Arabic version: دولفينز يحجز نهائيًا تمهيديًا على أرضه وشاركس يتقدم

According to ABC News, the Dolphins defeated the Warriors 26-16 in Auckland to earn a home preliminary final, while Cronulla eliminated North Queensland with a 26-16 victory.

In their maiden NRL finals match, the Dolphins trailed 16-6 with a quarter of the game remaining after Warriors fullback Taine Tuaupiki kicked five penalty goals. Both teams had scored one try by the 60-minute mark in a fiery contest that featured three sin-bins in the first half.

The Dolphins scored three tries in the final 20 minutes. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow started and finished a length-of-the-field effort to put his side ahead in the 66th minute. The club will host a preliminary final at Lang Park in Brisbane in a fortnight, while the Warriors will host the Newcastle Knights in a knockout semifinal next week.

Cronulla progressed after Braydon Trindall returned from a shoulder dislocation suffered four weeks earlier. Playing with a heavily strapped shoulder, Trindall’s kicking game pressured Cowboys fullback Scott Drinkwater into two drops, one of which led to a first-half try.

Trindall later set up Will Kennedy for the match-sealing try, his 31st assist of the season. Sione Katoa scored twice and Siosifa Talakai crossed for Cronulla, which will face the loser of Sunday’s qualifying final between the Penrith Panthers and Sydney Roosters.