All language subtitles for Australian.Ninja Warrior.S05E01.WEBRip.9Now.en

BEN FORDHAM: In 2020...

BEC MADDERN: You are a hero,
Zac Stolz!

Charlie Robbins,
you are now the one to beat!

..they proved themselves worthy...

Look at the arms pumping!
Look at the legs pumping!

..and conquered the mountain.

(KLAXON BLARES)

The first Australian Ninja Warrior
is Ben Polson!

This year, vengeance is coming

because Mount Midoriyama is angry.

It'll do everything within its power
to fight back.

This year, it's really got a score
to settle.

It's intimidating.

I'm thinking,
"What am I doing here?"

Mount Midoriyama is angry
but so am I!

In a brand-new location...

Welcome to Sydney's Olympic Park.

..the mountain has grown.

A 7-metre chimney sweep, a 7-metre
salmon ladder, a 7-metre rope climb!

That is a monster.

This is much, much harder
than what it was last year.

The new obstacles are tougher
than ever.

Supersized and supercharged.

Oh, no!

More intricate, more unique.

That was extraordinary!

It's just an absolute beast.

(DRAMATIC GROANS)

And the courses are divided.

If they want to complete the journey
to the foot of the mountain,

they must make a choice -

the path of known obstacles
or the faster but unknown path.

How much better can Ninja get?

Do you want to play it safe?
Do you want to play it hard?

Ninja Warrior's given us the power.

Really shakes things up.

Both are equally as terrifying.

If you choose the wrong path,
it could be ultimate doom.

Oh, no!

So, they must choose wisely.

Can the ninjas rise up
and defeat the mountain?

I'm certainly gonna take it on
in every way that I can.

Mount Midoriyama,
I'm coming for you.

We welcome Nick Kyrgios
to the commentary team.

He's killing it.

There's a new, even more daunting
Power Tower

with a golden ticket to
the Grand Final at stake,

and $100,000 on offer
for this series' furthest fastest

or 200 grand
if they can conquer the mountain.

Holy moly.

That is big.

They've come from
all over the country...

A bit of an unconventional ninja,
ready to give the course a crack.

..and their lives
will be changed forever.

Oh, my goodness me!
You good thing!

Dreams will be realised...

We've got a new contender
right here!

..and a new crop of ninjas
will emerge and make their mark.

They're saying around town, "Are you
gonna put Boggabri on the map?"

I'm like, "Yeah, definitely."

Just gonna have a listen
to your heart, OK?

I am a medical doctor.

Unknowingly, I've been training
for Ninja Warrior my whole life.

It's our biggest series yet.

Yay!
Yes, yes, yes!

Ooh, he's a machine, mate.

Welcome to Australian Ninja Warrior.

Oh, my goodness!
What about that!

What did I just witness?

(LOUD CHEERING)

(FIREWORKS CRACKING)

Hello and welcome to a brand-new
season of Australian Ninja Warrior.

I'm Bec Maddern.

I'm Ben Fordham.

Tonight, we're at
Sydney Olympic Park,

home to so many sporting memories
and legends

that our ninjas hope to add
to over the next few weeks.

Strap yourself in for a blockbuster
night of Ninja Warrior.

After an unprecedented three ninjas

made it to the summit of Mount
Midoriyama last year,

this season,

the mount that towers over
the course is back

and absolutely furious.

The course this year has been
redesigned with one thing in mind,

and that is revenge.

The toughest obstacles
we've ever devised

and an element of unpredictability

our ninjas won't have
encountered before.

Our ninjas are now able to pick
their path to the Warped Wall,

the known path via lane A or
the unknown path via lane B.

To tell us more, we're thrilled
to be joined once again

by the one and only Shane Crawford.

Thanks, Bec and Ben.

I'm here at the crossroads

where the ninjas need to make
a really tough decision.

Do they go path A
or do they go path B?

A are obstacles known to the ninjas.

B are obstacles never seen on
Australian Ninja Warrior before.

Both paths lead up the Warped Wall
and to the finishing buzzer.

So, what's it going to be?

Is it going to be A
or is it going to be B?

We'll have to wait and see.

Thank you, Crawf,
and, tomorrow night,

he'll be joined by superstar
Nick Kyrgios on the sidelines.

