Rush is everything.

Holding on a fraction too long, as Yeye did, robs your momentum.

If she let go a little sooner, she would have had that.

That's a tough break.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

So, what went wrong there, Yeye?

Um, I'm just a bit too short. (LAUGHS)

No, no, no, I need to be more... be more lache, yes.

Yeah, I'm gonna come back, alright? (LAUGHS)

Oh, there you go.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) She is gonna be back.

Why don't we do some martial arts for the camera,

just to finish off, Yeye?

Do it! Do it, Yeye! Go!

Whoa! Oh!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

I love it, Yeye!

Australia loves you, Yeye, and she will be back!

Yes! (LAUGHTER)

(LAUGHS) You're amazing, Yeye! Thank you.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

This is Australian Ninja Warrior,

where the surprises just keep coming,

and it's the newcomers providing them.

Absolutely, Leila.

This season is the Attack of the Teens,

and our next ninja has the look and swagger

we've come to expect from these young guns.

This second-generation ninja is nicknamed 'Dreadlochie'

for obvious reasons.

It's Lochie Lydom!

(UPBEAT MUSIC)

I was 12 years old when I started

watching Ninja Warrior,

because my dad competed on that.

Good job!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

(ALL EXCLAIM)

So, my parents, they own a ninja warrior gym in Geelong

called GBOT Fitness.

I've been training for about five to six years.

Watching Ninja Warrior for this long

and now finally being able to compete,

it's like a dream come true.

I've always wanted to go on the show.

So, just now that I'm here, it doesn't feel real.

So, my goal to achieve in the heat tonight

is to hit the buzzer,

because I know that feeling will be amazing.

I've always wanted to see if I can go further than my dad as well,

because then, yeah, I've got bragging rights over him

and I can show him who's the best.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

And there's dad, Jase, rocking some dread-ful hair.

Five years down the track, they've swapped places.

WILL: His dad actually owns and runs

one of the biggest ninja gyms in the country.

So, he's been doing ninja for a very long time.

Hopefully we're gonna see big things.

I miss hair. (LAUGHS)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

This is our first teen of the night. (CHIME SOUNDS)

Now, what has Lochie got for us?

First up, eight Shrinking Steps - a real test of balance...

..which Lochie passes.

Takes a nice swing on the rope,

and up to the Candy Cane Rush he goes, Leila.

Leaps straight at it,

and, yes, he caught that grip.

Great dismounts so far. No problems at all.

Alright, now for the Domino Effect.

Took out five ninjas last night,

but he's too quick for it.

Faceplants over the side. It wasn't pretty, but he got there.

Now, let's see if he can slay this Anaconda.

And this is another obstacle that caused all sorts of problems.

The ninjas have a choice -

they can use the doorknobs or they can lache.

Is he gonna go lache?

No, he's gonna stay on the doorknobs,

but he's skipping a few on the way down.

This is looking pretty good.

My only concern is this will use up a lot of energy.

A big crossover here now. That was solid.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Will his grip strength hold out for obstacle five?

So far, so good, Jim. This team is looking strong.

Watch this move - the transfer.

Is he going cross-arm?

That takes a lot of strength. That was amazing!

Yeah, it takes confidence too. He's got plenty of that.

And here comes the lache on the dismount.

Hey! Lochie! Nicely done!

Wow! This kid's impressive.

He really does look like he's done it before, doesn't he?

There's just one obstacle now between Lochie and the Warped Wall,

and this 17-year-old might get to the buzzer,

but first he needs to make it past Weight For It,

and it's all about grip strength.

He is a newbie, but he knows what to do.

He's shaking that blood back down into his hands.

This course is punishing, and it's not over yet.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

We're about to find out how much those doorknobs took out of him.

What does he have left in the tank?

Oh! That was close.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

I'm a bit on edge here, Jim.

I'm not. I am so impressed with this kid...

Oh, no! Oh, no! I jinxed him.

Oh! He was so, so close!

Oh, boy! It was all looking so easy.

Would it have been different if he'd lached on the Anaconda?

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Lochie Lydom bolted out of the gate,

smashing through the first three obstacles.

He chose the doorknobs across the Anaconda,

and it just sapped his energy.

In the end, with the Warped Wall in his sight,

he just couldn't hold on when that bar dropped.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

WILL: How are you, Lochie?

You must be really proud of yourself there, mate. Huge effort.

Yeah, I'm really proud.

I think I had a good run,

and I also beat where Dad got last time he came on the show.

(LAUGHTER)

Great stuff, Lochie. Congratulations, mate.

Well done! Lochie Lydom, everyone!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) Well done, brother.

Well done, man. Great effort.

There is some serious new talent here this season,

and they're here to rattle the cage,

much like a couple of new sensations did last season.

That's right, Jim.

Last year we discovered a new ninja power couple

that proved they have what it takes

to be the next king and queen of Australian Ninja Warrior.

And they're back again to claim the crown.

Here's Will and Woody.

Thanks, Jim and Leila.

We're here with Judith Carroll,

sensation from last year,

with her partner, Mat, and their little dachshund, Frankie.

Hello, Frankie... oh! Hates Woody.

(BARKS) (LAUGHTER)

It's OK. (BARKS)

Ohh! (LAUGHTER)

(LAUGHS) Sorry! It's extraordinary.

Alright, let's... (BARKS)

Good luck, Judith. Good luck, mate.

Good luck, Frankie. Nice to meet you.

Good girl! JUDITH: Say bye!

(MOMENTOUS MUSIC BUILDS)

In season five, I was the only woman to make it up the Warped Wall

out of all of the heats.

REBECCA MADDERN: Go, go, go! Pump the arms!

Oh, she's done it! BEN FORDHAM: Yes! She's done it!

Oh, ho!

Oh, my goodness me! You good thing!

So, I made it into the semifinals with my boyfriend, Mat...

She's pumping him up, getting behind him.

..which was great. (LAUGHS)

Since last year, we've become parents.

This is Frankie - she's 1.5 years,

and this is Olive, and she's four months old.

MAT: The dogs come everywhere with us.

They come bouldering with us when we go to the local gym.

We do everything with them. They're like our kids.

Frankie is very protective of me. MAN: Hi!

(BARKS) Arggh!

(LAUGHTER)

But her bark is definitely bigger than her bite.

Our dogs are our biggest supporters.

They're always there when we're training at home.

This year Frankie's even gonna be on our sideline, cheering us on,

which will be very nice.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

LEILA: Here she is - it's Judith Carroll.

She has been a superstar on this course,

and we are hoping to see her up that wall again tonight.

WOODY: They call her the Nanny Ninja.

Kids that she actually nannies are on the sideline, supporting her,

which is very, very exciting.

And the kids were on the sidelines last season.

Judith says they got her up the Warped Wall.

Can they do it again tonight?

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

There's her boyfriend, Mat Hutchins-Reed,

with the feisty little Frankie on the sidelines.

I think Woody will be keeping his distance tonight.

That is one cute pup!

(CHIME SOUNDS)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Off she goes onto the Shrinking Steps.

Remember, three more this year than last,

but no problem for the Nanny Ninja.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

The Candy Cane Rush, obstacle two.

Ohh, the lightness of that leap and the technique!

Outstanding!

Now, speed is essential for the Domino Effect.

Let's see if she can get across.

Alright, dominos, let's go!

One, two, three, four, five! Yes!

Oooh!

And she's a rock climber, so she should be good on the Anaconda.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

And she's the first female in the world to attempt this.

There's 27 doorknobs or the lache bars.

Look, I think Judith will back her grip strength here.

I mean, to climb the Warped Wall, you have to get there first.

Sometimes you just have to play it smart.

Oh! Is she gonna lache?

Oh, no. I could never do that!

That's amazing! This is incredible.

This is an athlete with total confidence in her ability.

Look, you can't muscle your way through an obstacle.

You have to rely on technique.

What Judith is doing is clever!

And she knocked that transfer down beautifully.

These are smart tactics. She's conserving energy.

Every time she feels the burn, she stops to give her muscles a rest.

I can't even ride a bike one-handed.

The way she holds with straight arms,

she's actually saving other muscles.

