NRL Finals Week 2 Preview & Predictions

Roosters host Cronulla at Allianz and the Warriors host Newcastle at Eden Park, which stages its first NRL final. Both semi-finals previewed with full head-to-head records.

Two semi-finals, both sudden death, and no Friday game. The Roosters and the Warriors dropped out of the qualifying finals and now host the two sides that survived week one. Catch up on the Finals Week 1 results first, then follow the draw on our NRL finals page. Prices move quickly in September so we have left live markets to the bookmakers rather than quoting them here.

The winner of Saturday’s game in Sydney meets the Dolphins in a preliminary final. The winner in Auckland meets Penrith.

Roosters vs Sharks

Prediction: Roosters to win by 1-12 points

Semi-final, Saturday 19 September at 7:50pm AEST at Allianz Stadium. Sudden death.

The Roosters were beaten 19-12 by Penrith on Sunday in a game they were in throughout, and the performance was better than the result. Cronulla go again six days after ending North Queensland’s season, with Sione Katoa having scored twice including his 100th NRL try.

The ledger is dead level at four wins each since 2023, but the recent trend is not. The Roosters have won both meetings in 2026, and the more relevant of the two was the second: 27-8 at Allianz Stadium in round 16, on this ground. Cronulla’s counter is that they have knocked the Roosters out of the finals before, winning a 2025 elimination final 20-10.

Head-to-head at a glance

Head-to-head since 2023
Meetings	8, across the last four seasons
Record	4 wins each
Average score	Roosters 23.2, Sharks 21.1
Biggest win	Roosters by 26, Sharks by 13
Decided by a goal or less	1 of 8
Finals meetings	Two. Roosters won a 2023 final 13-12, Sharks won a 2025 final 20-10

 

Every meeting since 2023

Season	Result	Margin
2023 Round 7	Sharks 22 v Roosters 12	Sharks by 10
2023 finals week 1	Sharks 12 v Roosters 13	Roosters by 1
2024 Round 11	Sharks 38 v Roosters 30	Sharks by 8
2025 Round 12	Roosters 42 v Sharks 16	Roosters by 26
2025 Round 20	Sharks 31 v Roosters 18	Sharks by 13
2025 finals week 1	Sharks 20 v Roosters 10	Sharks by 10
2026 Round 6	Sharks 22 v Roosters 34	Roosters by 12
2026 Round 16	Roosters 27 v Sharks 8	Roosters by 19

 

Only one of the eight was decided by a goal or less, so expect a margin rather than a thriller. The 2026 form line and the venue both point to the Roosters, and Cronulla have now played two knockout games in seven days while the Roosters have had the easier week. We will take the Roosters, but the finals history between these two says the favourite is not safe here.

Head-to-head: Roosters vs Sharks prediction & H2H record →

Warriors vs Knights

Prediction: Warriors to win by 13+ points

Semi-final, Sunday 20 September at 4:05pm AEST at Eden Park in Auckland, which hosts its first NRL final. Sudden death.

The Warriors led the Dolphins 16-8 and lost 26-16, with Taine Tuaupiki scoring all sixteen of their points from five penalty goals and no try until it was too late. Newcastle arrive off the win of the weekend, knocking out South Sydney after leading 10-0 inside 27 minutes, a year on from the wooden spoon.

Against that momentum sits a one-sided record. The Warriors have won seven of the nine meetings since 2023 and average nearly ten points more per game. They won both 2026 meetings, by 26 in Newcastle and by 14 at home. And the one time these two met in a final, at this stage of the draw in 2023, the Warriors won 40-10.

Head-to-head at a glance

Head-to-head since 2023
Meetings	9, across the last four seasons
Record	Warriors 7-2
Average score	Warriors 26.9, Knights 17.0
Biggest win	Warriors by 30, Knights by 10
Decided by a goal or less	2 of 9
Finals meeting	2023 finals week 2, Warriors won 40-10

 

Every meeting since 2023

Season	Result	Margin
2023 Round 1	Warriors 20 v Knights 12	Warriors by 8
2023 Round 6	Knights 34 v Warriors 24	Knights by 10
2023 finals week 2	Warriors 40 v Knights 10	Warriors by 30
2024 Round 4	Warriors 20 v Knights 12	Warriors by 8
2024 Round 9	Knights 14 v Warriors 8	Knights by 6
2025 Round 8	Warriors 26 v Knights 12	Warriors by 14
2025 Round 20	Knights 15 v Warriors 20	Warriors by 5
2026 Round 3	Knights 12 v Warriors 38	Warriors by 26
2026 Round 26	Warriors 46 v Knights 32	Warriors by 14

 

Newcastle’s two wins in the run both came at home and both were tight. Every meeting in New Zealand has gone the Warriors’ way, and the only finals meeting was a 30-point Warriors win at this stage of the draw. The caution is obvious: the Warriors have lost their last game and have not scored a try in it, and a side that kicks five penalty goals to stay in a final has a problem in attack. But the history here is emphatic and Eden Park with a first NRL final on the line is a real edge. Warriors, and by more than two converted tries.

Head-to-head: Warriors vs Knights prediction & H2H record →

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