OK, let's take a look at
the rest of the obstacles

the ninjas have to confront.

Mount Midoriyama is throwing
everything at the ninjas,

right from the very first obstacle.

Five Shrinking Steps going from 25cm,

the width of a dinner plate,
down to the size of a saucer.

(GASPING AND KLAXON)

Next, the Big Dipper to Pole Rider.

It demands rock-solid grip strength

as ninjas hang on
down a 5-metre track

before a do-or-die leap
onto the suspended pole.

The Cyclone Spinner
is obstacle three,

and our ninjas have never
faced anything like this before.

Using the hand and footholds to
wedge themselves in, they'll rely

on core strength to survive
four complete 360-degree rotations.

Three obstacles down, three to go,

and it's time for the
all-important decision.

Ninjas must pick a path to the
Warped Wall - path A or path B.

The first of the known obstacles
on path A

is the Flying Shelf Grab,
an extreme upper-body challenge.

Three hanging shelves over
two metres apart to lache across,

landing on ledges
just fingertips wide.

The upper-body pain continues
on the brutal Floating Monkey.

Ninjas must cross six frames

using the detachable monkey bars
to swing through.

Miss the cradle, though, and their
entire body weight is all on one arm.

The path B obstacles are appearing

for the first time
on Australian Ninja Warrior.

On the Ring Chaser,
ninjas must use all their speed

on the monkey bars to race and catch
a large rolling ring.

They'll then use that ring
on the first of two tricky laches.

Precision is paramount
on the skyhooks.

Miss or drop the large ring,

and their only option is the
much tougher second-chance ring.

On Clockwork,

ninjas must cross
three interconnected cogs

by using the red handles, but
swinging on one cog moves them all,

and, with upper-body muscles burning,

the lache becomes
a high-stakes leap of faith.

The Warped Wall is back,

but, you'd better believe it,

it's bigger and tougher
than ever before.

Now at 4.35 metres tall,
it's a full ten centimetres higher,

which could make all the difference
getting to that buzzer.

Nearly 200 ninjas will
start the four heats,

but only the top 19 in each heat
will progress to the Semi-Finals.

And, after that,
there are two huge Grand Finals.

But, tonight, the race is on for
more than just a semi-final spot.

At the end of the night,
our two furthest fastest ninjas

will go head to head.

For a massive advantage,

it'll be one on one on one
final obstacle, the Power Tower.

Yep, it's ninja versus ninja

on the biggest, baddest Power Tower
we've ever seen.

On the line is
an incredible fast pass

right through the semi-finals
straight into the grand final,

a massive step closer to becoming
2021's Australian Ninja Warrior.

OK, the course is waiting,
the crowd is pumped.

We're pumped.
I'm pumped.

The ninjas are pumped,
everybody's pumped,

so let's kick the action off
with our first ninja of the night.

(BIRD CALLS)

I'm Cruze, I'm 18
and I'm from Boggabri, NSW.

It's a very small country town.

You know everyone
so you walk down the street

and you're like,
"Oh, hey, Jack, hey, Bill."

Go, Cruze! Have a go!

Go!
Hey!

I am the biggest
Australian Ninja Warrior fan.

I've watched it since Season 1.

I would've been about 14, 15,

and I was like, "I want to do that
but I'm not 18 yet, so..."

Everyone has said to me
that I can't be a ninja

because, living in a small town, we
didn't have really many resources,

we only had the park to train,

so I was mostly just at
the monkey bars every day.

So, I started building
my own ninja gym.

(MAJESTIC MUSIC)

We've got the Chimney Sweep.

We've got the floating ladders.

We've got the candlesticks.

We've got the floating rings.

We've also got a picture
of Benny Polson.

Ben Polson is definitely
my biggest idol.

He's been a big motivation for me.

When I finally turned 18,
I quickly applied.

Cruze.
How you goin'?

When Ben called, I was like, "Wow!"

I was like...
I was very surprised.

I'm actually here to tell you

that you have officially been
accepted on the show Ninja Warrior.

(WOMEN SCREAMS)
You are on!

Oh, Ben!
Oh, my god!

Welcome to the show!

Oh!

Yeah, thanks, Ben.

You got me good.

Go, Boggy Ninja!

The whole town definitely
will get behind me.

KIDS: Go, Boggy Ninja!