Her swinging legs are helping,

and this course needs brain as well as brawn.

Yeah, last night seven ninjas failed on this obstacle,

so she's right to be careful,

but look how comfortable she is approaching the gap.

She's in total control and she knows exactly what she's doing.

Brilliantly done, Judith Carroll!

The first female in the world to conquer the Anaconda!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

She was up there for a long time,

and now she has to test herself all over again on Weight For It.

She's gotta get up the rope, get to the first bar,

and that's when the pulley systems come into play,

and you gotta be ready for the burn.

Grabs the first bar. Three more to go.

Come on, Judith.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Yes! She spans it!

Oh, that wingspan! That was awesome.

Just two bars left now.

Get ready for the drop. She dropped it in there.

Come on, now!

Her grip strength is insane!

Get that wall, Judith. Come on, now! Up and over.

We're right behind her, Jim! We're swinging for her!

And... yes!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

She almost went over the bar, she swung so high.

She's fighting it, but she's got the dismount. Yes!

Judith! She's exactly where she wants to be.

It took her three attempts last season.

What can she do in 2022?

Come on!

She's a little tired, but there is no quit in this ninja!

She's going up top.

Oh, just by the fingertips!

Judith, the Nanny Ninja!

She's up the wall! (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

(LAUGHS)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Back to back for Judith!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Judith takes a disciplined approach to the ninja course,

preferring control and pace over speed and risk.

She needed almost a minute to get across the Anaconda,

but she knew she had the grip strength to last the distance,

and she was rewarded,

scaling the Warped Wall

and hitting the buzzer for a second year in a row.

(MOMENTOUS MUSIC SWELLS)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Judith? Yes.

Wow. Did you just kiss your dog? Maybe.

That's fine. Everyone's seen it now on national TV, which is great.

But, Judith, you were taking individual hands off the Anaconda.

We haven't seen any ninja do that.

How is your grip so good?

I climb a lot. (LAUGHS)

No, I mean, like, three or four times a week.

So, I'm on my hands as much as I am on my feet,

and I think that's definitely a strength for me,

being able to just hang on.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Now, Judith, you were the only woman up the Warped Wall

in the heats last season.

You're back up there again.

Have you got a competition for the other men, or the other boys,

in this competition?

(LAUGHTER) Watch out.

I love that! Ahh!

I bloody love that, and your partner Mat's gonna be competing.

He's one of them! He's gotta watch out for himself.

And your little dog, Frankie - now, let's, um...

..now, Woods, Frankie's not a huge fan of yours.

Frankie's been attacking me backstage -

quite seriously, everyone, Frankie has been attacking me backstage.

I just wanna see if he hates me, or if he was just in a bad mood.

It's a she. Oh, it's a she!

Just a bad mood!

Oh, it's a girl! There we go - she likes me again, everyone.

The dog likes me!

Put your hands together for Judith Carroll, everyone!

LEILA: We all like you, Woody, and how about Judith Carroll?

One of our new sensations from last season,

setting the bar tonight.

Time for a break, but stick around.

There's plenty more ninja action right after this.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Still to come, our ninjas prepare to tackle our fastest course yet,

from determined newcomers...

I will be up that wall, hitting the buzzer. That Warped Wall is mine.

..and some big names in ninja,

including Bryson Klein and Alex Bigg.

Then, fuelled by sibling rivalry,

pole vaulting brothers go head to head on the ninja course.

Who will reach new heights - older brother Ethan, or teen Aiden?

Tonight I'm gonna show Aiden that older brothers always win.

But up next, hometown legend and returnee ninja Cruze Morley is back

to claim his place in the semifinals.

I might be from the small town of Boggabri,

but I'm bringing big energy to the course tonight.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC SWELLS)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

From Sydney Olympic Park, you're back with Australian Ninja Warrior.

Our next ninja wanted to put this small town on the map.

Now, last season, we think he did that.

LEILA: Yeah, he blew our minds and stole our hearts

in a spectacular debut season,

and we are so thrilled to welcome him back.

Give it up for the Boggy Ninja - it's Cruze Morley!

(DRIVING ROCK RHYTHMS)

CRUZE: When I went back to Boggabri after making the semis...

BEN: Where's this kid come from?

..yeah, a lot of people saying that I'm a star around town,

which is good.

They're proud of me. (LAUGHS)

Nice to talk to you.

Got the support of the whole town behind you there, my friend.

This beautiful crowd here.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

WOMAN: Yeah, Boggy Ninja! (LAUGHS)

(MOMENTOUS MUSIC BUILDS)

Since then, I've opened up my own ninja gym in Boggabri.

We've had a massive impact towards the kids.

People are travelling from three hours away

just to come out to train with me.

WOMAN: Yes! Pull it up, pull it up!

They've come in there, and doing a bit of fitness.

It's really inspiring me to, you know, do more for the community.

(MOMENTOUS MUSIC CONTINUES)

For season six, my goal is to make it up to the wall,

hit the buzzer, and scream to the crowd,

"The Boggy Ninja has finally arrived."

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

JIM: He gets so much support from Boggabri.

He's got a lot right here on the sidelines as well.

What an inspiration!

(LEILA LAUGHS) Love this guy!

He's lapping it up,

and we know from last year this guy is an absolute weapon.

Another ninja who is back for some more unfinished business.

Cruze Morley wants a buzzer.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

We're expecting big things from this small town ninja.

He's off over the eight Shrinking Steps.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Oh, yes!

Didn't get bogged down.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

How about the support in the crowd?

They're going nuts for the Boggy Ninja.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Right, on to the Candy Cane Rush here.

You gotta jump up, slide down that candy cane.

He's visualising it, ready to go for a sweet ride past obstacle two.

It's a six-metre slide down a candy cane.

He's checking his take-off.

Let's see...!

Oh, no!

Oh, he's in trouble now. This is not good.

Cross!

Yeah, the question is whether he can get enough momentum

to make that two-metre lache.

Come on, Boggy Ninja! What have you got?

Here he goes. This has to be it.

Oh, this is quite the predicament.

That was the one. He had to go. He's gonna lose speed here.

You know, if you stick on a candy cane for too long,

you just get stuck, right?

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

I don't know. He's gonna give it a red-hot go.

Gotta go, Boggy!

I'm starting to think that he's just not letting go

'cause he's sure we're giving away a prize

for whoever can hold on the longest.

That's not how this thing works, Boggy.

You gotta give it up at some point.

I reckon, Jim, we should just tell him to let go.

Come on, let go, Boggy!

I'm loving this 'never say die' attitude,

but the laws of physics are gonna get him.

Look at the determination on this ninja.

No! Ohh!

What a speccy fall! What a way to go!

Cruze Morley, the Boggy Ninja.

Taking another look at this attempt from the Boggy Ninja,

and it's a perfect landing on it,

but as he goes to make the transfer, Leila, he just doesn't release.

I think he would've had the distance.

He just was hanging on.

What a shame!

And the Boggy Ninja would become the soggy ninja.

G'day, Cruze.

Mate, congratulations on making it back out here, mate.

How do you feel?

After season five, I put a lot of work into it,

but you know, just didn't quite find the right dismount

on that... on that jump there.

Now, you're from Boggabri.

Can you just talk to us about how you actually go about training

for something like this in a place like that?

Yeah, I think... I started at the park

and then got good support from friends and family.

So, they built up, you know, a gym to kind of support,

and we went from small,

and here I am, you know, doing that full-time, running it,

and you know, coaching the kids, about 120 a week.

So, you know, it's just pretty good to inspire them,

and you know, pursue their passion, pretty much.

Good on you, mate. Love hearing that.

Hey, Cruze, thanks so much for joining us, mate.

Congratulations again. Great effort.

No worries. Thank you. Appreciate it. Thank you!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Sometimes you find inspiration and attitude and effort.

He put up quite the fight.

He certainly did, Jim, and now it's time for a different kind of battle.

Yes, Leila, it is time for a bit of sibling rivalry.

Now we're going to pit brother against brother

in the ultimate bro-down!

Little bro is 17 while this ninja is two years older, Leila.

Let's give it up for Ethan Princena-White!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

This is Aiden. He's 17.

This is my brother, Ethan.

He's 19, and he always thinks he's the best.

(LAUGHTER)

I definitely have to beat Aiden.

If he can beat me in the ninja course,

it's gonna be a tough one to recover from.

Yeah. (LAUGHS)

(UPBEAT MUSIC)

We both run a dog portrait business called Perfect Portraits.

So, the customer will send in a picture of their dog,

and then we send it off to our team of digital artists.

We frame it and then we ship it to the customer.

(UPBEAT MUSIC CONTINUES)

Check it out, man.

Oh, yeah, that looks mad.

Running your own business

does give a little bit of extra responsibility,

like, on top of schoolwork, on top of sports and everything.

It is a little bit hectic sometimes.

We've been pole vaulting for going on to five years now.

WOMAN: Yes! Whoo!

My proudest achievement was winning the under-20s Oceanic Championships.

It was an amazing feeling, for sure.

I think, as an older brother,

I'm definitely always looking to beat my little brother,

and as a pole vaulter, I'm always looking to set the bar high.

So, tonight I'm gonna smash the course.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

So, big brother Ethan ready to show 17-year-old Aiden how it's done,

and listen to this crowd.

Ethan's friends there

barracking the family on, and look at them!

They're going wild to cheer these brothers on!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

(CHIME SOUNDS)

OK, here we go.

The big brother heading out on the Shrinking Steps,

and he is over!

Straight up to the Candy Cane Rush, Jim.

Nicely done, but the Candy Cane Rush is a whole other level,

as a couple of ninjas have already discovered tonight.

Can Ethan make the jump?

Over, and yes! Just!

He lands it.

Setting the bar high for his little brother... oh!

The dominos!

Wow! That escalated quickly. It did, didn't it?

He just ran straight at them. No hesitation.

Well, you do have to attack them with some confidence

and plenty of lean-forward attitude.

The moment you lean back is the moment you're gone.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Big brother's set the marker, though.

Now little brother knows how far he needs to go

and he'll have a year's worth of bragging rights.

(LAUGHS)

(MOMENTOUS MUSIC BUILDS)

Still to come, ninja legends and last year's new sensations

are vying for their place in our toughest Power Pool yet.

Power Pool tonight, it really is game-changing.

Judith Carroll is the only ninja

to get up the Warped Wall so far tonight,

but with some heavyweight ninjas still left to run...

I want to win the Power Pool really badly.

..can she keep her place in the Power Pool?

I'm gonna be gunning for it, absolutely.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

LEILA: Thanks to Energizer, who will battle it out in the Power Pool?

The top four ninjas will advance to tonight's endgame

and race for a huge advantage.

Who will win?

Get ready to vote later in the show at:

(MOMENTOUS MUSIC BUILDS)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Well, welcome back to the thrilling new season

of Australian Ninja Warrior here at Olympic Park, in Sydney,

and it has been a tough night on the course

for some of our ninjas.

Calisthenics coach Khaled Mahmoud

dominated the very tough Anaconda.

JIM: He's hammering through these doorknobs.

Last season he struggled on Weight For It.

This season - wait for it.

Oh, no!

He fell again.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Australia's favourite Irish ninja Paul Culloty

was hoping for a shamrockin' good time on the course tonight.

Oh, he barely made the grab, but he's done it!

But instead the Anaconda took him out,

and the Irishman was all out of luck.

I'm going insane, 'cause I was so excited!

Here. Here, here, here. Have one of these.

Have a sip of that. Jesus!

There you are. Cheers, brother.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

IT student Isaac Deworsop hoped he could crack the code

of the Ninja Warrior course...

He's got them in one!

..but he couldn't hack it on the Candy Cane Rush.

Oh, no! He's stuck!

He did, however, download in style.

Yay! What a dismount! Oh!

As it stands, Judith Carroll is the only ninja

to hit a buzzer so far tonight,

and she is in pole position.

(KLAXON BLARES)

Her partner Mat Hutchins-Reed will run a little later on.

But now we're ready for part two of our brotherly battle.

Earlier, Ethan Princena-White made it to the Domino Effect,

but that's as far as he got.

Can little bro go one better?

Here's Aiden Princena-White!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Look at that! How's the support from the schoolmates?

It's sensational. They are right behind him.

This is craziness! They are so fired up.

WILL: Alright, Aiden Princena-White.

I can barely talk over the crowd! Wow!

They are going absolutely bananas for this kid. He's 17!

Attack of the Teens continues, and look what it brings to ninja -

the screaming kids.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Will he beat his brother - who knows?

He's a pole vaulting national champion, Woods.

So, grip should be a strength.

(CHIME SOUNDS)

OK, there's the buzzer.

Everyone's watching.

Come on, Aiden. Over those Shrinking Steps.

You've got your brother in your sights.

First obstacle down.

Looks like it's a mosh pit up there in the stands.

They are getting after it,

and it's time for him to get after it on the Candy Cane Rush.

Go, buddy!

Oh, what a catch! Fingertips only!

There's that pole vaulting I was telling you about.

There's that grip.

Alright, now it's time for the Domino Effect.

This is it. He's gotta do this, Leila.

Ohh! Bragging rights are on the line.

Go, buddy! Go!

Yes! He did it! Yes! Whoo!

That is a win in itself.

His brother is not gonna live that down.

Alright, one down and a big one to go.

He's got bragging rights. Can he get the buzzer?

He is thumping his away across these doorknobs on Anaconda.

Look at him go! Oh, look at that technique!

Careful here on the transfer. This is a tricky one.

He's gotta reverse the hands.

Yep, get that... Here he goes...

Oh, no! Oh, no!

He's down, but what another amazing effort from one of our teams.

That was a pretty quick time too.

He may have done enough to make it to the semifinals,

and it's a flat-out party in the stands.

Aiden didn't make the same mistake as his big brother.

He absolutely powered across the dominos,

and he sped through the first half of the Anaconda,

but had his hands in the wrong spot to make the transfer.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

Well, one thing you can't take away from Aiden

is it's younger brother - one, older brother - nil.

I've got a feeling that Ethan will be hearing about this

for a while to come.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

From little bros to little ninjas,

this pocket rocket might be our shortest competitor,

but that won't stop her from reaching for Mount Midoriyama.

It's the Gold Coast's Skye Haddy.

(MOMENTOUS MUSIC BUILDS)

Season five last year, I was really close to making it to the end,

but trying to reach for the peg,

I wasn't quite there.

Just on my fingertips, and I slipped off.

I think my biggest struggle will always be my height, my wingspan.

My background performing in the circus

has obviously helped me with my abilities.

So, I think I just have to have more confidence, trusting myself.

I'm back for season six

because I still have not made it up that wall yet.

I need to get it. I know that I can do it.

I've been training as hard as I can.

I may be the smallest ninja here,

but I am gonna give the largest performance of my life.

This is definitely my year. You're gonna see me hit that buzzer.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Let's go, Skye!

This is her fourth time on Australian Ninja Warrior.

She is experienced.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

153cm - that's five feet tall in the old scale.

Skye Haddy - she is the shortest ninja this year.

Hello, Skye. How you going? Hey! Good! (LAUGHS)

Amazing. Great energy about her.

She is short,

but she ran away to join the circus when she was younger...

Wow!

..which made her aerial gear incredible.

Wow!

So, hopefully the height doesn't stop her tonight.

(CHIME SOUNDS)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Skye Haddy heading for obstacle one - the Shrinking Steps.

Dancing across them with some fancy footwork,

and heading for the Candy Cane Rush.

She's gonna have to do some jumping here.

154cm. That's her wingspan as well.

So, you've gotta hope she's got a big jump in her with her legs.

Here she goes.

Yes, she's up.

Oh, sky-high Skye has nailed that.

She's very happy with herself.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Alright, obstacle three is the Domino Effect.

Look at the focus.

You need to have agility and you need to have speed, and look at that!

That was one of the best Domino Effect runs we've seen this season.

That was incredible!

Now, the Anaconda will be the real test for Skye Haddy.

Given she's 49 kilos, do you reckon she doorknobs the whole way,

or does she lache?