They're saying around town, "Are you
gonna put Boggabri on the map?"

I'm like, "Yeah, definitely."

Tonight, all my ninja dreams
are coming true.

I finally get to step out, inspire
and represent Boggabri.

(LOUD CHEERING)

He's had to wait for over four years
for this moment,

but now he is here,
the first ninja of season 2021.

He's got the whole of Boggabri
behind him, the Boggy Ninja.

Questionable name.

It is, Crawf, six hours north-west
of Sydney, a population of 856.

I think most of them are here
at Olympic Park tonight.

Yep.

Lots of support on
the sidelines, Ben.

That's his mum, Karen, brother
Finlay and the big boss, Pete.

He's built his own ninja course
in his shed in Boggabri,

but he's a long way from home now.

A big, big challenge in front of him.

Just 18 years of age, the youngest
ninja in this year's competition.

Where's that buzzer?
There it is. Here we go.

The Shrinking Steps -
they're tiny and they get higher.

Over!

No problem for Cruze,
he's off and running.

Yeah, he's looking good.

And have a look who's in the crowd
with some advice.

You've got this, bro.

His idol, Ben Polson.

He has been watching Ben
on past Ninja seasons,

thinking, "One day,
I want to do that."

But there was a catch for Cruze.

He had to wait till he turned 18.

So young, so much opportunity.

This has been a dream for years,

but, the Big Dipper to Pole Rider,
it could be a nightmare.

He needs to get the perfect grip
and fly down the 5-metre track.

And then...
Oh!

Make the jump, yes.

Come on, Cruzey!

Late on the pole but he makes it.

Go!

That was an epic save.
That was super fast.

Oh, his heart must be pumping now
in his chest,

and, the Cyclone Spinner, it's
gonna make it even pump harder.

Now, he needs to get flat
against that disc

and use all the core strength
you've got.

Easier said than done.

He's gotta make sure his hands
and feet are in the right place.

Let's have a look
at his hand position.

Ooh...
He's not too sure about it.

Off he goes.

Oh, no, I think he went too early.
He's a bit shaky up the top.

He is a bit shaky.
He's a bit shaky.

He's a bit nervy, understandably,
but doesn't matter.

Oh!
Oh, no!

Get up, get up, get up, get up,
get up, yes!

Just!

The dream still alive
for Cruze Morley.

Whew!

Oh, indeed, Crawf.
This is unbelievable.

The 18-year-old country boy

has fought his way past
the first three obstacles,

and now he will be
the first-ever ninja

to pick a path to the Warped Wall.

It's make-your-mind-up time.

Cruze would've seen some of the
path A obstacles on his TV before.

He's trained for them
back in the shed at Boggabri,

so he knows how tough they are.

Path B's faster, but he'll
have to make it up as he goes

because these obstacles
have never been seen before.

A, go A!

This is a massive decision.

He's gone A.

OK, he has chosen path A,
obstacles we have seen before,

but Mount Midoriyama has really
been nasty with these two.

We're going to learn a lot more
about this young man

on the Flying Shelf Grab, Bec.

He's gotta lache across
three shelves,

each over two metres apart,
with only 2.5cm to grab onto.

Oh!

And just watch the middle shelf
because it's higher than the rest.

Come on, Cruze!

Here he goes on the parallel bars.
Get that grip.

Starts driving those hips up
towards the first lache.

Great form.

Look at his form
in terms of the arms.

We know that, when the arm
is actually outstretched,

it means you're tiring,
but there's a nice bend in that arm.

He's got plenty of muscle,
plenty of grip.

What's the catch like? He gets it.

Where's this kid come from?

The landing - spot on, Bec.

Yes!
Got it!

When someone's been waiting

for their 18th birthday
to join the competition,

when someone's built their
own ninja gym in the shed,

when someone's put a photo of
Ben Polson up in that ninja gym,

you know he's dreamed it,
you know he believes it.

And then putting that into motion,
and he's doing it tonight

in front of his family and friends,
and Ben Polson's here, as well.

What a moment for
the young 18-year-old.

What has Cruze got left in the
upper body for the Floating Monkey?

He needs to grab the
detachable monkey bars,

place them in the hanging cradles
and then swing across.

And he cannot afford to miss.