Like, she's been in the circus. She's a circus performer.

But it's just about whether she can get the distance, though, Woods.

Is she gonna go for the lache?

Looks like she's winding up for it.

Right, remember this is a three-metre lache, Jim.

That's almost twice her height.

If she can make the distance, this will be astonishing.

Come on! You can do it, Skye!

(AUDIENCE EXCLAIMS) Oh!

Ohh! Bit more!

What an effort, though!

She went for it! I love that about Skye Haddy.

No fear whatsoever.

I can't believe she nearly got it.

Impressive.

(MOMENTOUS MUSIC SWELLS)

Hey, Skye. How you going? How you feeling?

Yeah, OK.

I wish I had've just had a little bit more height

to get my hands on there.

I had it at my fingertips! It was so close!

Just standing there, I am realising how short you are!

It is bloody impressive... I'm sorry, but it is so...

..no, I'm not being mean!

I mean, it is so impressive

that you pretty much reached the second lache there,

given your height.

We do have a replay here.

Can you talk us through what was going through your head?

I was like, you know what, I'm just gonna send it -

big hips, big reach.

Oh, wow, I was really high!

Look at you!

They call me 'sky-high' for a reason.

Arggh! Come on! (LAUGHS)

Ohhh!

You were so close.

Skye, seriously, incredible effort. Great run.

I reckon it might be enough to get you to the semifinal.

Fingers crossed. Round of applause for Skye, everyone!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Well, what an amazing attitude from Skye.

It mightn't have been the result she was after,

but you wouldn't know it.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Coming up...

This is Joshua. I don't really like him.

Oh! (LAUGHS)

..it's round two in the battle of the brothers

when these Sydney gymnasts go head to head.

I think I train harder. He has a lazy side to him.

Yeah, but I always seem to be better, so that's alright.

Oh! (LAUGHS)

And later, four-time grand finalist Bryson Klein bears big news.

Since season five, something really big has happened to me.

I've gotten engaged to the love of my life, Jemma.

He's got the ring, but can he take home the trophy?

Now all I've gotta do is win Ninja Warrior.

This is my year. Nothing will stop me on the course.

(MOMENTOUS MUSIC SWELLS)

(MOMENTOUS MUSIC BUILDS)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Well, welcome back to Australian Ninja Warrior.

Before the break, we witnessed 17-year-old Aiden Princena-White

beat his older sibling, Ethan, in the battle of the brothers...

..but get ready, Australia, because it's round two

of the ultimate bro-downs,

and something tells me this older brother aims to even the score

with the younger teen siblings.

It's Joshua De-Roo!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

JIM: Oh!

Jeepers! What's going on here?

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

So, you say you've been working out, huh?

(LAUGHS)

Jeez! What a specimen!

Hi. I'm Joshua. Hi. I'm Leium.

And together... BOTH: We are...

The De-Roo brothers. We are the De-Roo brothers.

We do everything together.

When I started gymnastics, he started gymnastics.

Been doing that for the past eight years.

Every sport I have done,

he has also joined on the same year.

So, it's always him wanting to be just like me.

What's going on? Hey! Hey, you stuffed me up.

I just try to be better than him.

Make him look bad in front of other people.

Yeah, that's true.

(DRIVING ROCK RHYTHMS)

I think I'm the better ninja.

I'm very modest. I don't like to talk myself up.

Yeah, in case he loses. (LAUGHTER)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

WILL: Joshua De-Roo.

He's a 19-year-old Zoology student who loves exotic animals.

He looks a bit like an exotic animal himself.

WOODY: Hmm!

Have a look - he's got that mane, that rig!

Ohh!

I'll see if we can get him to purr like a tiger.

Josh! Can you roar like a tiger for me?

(ROARS)

Wow, that's exotic! Pretty good.

Still surprised he did that. Let's watch him.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

JIM: I mean, look at that hair.

Do you Aussies call that a mullet too?

LEILA: Yep, we sure do.

And, look, there's younger brother Leium on the sidelines.

There's a lot of sibling rivalry in this family, Jim,

and this is a chance to settle it right here on the course.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

(CHIME SOUNDS)

Alright, he is up and running, Leila,

and so far, so great.

That was silky smooth!

Oh, he'll be loving that start, Josh.

Now he's on to the Candy Cane Rush.

Let's see what he's got here.

Straight up on to the Candy Cane Rush.

Oh, good momentum on the slider, and he's off.

He's heading for the dominos. This makes me nervous.

Now he's gotta get focused.

This Domino Effect has been deadly.

And he's over! Yes.

Keep in mind it's his first time on the course. He's moving!

But now here's the time to shine

if you've got that gymnastics background.

Look at him just trying to figure out where the hands go

for the optimum move up the Anaconda.

Will his love for exotic animals help him on the Anaconda, Woods?

Mmm.

He's going doorknob by doorknob up to the lache grip.

Is he going to do it? He's thinking about it.

Not gonna risk the lache, is he?

No, the gymnast decided three metres is too risky.

Now he's got some work to do as he boulders across these doorknobs.

Oh, no!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

The Anaconda claims another scalp.

Straight off the snake down into the water.

Alright, Joshua! Whoo-hoo!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Josh absolutely owned the first three obstacles,

but he decided not to risk the lache option on the Anaconda.

Fatigue got the better of him,

and he becomes the Anaconda's fourth victim tonight.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Josh, how are you feeling, mate? You looked amazing out there.

Thank you, thank you.

I'm happy I even made it that far.

I was a bit nervous, but more excited, yeah.

First time on the course, mate.

Can I just say, you are absolutely stacked?

Thank you. Have you got any tips for me?

No, not really. Yeah, no, can't fix this.

Yeah, fair enough. Congratulations, mate.

You did brilliantly. First time on the course.

Give it up for Josh De-Roo, everybody! Well done, mate.

Thank you, thank you.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

So, older brother Joshua has laid down a marker for Leium.

It's pretty simple, really.

He beats the Anaconda, he beats his brother.

(DRIVING ROCK RHYTHMS)

There's another pairing keeping it in the family tonight -

Judith Carroll and her partner Mat Hutchins-Reed.

She's the only ninja up the Warped Wall tonight

and is in a prime position for the Power Pool,

but there are some breakout stars from last season

itching to get onto the course,

including Mat and 'Rocket Man' Dylan James.

Who will be in the final four

fighting it out for the crucial semifinal advantage?

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

LEILA: Our next Ninja is hoping a recent shoulder operation

doesn't stop him from getting to his fourth grand final.

But he says his shoulder recovery wouldn't have been possible

without his favourite training buddy.

My favourite training buddy, hands down, is my son.

He's four years old and he's in the gym with me all the time.

Well done. That was sick.

It's impossible to say how much he loves Ninja.

He's just grown up with it

and it's just become part of his life.

WOMAN: How are you, Arlo? Hi, Dadda.

Whenever I go to Ninja and Arlo can't come with me...

he always leaves me a little gift in my suitcase.

This time he drew me a map.

But it has been a rough year.

Coming into this season, I'm coming off shoulder surgery.

Stitches are out. Tape's off.

I have to take it out of this thing to do some exercises

a couple of times a day.

It's all healed

but it's in the back of my mind -

I don't wanna rip all that good work off.

I'm out here now to prove that, you know, I've had shoulder surgery,

that I'm good to go.

This is what I train so hard for through my recovery,

this is why I'm back.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

LEILA: Alex Bigg, the Bigg Ninja,

getting some big support here.

JIM: I think we also have some interested people watching it

on the big screen.

There they are.

Wife Amy.

That's little ninja Arlo.

Arlo, whatta ya got to say to your pop?

(BLOWS RASPBERRY) (LAUGHTER)

Ha! He's blown him a raspberry.

I think that's four-year-old for "send it". (CHUCKLES)

Send it, Dad.

Alex Bigg.

On the Shrinking Steps.

Nonstop to the buzzer. That's what he's hoping for.

Yes! Yes! Well done!

OK. Now this is the first time

he gets to test his shoulder on the course.

Let's see how he handles it on the Candy Cane Rush.

Nicely done! Oh!