And, if you're in Boggabri tonight,
you need to know that your boy

is just metres away from the Warped
Wall, and booking himself a place...

Oh, little miss, little miss,

couldn't handle the pressure
of the miss.

He's ended up in the bog.

Oh, what a great effort
from Cruze Morley, though.

18 years of age, first time
on Australian Ninja Warrior,

and Ben Polson, his idol,
is standing up,

applauding his effort tonight,
as is the whole of Australia.

What a remarkable run
from a first-time ninja.

It sadly came to an end
on the penultimate obstacle.

He had the detachable bar.

He just couldn't get it
in that cradle,

and, once he missed, all his
body weight was on one arm.

It was just too much.

Congratulations, Cruze.

You've been a big fan since
the age of, what, 12, 13, 14?

Yeah, 13, 14. Definitely, yeah.

And then I'm finally here,
a dream come true.

A dream come true.

I know you've got a lot of love
out there

for one ninja who conquered
Mount Midoriyama last year.

His name is Ben Polson.

And he was in the stands
giving you a bit of coaching.

Yeah, I love that he's here
for the motivation.

Thanks, Benny.

Put your hands together
for the Boggy Ninja, Cruze.

Well done, mate.

Oh, he had to wait a long time for
his opportunity, but Cruze Morley

has grabbed it with both hands,
and done Boggabri proud.

No doubt about it.

What a start to tonight's
Heat 1 action

where Mount Midoriyama is raging.

And our next ninja is going to have
to use all of her fighting spirit.

It's Viviana Ruiz.

My name is Viviana Ruiz.

I'm 38 years old.

I'm originally from Colombia.

Growing up in Colombia
was difficult.

It was a scary time.

We have to fight to stay safe,

and there was so many terrorism,
so many deaths.

Sometimes, you say goodbye
to your mum and your dad,

and you didn't know if they were
gonna come back so it was very hard.

So, I knew I had to do something
to help my family,

so moving to Australia

has just created a big opportunity
for me,

but I didn't speak the language, I
was without friends, without family.

You become very lonely and sad.

Then, I start drinking too much,
um, going out all the time,

and forgot that I was here
because I wanted to help my family.

And that's why I decided
to join a gym.

That's when I found boxing.

I just become a professional boxer.

I had my first professional fight,
and I won by TKO - amazing.

Boxing found me
and it saved my life.

It made me remember that
I have a fighter inside of me.

Oh, she is ready to
knock this course out.

Straight from Colombia.

We know she's tough, Crawf, we know
she's determined, but Viviana

has never faced an opponent
like this Ninja Warrior course.

Will she still be standing
at the end?

Her partner of eight years, Ben,
standing on the sideline.

He'll be nervous, too.
Come on, Viviana!

Vamos, Colombia!

(KLAXON SOUNDS)
Here we go.

Viviana begins her Ninja Warrior...

Oh, hang on a moment.
Oh, no!

She's stuck on an island.

What's she gonna do,
what's she gonna do?

Run! Run!

Big jump, big jump!
What's she gonna do?

Oh!
Oh!

Wow!

That's spectacular!

What about that!

Come on!

That was fantastic!

She just got back up off the canvas.

That's all the boxing,
the footwork and the balance.

Take your time, Viviana.

That is a great sense of relief.

The nerves get to you.

Your legs feel like jelly,

and they make it oh, so hard,
even though it's the first obstacle.

But, Bec, the hits keep on coming.

Remember, Cruze Morley had issues
with the Big Dipper to Pole Rider.

Can Viviana hang on?

Here she comes, down the dip!

Oh!
Oh!

No, it was all wrong, wrong, wrong,
wrong, wrong, wrong from the start.

Good work!

Oh, well.

What a save that was on the Shrinking
Steps after the right leg buckled.

Viviana just couldn't quit.

Regaining her balance,
she made it home.

But the Big Dipper punishes
even the slightest error, and

dropping off the platform instead
of pushing just jolted the bar,

extending her arms out and
it left her falling short.

A knockout blow to Viviana's hopes,

but now, at Sydney Olympic Park,
in the footsteps of sporting greats,

it's time for a Ninja Warrior legend
to take on the mountain.

Our next ninja has been responsible
for creating memories on this show

that will stick with everyone
who's ever seen her in action.

Now she returns.