Well played. Solid lache to the dismount.

The Domino Effect.

Some fast feet here.

Some commitment.

Ooh! He might be big but don't let that fool you.

He's moving quickly through this course.

Well, his shoulder's held up so far.

Let's hope it continues now for the Anaconda.

Will he lache, take the shortcut?

Yes, he's going speed round.

It's a time-saver,

but the lache is really gonna put a lot of pressure on his shoulder.

There's the first lache!

He'd love to have that advantage going into the finals.

And he's across!

(GROANS) Oh! Oh, he's straight into it!

Love that. He's quick. He's moving.

He is moving. This is one of the fastest runs of the night,

as he heads to Weight For It.

He's climbing the rope and he's got the first bar.

He is blowing a hole on the clock with this thing.

This is amazing how fast he's going.

This has to be tough on his shoulder but he's not letting it stop him.

He wants a Power Pool spot and a shot at the semifinal advantage.

This is the tough one.

Yeah, this is the longest lache.

This is the danger zone.

Can his shoulder handle the impact of the drop?

Whoa! Whoo! That's tricky.

Good recovery.

Alex Bigg is working hard on obstacle five.

(CLUNK) (CHEERING) Goes for the lache. Nice save!

Weight For It has really tested the Ninjas tonight.

Alright, two down.

One to go!

Nice span there. Yes!

Alex Bigg has made it to the Warped Wall.

He's made it to the final destination.

Here he goes.

(CHEERING)

(BUZZER) Oh, yes! He's hit the buzzer.

1:43 on the clock.

What an incredible time.

(TRIUMPHANT MUSIC) Look at his son, Arlo.

Cheering him on. What a moment!

(TRIUMPHANT MUSIC) (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Alex came out of the gates, focused on posting a fast time,

and his flawless laches on the Anaconda

gave him the best chance of grabbing the top spot.

His only error came

when he missed the catch from the second to third bar

on Weight For It.

He quickly switched tactics

and dashed up the Warped Wall and into first spot on the leader board.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Well done, big fella.

Arlo, can you hear me, mate?

I followed your map and made it to Ninja.

I did what you did on the picture and I made it to the top.

Thanks, buddy.

You're gonna have to make me another one for the semis.

I love you, Dadda.

Oh, thanks, buddy.

I love you too, mate.

What a moment! Great job, Alex.

(TRIUMPHANT MUSIC)

It was one of the most incredible runs of the night.

And let's see how that time is reflected on the leader board.

Alex Bigg, a true Ninja legend,

proving the old guard are still in charge of this course.

(READS GRAPHIC)

What an amazing run!

(DRAMATIC MUSIC) (CHEERING)

Still to come -

Alex has the top spot but there are some big guns ready to fire.

I am so determined to win season six of Australian Ninja Warrior.

I know I have what it takes.

All I'm missing is the trophy.

Plus, last year's new sensations Mat Hutchins-Read

and the "Rocket Man", Dylan James.

But next -

he's a farmer and small town Ninja

who's journeyed all the way to the big city

to try his hand at the course.

Yeah, I guess with my farming background and my age,

perhaps I may be an underdog.

But, yeah, I don't mind that status. I'll take it.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

JIM: Welcome back to Australian Ninja Warrior,

where the Anaconda is proving to be one sassy serpent tonight.

LEILA: It certainly is.

Jim, this three-time grand finalist Jordan Papandrea

struggled to lache across the Anaconda...

(AUDIENCE GROANS) (BUZZER)

..falling prey to the raging reptile.

In last season's grand final,

snake-loving 'Jungle' Jimmy Burrow came off on the Snake Run.

Tonight, he returned to redeem himself.

Put your left hand over, Jimmy.

But he couldn't make the transfer on the Anaconda.

Yet another snake obstacle his downfall on the course.

OK, back to the action.

And running on the course now is 16-year-old Leium De-Roo.

He's determined to beat his older brother, Joshua,

who fell off on the Anaconda.

What's he got?

WOMAN: Let's go! Yeah! Whoo-hoo!

Great dismount.

He has the Domino Effect next.

JIM: That was pretty sweet.

Can he be slick here?

Yes, he can! Oh! Look at that.

Now this is the test.

This is what it all boils down to.

This is where his brother came undone.

Can he figure it out?

Will he choose to lache, unlike his brother?

Conserve energy.

Oh, he's going the lache, Jim.

I love this! He's got a nice hip swing working.

Can he get the distance?

No! (BUZZER)

I think he had a couple of doorknobs on his brother there.

Gee, I reckon he got the bragging rights

but the Anaconda does it again!

WOMAN: You did well.

Better than your brother!

Whoo-hoo!

The course really has been brutal tonight.

Only two Ninjas have made it up the Warped Wall,

Judith Carroll

and Alex Bigg.

So there's plenty of time

to secure a top-four spot and make it to the Power Pool.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

Our next Ninja is hoping he can put his farmer's arms to good use

on the course tonight.

Yeah, this first time Ninja is about to be the talk of the town.

Let's welcome Simon Martin.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

(GENTLE MUSIC)

I'm a fourth-generation farmer.

Live on a 10,000 acre property

and have about 3,000 merino sheep.

Karoonda has only got about 300 people.

Yeah, I think the older you get

the more you appreciate the small communities

and how everyone knows each other.

Our kids are known for having a kind of famous sheep in the town.

We've got our pet sheep, Diamond, painted on the silos in Karoonda,

down the main street.

I started my journey just watching the show with my kids.

We absolutely loved it.

This is my first time on the course.

Just can't wait to get out there.

The first obstacle is definitely gonna be nerve-racking,

but once I get through that,

I'm hoping I've got the talent to hit a buzzer.

(ROCK MUSIC)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

LEILA: This 41-year-old is a long way from the farm

and the small town of Karoonda.

512 residents.

511 tonight because we've borrowed Simon for the night.

Simon Martin.

He is called "Farmer Arms".

Apparently he has incredible grip strength

and his handshake breaks bones.

Let's test this puppy out.

Good luck, Simon!

Good luck, Simon.

(HOARSELY) Good luck.

Phroar! Farmer arms! (CHORTLES)

Let's see how he goes.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

There's the buzzer.

He's sending it tonight here at Sydney Olympic Park

on the first obstacle, the Shrinking Steps.

He's over!

JIM: And he is up and running

and ready to take a ride on the Candy Cane Rush.

He's tall enough to just lean into this one and leap.

No run-up necessary.

Down he goes. Lache up.

Ooh, he barely caught that one but he is through.

Simon's in his 40s

but he's attacking this course tonight like a young fella.

And we're over the Dominoes.

Come on. Come on. Yes!

Made it look easy. He's light on his feet for a big guy.

But here's the real test.

This one has been brutal on the Ninjas tonight -

the Anaconda.

He's got the size, Leila.

He is pretty tall. 182cm.

The lache could be an option.

No. He's gonna trust those farmer's arms,

and the first-time Ninja is 41 and tackling this like a teen.

Holding it the whole way is tough, as we know,

all the way down those knobs, but a lot of strength.

It's like he's got the technique down as well.

He's got the farmer's arms, boys,

and he's putting them to good use.

Only four Ninjas have made it to the end of the Anaconda.

Can Simon be number five?

Come on.

Come on, Simon.

Come on. Ready for his dismount.

He's done the hard part.

Oh, yeah!

What are we seeing here?

This is a surprise package in full flight right now.

The Farmer's Arms is getting busy on the course.

Simon's ahead of Judith.

If he completes the course, he's in Power Pool contention.

We saw Lochie run out of gas earlier on Weight For It

after taking the doorknobs.

Will Simon push through?

This one is a challenge, Leila, though. It's a challenge.

I reckon he's up for it, Jim.

He's one obstacle away from the Warped Wall.

The farmer from South Australia heads up the rope on Weight For It.

This is tricky but he does have reach.

Yes, he spanned that nicely.

(CHEERING)

Have the Farmer Arms got enough diesel in the tank

to power him home?

Here we go.

Oh no! No! No!

He's in the water. He's in the drink.

And I think he's probably into the semifinals as well

by getting to the fifth obstacle.

That was an amazing debut run for a 41-year-old -

the second oldest in his heat.

Simon was looking comfortable on Weight For It

up until his second lache.

He just didn't generate quite enough height or power on his swing

to get more than his fingertips to the bar.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

That was an absolutely stellar debut here.

Alright, let's see what our next Ninja has got.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) (DRAMATIC MUSIC)

(JAZZY MUSIC)

(JAZZY MUSIC)

MAN: I picked up the saxophone when I was 12 years old.

I've been performing for close to two decades now.

That's a long time!

Back in 2007, I joined the army as a full-time musician.

We do a lot more than just entertain the troops.

We're there to support the troops.

It's very difficult

to maintain being a professional musician at times

when you can be worried about the environment around you.

Because I'm a musician, people don't see me as a Ninja.

They don't see me as someone that's a fit and agile person.

I've been training hard for Australian Ninja Warrior.

I think the sky's the limit for me.

I wanna tackle this course as quickly as I can

and get up that Warped Wall.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Go, Saxy!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Is he wearing pyjama shorts?

WILL: Yeah, I hear the big fella's wearing boxers.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) (WHOOPS)

LEILA: The "Saxy Ninja" ready for the count of eight Shrinking Steps.

Oh!

How did he recover that?

(BOTH GROAN, CHUCKLE)

My god!

LEILA: Now he's onto the Candy Cane Rush.

He needs to take a moment. This one is all about timing.

It should play to his strengths.

JIM: Make the leap!

Yes, baby!

He has it and he's across obstacle two!

He did it! Keep it going. The band's urging him on.

The Dominoes. The Dominoes - yes.

He dominated the Dominoes. He certainly did.

This is the most musical run in Australian Ninja Warrior history.

It's a party.

Alright, Woods. We know he's 'saxy', but is he 'backsy'?

(CHUCKLES) Has he got the back strength

to get him down the Anaconda?

We know this is all about the rock climbing,

the shoulder, the back - most importantly, the grip strength.

LEILA: He is racing across those doorknobs.

The best strategy - you don't want to tire

because you need some juice here.

Here we go. The transfer.

Oh no!

He couldn't make it across! Oh!

Oh!

He just didn't quite get there.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

And the band just played him right off of the Anaconda.

But that was a nice run for him.

The Saxy Ninja had to improvise a little on the Shrinking Steps

before finding his rhythm

with a perfectly timed leap on the Candy Cane Rush.

But the Anaconda takes out another Ninja,

providing a spectacular finish to his performance.

And he may have done just enough to make it into the semis.

Jason, our Saxy Ninja.

Jase - and the band as well.

Are you happy with how you went tonight, mate?

Oh, mate, always wanting more, always wanting more.

That Anaconda, that last - just couldn't quite reach for it.

Alright, mate, well, at the end of the day,

whether you win or you lose in this life, all you can do is dance -

am I right? I mean, we've got a band here.

Shall we have a bit of a boogie on the way down to see the boys?

WOODY: Bringing Saxy back!

(JAZZY MUSIC)

Can't Anaconda. Can dance.

(JAZZY MUSIC)

Jason Mitchell, our Saxy Ninja, everyone.

Give it up for him! (CHEERING)

LEILA: Well, what a great effort from Jason Mitchell.

Now let's take a quick look at our leader board.

OK, these top four spots are the ones to watch.

Our first-time Ninjas, the Farmer's Arms Simon Martin

and surprise package teen Lochie Lydom

find themselves in contention for the Power Pool.

New sensation Judith Carroll maintains second place,

but with more determined Ninjas waiting in the wings

eager to gain that semifinal advantage,

will she be able to hold onto her spot in the Power Pool?

Still to come...

My dream job is to work in aerospace

and really build rockets to get people out onto the Moon.

He blitzed his way through the course last year.

"Rocket Man" Dylan James is preparing for take-off.

There are a lot of strong contenders in this heat.

But my main goal is to get to the Power Pool.

And up next...

he's a new parent and one of last year's new sensations

who's just seen girlfriend Judith make it up the Warped Wall

for the second year in a row.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

Will we see this power couple go head-to-head in the Power Pool?

Find out when Mat Hutchins-Read takes to the course.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

JIM: Welcome back to Australian Ninja Warrior.

Our next contender blasted into the grand final

on his first ever Ninja mission last year, Leila.

Putting all our stars on notice as he blitzed through the heats

and then the semis.

Now he's back and he's ready to shoot for the stars.

Everyone, let's get behind the "Rocket Man", Dylan James.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

He's a fifth year mechanical engineering student

and was one of last year's new sensations.

Now there are three Ninjas left to run

and four spots in the Power Pool.

Judith Carroll got up the Warped Wall,

so Dylan has to do the same and quickly.

Last night, a time faster than 2:16 was good enough to get there.

The Rocket Man needs to fire up the afterburners.

(BUZZER)

(CHEERING) Here he goes...

across the Shrinking Steps.

Beautiful balance and control.

And we have lift-off.

The Candy Cane Rush shouldn't be a problem for the Rocket Man.

Slides down. Lache.

Beautiful.

And a nice dismount.

Yeah, the crowd goes wild.

The Dominoes.

Come on. Over those Dominoes.

Light feet.

And he's up onto the Anaconda -

the downfall of many a Ninja tonight.

He's having a good think about it.

You gotta get through it to get to the buzzer,

so he's taking a little time and he's gonna swing on out.

Up he comes.

Come on, Rocket Man.

Is it doorknob by doorknob? No.

It's lache.

He's going for gold here. Come on.

He's gotta get more swing.

(CHEERING) Boy, that was a big grab.

Yes!

Come on. One more.

Come on! Yes!

Yes! He's gonna do it.

He's gonna get by.

And he makes it!

But he's currently trailing Alex by nine seconds.

So to be fastest, he needs to make up some time on Weight For It.

OK, so that means he needs to be error free...

What's he doing?

He missed that first grab.

This isn't a good start.

Nice recovery, though.

Did well not to panic.

Gets his swing going again and now he has to go...

Oh! Oh my goodness.

Not quite enough reach.

This one, between two and three is the longest lache,

and he has done it!

Now he's on track to beat Judith's time but only if he completes...

Oh! No! He's missed again.

He needs to complete the course to be sure of a Power Pool spot.

Yes! Nice!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Oh, he's got a bit of confidence. Look at this.

He's coming to the wall.

2:05 on the clock.

Don't take a seat! Come on, Dylan!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

A primo Ninja we're watching right now.

If he can get up there, he'll be heading to the Power Pool tonight.

Come on!

Yes!

Yes, baby!

Here we go! Oh, right! Whoo-hoo!

(BUZZER)

Oh, and ever so casually smashes that buzzer

in the second fastest time of the night

which means, with two Ninjas left to run,

he is through to the Power Pool.

(TRIUMPHANT MUSIC)

Dylan came into tonight with a definite game plan.

He knew he just had to hit the buzzer to get a shot at the Power Pool,

so he approached every obstacle calmly and methodically.

He didn't let a couple of miscues of Weight For It rattle him.

And he was rewarded with a top four finish.

(TRIUMPHANT MUSIC) (BUZZER)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Dylan. How are you?

Congratulations. Hi, Dylan.

Mate, thanks. You absolutely smoked it.

Do you feel like you've got it in you to win the competition?

That's what it felt like tonight.

After that performance, I'm feeling pretty strong. Hmm.

I didn't get too tired.

If I keep it up, yeah, absolutely, I'm gonna take it out.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) Beautiful.

Now I know you're into space.

Woody is also very much into space. Hmm.

And, Woods, you're dying to ask him an astrophysics question.

OK, my space question - what is the diameter of Uranus?

Whoa.

(SCATTERED LAUGHTER)

In metres?

Yes, please.

I have no idea. I don't know why I asked.

(CHORTLES) Fair enough.

Put your hands together for the Rocket Man!

(LAUGHS)

Great job, brother. You were really, really good out there.

Mate, well done, well done. Good on you. Great job, man.

(ROCK MUSIC) (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

LEILA: Once again,

the new sensations proving they are hungry for a Ninja takeover,

as Dylan makes the Power Pool.

And now it's time to find out

if the other half of the new power couple can also make it.

It's Mat Hutchins-Read.

(ROCK MUSIC) (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

LEILA: Well, I guess we can work out who they're supporting tonight.

And, of course, the other half of the power couple there, Judith,

and their little dog, Frankie.

Yeah, I can't tell if Mat is looking lovingly at Judith or Frankie.

I think it's Judith.

WOODY: Mat Hutchins-Read -

he made the grand final in his debut season last year.

And, Will... Hmm. ..his sausage dog, Frankie,

is trying to kill me.

This is true.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) JUDITH: You've got it!

(BUZZER)

LEILA: OK, the buzzer has sounded.

Mat Hutchins-Read determined to own a place in the Power Pool.

One obstacle down as he heads to the Candy Cane Rush.

JIM: Yeah, he's just gonna lean into it. No run-up for him.

Down he goes.

And there's a nice lache. Nice move.

And an excellent dismount.

Onto the Domino Effect.

LEILA: Oh, look at him go!

That was lightning fast.

He made that look easy.

Now he's four seconds ahead of Alex's time.

But it wouldn't surprise me if he takes the doorknobs just like Judith.

As expected, he's not going to risk speed for completion.

The lache is the faster option.

But watching Mat here, he is absolutely powering along.

No problem at all.

Oh, yes. Nice transition. Look at him go!

JIM: It's like he's walking with his arms.

It's incredible how smooth he is,

just the weight transfer, the easy gliding swing.

The rock climber brain will be mapping a path

because it's important

which hands you place at the end of a part of the Anaconda

before you transfer.

This transfer to the head - done so perfectly here -

has bamboozled plenty of Ninjas,

and he's made the Anaconda look easy.

Lands it!

He's 14 seconds slower than Dylan,

and we've seen tonight

that the Ninjas who take the doorknobs tire on the next obstacle.

JIM: Here comes Weight For It.

And he's gotta go up the rope and get his swing on.

This one is tricky with the two pulley systems

between bars one and two. There it goes.

When you move off of a bar, the other one moves with it.

Bar one.

He's side to side. He's grabbed the second bar.

Great technique.

This one's tricky. This is a long distance between bar two and three.

But he is nailing his grabs in transitions.

He's looking good.

Remember, a fall here could cost him a spot in the Power Pool.

But he's looking solid.

At this rate, he'll knock Judith down from third to fourth

and might even knock the Rocket Man down too.

Oh, Mat Hutchins-Read is dominating Weight For It.

He is oh so close to the buzzer.

And here he comes - drive it up!

He's gonna get there.

Oh, he's there. (BUZZER)

(TRIUMPHANT MUSIC) Yes, baby!

And that time of 2:13 puts him in second place and into the Power Pool.

He just takes a seat on top of the Warped Wall

and says, "Look at me, hon."

(LAUGHS) Look at Frankie! "What's up?"

Well done!

Frankie looks stunned.

And there's Mat, just soaking it up at the top of the wall.

Why wouldn't you?

I think we've just seen someone give Mat a treat

and see if Frankie can make it up the wall.

(LAUGHS) I reckon she could.

OK, let's take a look

and see what that run has done to the leader board.

Remember, our top 18 Ninjas make it through to the semifinals.

But our four fastest will race head-to-head at the Power Pool

for the semifinal advantage.

(READS GRAPHIC)

And Judith is now at risk of missing out on the Power Pool.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC) (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

JIM: With one Ninja left to run,

it's going to be a nervous wait for Judith,

because we've left one of our Ninja legends to last.

He's four-time grand finalist Bryson Klein.

He'll be running next.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

Welcome back to Australian Ninja Warrior.

And our Ninjas are blazing through the competition, Leila.

Yeah, Jim, the heats have never been hotter

and our last Ninja of the night is sure to bring the heat.

He's smooth and he's fast.

MAN: Bryson Klein!

WOMAN: This guy knows one thing...

and that is to go quick.

MAN: I have to watch him from a distance.

I can't keep up with this lad.

WOMAN: Bryson Klein - this is absolutely amazing.

One more!

MAN: 5.2m.

And Bryson Klein shoots himself up! (SCREECHES)

He's done it! Yes!

Bryson Klein's up the mega Warped Wall.

How good was that!

Since season five, got engaged to the woman of my dreams.

She gives me so much motivation,

and I'm so, so happy to be with her

and that she's here with me.

Now I just need to win Ninja Warrior, tick that off the list.

That money would really, really help me set my future with Jemma.

I wanna win it.

I wanna win it really, really badly.

And the incentive just keeps growing and growing.

This is my year.

(EPIC MUSIC)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Alright, we're getting down to business here.

Bryson Klein - he is a two-time runner-up,

four-time grand finalist.

This guy means business.

Do not go anywhere. We're about to see some serious ninjaing.

LEILA: Fiancee Jemma there,

watching on the sideline with Bryson's dad, Matthew.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

And listen to that crowd. They are loving him!

They know that this will be a really fast run.

(BUZZER) Keep an eye on the clock.

And he heads across the Shrinking Steps.

No worries at all.

He's absolutely motoring.

He's straight onto the second obstacle, the Candy Cane Rush.

Over the slider and straight across.

He's putting on some speed tonight.

That footwork - fantastic!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

JIM: He's ten seconds ahead of Alex and making this look easy.

We've seen so many new Ninjas struggle tonight,

but this is smooth, this is powerful and this is precise.

And here comes the lache.

It's the fastest way across the obstacle.

Oh yes. Everything is faster when you're flying.

Just look at him go.

Bryson Klein has just annihilated the Anaconda.

This is impressive.

He is so speedy. He is burning this course up.

He really is.

This run is so fast, he's neck and neck with Alex's time.

These bars, they're moving. They are connected.

The first and second bar - they're on a pulley together.

Once you hit the first bar, the second one goes up.

(CROWD SHOUTS)

Nicely done.

And now he has to do it all over again.

He needs to generate that swing from nothing.

And look how high he kicks up.

Going lache. He's gonna drop and hold. Oh yes!

He's got amazing technique.

Experience is telling there, Jim.

The momentum, the inertia can get you, but not this kid.

This is amazing.

Bryson really believes he can win this year.

He's come so close in previous seasons.

And the more he misses out, the more he wants it.

Oh, he's at the Warped Wall.

And have a look at this time!

This is brilliant. Here he is!

Yes!

He has beaten Alex by a second!

(TRIUMPHANT MUSIC)

Bryson Klein - what a master class.

He dances a jig and he has smashed this course.

(TRIUMPHANT MUSIC)

Yeah, Bryson!

Bryson Klein came out of the gates,

setting on posting a super quick time.

And his perfectly executed laches on the Anaconda

made sure he did exactly that.

He waltzed up the Warped Wall,

and has taken a massive step

towards his goal of being the fastest man to ever conquer Mount Midoriyama.

Bryson, congratulations, mate.

You must be happy with the pace there. And how are you feeling?

Um, very, very happy with that pace.

What might look like fast, to me is just not wasting time or movement.

You know, I feel like I'm in really good condition.

I'm in it to win it, so I kind of - without being too arrogant -

I have to find this part easy

to have a chance of conquering Mount Midoriyama,

because that is, that is, I don't care who you are,

that's not easy. (CHUCKLES) Love that, mate.

I love your ambition.

Give it up for Bryson Klein!

All the best, brother.

What a stunning run!

So how has that effort changed the look of the leader board?

And let's also find out

which 18 Ninjas have qualified for the semifinals.

It's great to see Skye Haddy's huge lache attempt pay off.

She is through in 16th.

The Saxy Ninja gets an encore

and it was a good night for brothers.

(READS GRAPHIC)

The top four are heading to the Power Pool.

(EPIC MUSIC)

Congratulations to our 18 semi-finalists,

and a special mention goes to Judith Carroll,

who made it up the Warped Wall

but missed out on the Power Pool by just one spot.

Our Power Pool showdown is shaping up to be electrifying.

The winner of the Power Pool

will get to pick who they go head-to-head with in the semifinals.

This season, for the first time ever,

the semifinals are

a ninja-versus-ninja sudden death showdown.

The winner of the head-to-head race

books a ticket straight to the grand final,

while the loser is eliminated from the competition.

And this is where the Power Pool advantage comes into play.

The winner of the Power Pool

earns the right to choose their semifinal opponent.

Use this advantage wisely

and they are one step closer to the grand final

and Mount Midoriyama.

Who do you think will win the Power Pool?

(READS GRAPHIC)

It's all thanks to Energizer.

Don't go anywhere, Australia.

The Power Pool is next.

(EPIC MUSIC)

You are back on Australian Ninja Warrior,

and it is Power Pool time.

Yes, we've reached the crescendo of an epic night of Ninja action.

It's the ultimate showdown we've all been waiting for.

Our four fastest Ninjas of the night

are set to fight it out for a huge semifinal advantage -

five terrifying metres above the pool.

(TREPIDATIOUS MUSIC)

And it's an age-old battle -

the old school Ninjas versus the new sensations.

That's right. We have the two veteran heavy weights,

Bryson Klein and Alex Bigg.

And then the new sensations, the Rocket Man Dylan James

and Mat Hutchins-Read,

they'll take the pool.

Last night, some of our biggest names

learnt just how unforgiving the Power Pool is.

He could be in trouble here.

Ben Polson got tangled on the transition

and it cost him a shot at the advantage.

Flashlin Ashlin hit the water hard.

As did David Lack.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

And it was teenager Ash Campbell who took out the advantage.

Tonight's Power Pool is off the hook.

After a sprint across the pool and a climb up the rope,

Ninjas will need to get hold of the ring.

Once they have the ring, they have to take it with them

as they lache to the last hook five daunting metres above the pool.

Every swing costs time.

The fewer they take, the faster they'll go.

Then it's a 3m rope climb to the buzzer.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

This is how the Power Pool will play out.

(READS GRAPHIC)

The winners of those two races will face off

and the victor then gets to pick their semifinal opponent.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC) (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Let's bring out Bryson Klein and Alex Bigg.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Less than a second split these two tonight.

They both have Power Tower experience,

so they've had a taste of head-to-head racing.

This will be an interesting match-up.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

Bryson! Welcome to the Power Pool. We're off the hook.

You took out the Power Tower last year.

What do you make of this?

Yeah, and Alex is such a strong competitor

so I really have to pull something out of somewhere.

(LAUGHTER)

Yeah, no, it just looks like a lot of fun. Gonna go fast.

Yeah, Alex, you were so strong hitting the buzzer tonight.

Did you have a chance to talk to your coach, Arlo, afterwards

to get ready for what's ahead?

Yeah. He said, um, just win.

(LAUGHS) Keeping it simple.

I mean, it's pretty good advice really.

Alright, well, it's time to get off the hook.

(WHOOPS)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) Be still, mate.

This is gonna be good.

Don't blink or you'll miss it!

(BUZZER)

Here they go, over the sprinting steps.

That's a quick start from Bryson Klein.

He's first to the rope. This is tight.

And Alex grabs the ring but he needs to get it back to the hook.

No, he's just missed it but Bryson's looking good.

And here he goes, he's got the ring,

and that is a quick hook. Oh my goodness.

This is unbelievable.

Alex isn't even to the hook...

(BUZZER) ..and Bryson's at the buzzer.

Oh, Alex!

Struggling there.

He's left you hanging.

But Bryson Klein, true to his words,

smooth is fast and fast is smooth.

There we go!

He's off... Oh!

He's in.

A little insult to injury there.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

By going for the ring first, Alex lost his momentum on the rope,

which he needed to swing up to the hook.

Bryson Klein, though, wow!

He had all the momentum. That was fast.

And now he has a shot at that semifinal advantage.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC) (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

And Bryson's going down to give him a hand.

Nice sportsmanship. Way to go, buddy.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

I'll give him a hug now.

(LAUGHS)

That's the Ninja spirit.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) (DRAMATIC MUSIC)

The question now is - who will Bryson face in the final match-up?

The winners will fight it out high above the Power Pool.

And now it's time for the new sensations -

Mat Hutchins-Read and the Rocket Man, Dylan James.

Step right up.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC) (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Mat and Dylan both debuted on the Ninja scene last season

and they both made it through to the grand final.

Dylan is fast, Mat is methodical.

This should be a cracker!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Well, let's do it. It's all on the line.

Let's go. The new sensations are ready to let it rip.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

(BUZZER)

And they're off.

Here comes the Rocket Man.

He's first to the rope.

But who's gonna get up and get that ring first?

Oh, this is tight!

There's absolutely nothing in this.

It's too tight to call.

But Mat's in a good position.

He's got some momentum.

He's gonna take the lead.

All the pressure on Dylan James now to catch up.

There's only half a swing in it.

But Dylan doesn't release.

Mat's off and he's heading for the buzzer.

Dylan's still on the first hook.

Now he goes!

And he goes again. (BUZZER)

He's pulling out the moves but it's a little too late

as Mat Hutchins-Read hits the buzzer

and moves on to the final face-off against Bryson Klein.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

This is the moment Mat took the advantage.

He's spanning the floating ring

and using that to help generate his back swing,

and that was a clever decision.

He left the Rocket Man on the launchpad

and flew straight into the final round.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Well, this is what it's all come down to -

two Ninjas going head-to-head at the Power Pool.

Whoever wins this gets to choose their opponent

in the head-to-head elimination race in the semis.

And it is time to go.

Let's get after it!

This is a match-up.

Both these guys are rock climbers and have that methodical approach

but the Power Pool is all about speed.

So who's faster?

Our old-school Ninja or a new sensation?

Well, we are about to find out. (BUZZER)

The finals of the Power Pool and it's Bryson to the rope first.

Mat is getting up that rope nicely.

Who's gonna get to the fixed bar?

It is Bryson. Mat just bypassed it.

This is neck and neck -

but Bryson's off! And Mat's still on!

What a play by Bryson Klein.

He's taken no prisoners tonight

and he's bagged that semifinal advantage. (BUZZER)

Well done to Mat too.

He was a fierce competitor tonight,

and for most of the race, there was nothing in it.

At the beginning, you couldn't split them.

But look at Bryson.

He gets his hand on the static bar first and then the ring.

And that tiny back swing from Mat gave Bryson the edge.

Then he brought it home from there,

releasing on the first swing and leaving Mat hanging.

A courageous effort from Mat

but it's Bryson who's nailed that all-important advantage.

(EPIC MUSIC)

Bryson, winner of the Power Pool.

Can I ask you about what we just saw there in the Power Pool?

It looked like you and Mat were pretty head-to-head there.

How did you get away from him?

Um, just stuck to my guns,

just smooth and fast and fast is smooth.

I committed to the move.

It could've been anyone's game but it just paid off for me.

You've said that you're here to take the crown. Is this your year?

Oh god, I hope so. (CHUCKLES)

Yes! Yeah, very much so.

I love that. Is it his year, everyone?

(CHEERING)

Alright, make some noise for Bryson Klein!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) (EPIC MUSIC)

JIM: Yeah, what a night here at the Power Pool.

In the end, it was the heavy weight, Bryson Klein,

who gained that critical semifinal advantage, Leila.

LEILA: What a clash that is!

That's it from us at Sydney Olympic Park.

But join us next time for more Ninja action. Goodnight.

Next time - new teens prove they have what it takes...

BOY: I'm 16. I love being the smallest Ninja on the course.

..as they unleash on new obstacles.

BOY: May not be a basketball court

but I'm still gonna slam dunk the course.

They face their heroes...

WOMAN: You better watch out.

The Ninja Mums might put you in the naughty corner. (LAUGHS)

..and their greatest foes - the teachers.

MAN: I've done the numbers

and this course is about to get schooled.

But when teens attack...

BOY: Watch out Ninja legends. I'm coming for you.

..can some of the biggest names in Ninja...

WOMAN: Nothing's gonna stop me from going for Mount Midoriyama.

..fight back?

MAN: This is my game.

I'll be bringing the fire tonight.

Let's go!