Please be up standing
for the one and only Olivia Vivian!

Whoo-hoo!

Season 4 - magic, season 4!

Became the first female in Australia

to complete stage one
of the Grand Final.

Slams down!
You legend!

Whoo!
You are remarkable, Olivia Vivian!

Oh!

She hits the buzzer!

Hitting a buzzer is unreal,

but being the first female
to hit it in a grand final

was just game-changing for me, and
a moment that I'm really proud of.

And into the history books she goes.

I definitely feel the weight
of expectations.

I really, truly believe you've
gotta unleash that self-belief.

I know the course
is tougher than ever.

Oh!
She's hurt her back!

But so am I.

No, she's OK.

I want a female Ninja Warrior
champion, and that's the goal.

Yes!

What the hell is she doing?

I'm here to do my best
and spread a good message,

and inspire generations
of women and young kids

and everyone across Australia...

Yes, Olivia!

..because it changed my life,

and I believe it could possibly
change someone else's.

(WILD CHEERING)

Whoo-hoo!

Oh, come on!

(BEC LAUGHS)

Get out of town.

That is why we love her.

Not only is she an incredible
athlete, she likes to entertain.

Yeah, well, she is feeling the
pressure, and she spoke earlier

about how worried she is about the
new course, but what does she do?

Comes out and does a handstand.

Do you know, also, the crazy thing
about Olivia Vivian this year?

She told me that
she has never felt better.

Beware, ninjas, beware.

This ninja right here
is an inspiration,

not just to little girls,
to any ninja out there.

Sit back and enjoy this, Australia.
This is gonna be good.

Come on, Liv, focus, focus.

There is her boyfriend, Ben Polson,
on the sidelines.

He'll be a massive support
throughout her run.

And there we go.

In the crowd, more Ninja royalty,
Bryson Klein and Fred Dorrington.

Fred won't be competing this year
due to a back injury.

Good luck, Fred, but this is
Olivia Vivian, a grand finalist

for three years running, stage two
in the grand final last year.

The first big gun
to face Mount Midoriyama.

Can she go all the way this year?

Here she goes, Olivia Vivian
on the Shrinking Steps.

Need to focus on every
single foot placement.

Shows a clean pair of heels.

She looked focused there.

I'm sensing a real determination.

Olivia!
(CHANTING)

Here we go.
She's going with the mixed grip.

Gotta nail the release,
nail the release.

Yes, no problem for Olivia.

And just remember, yes, she is
one of our most experienced ninjas,

but it's just a slip
in concentration

and it could be all over,
and that is especially true

on this very obstacle,
the Cyclone Spinner,

which requires
full body coordination.

Hands into place, feet into place
and now we start to roll.

Olivia is a former gymnast, so this
won't be too uncomfortable for her.

And she makes it to the mat
on the Cyclone Spinner,

and now she's at the crossroads,

a new experience for our ninjas
this year.

Will it be path A or path B?

Which way is the champion ninja
going to go?

She'll go the new obstacles.
Eenie-meenie-miney-moe.

That's right, she's gone
the new obstacles.

She'll go the new obstacles.

For the first time ever,
we are heading down path B.

I told you
she's never felt better, Ben.

She's really backing herself
this year,

confident she can adapt to whatever
Mount Midoriyama throws at her.

Well, next up is the Ring Chaser.

She'll have to be lightning fast

on the monkey bars
to catch the ring before it drops.

Then, she needs laser focus

to lache across two sets
of really small skyhooks.

There's no room for error.

Oh, my god!

She looked up at the ladder.

She's only really tiny,
Olivia Vivian.

She said, "Oh, my god!"

It's a long way from
that springboard.

It's so high!

It is so high up.

You've gotta get
a really good bounce going.

She's had tramp troubles
in the past, as well.

She's really gotta nail this bounce.

This is the
edge-of-your-seat situation.

Here she goes!

So now Olivia Vivian hits the monkey
bars, places that ring, gets it.

Oh, she slipped.

Oh, my goodness,
what a moment of panic

when that ring comes down to meet
you at the end of the tilting bars.

So classy in the air, isn't she,
Olivia Vivian?

You've gotta be spot on
with your aim.

You've gotta have...

Oh!

Oh, no, she slipped off,
Olivia Vivian.

Unbelievable scenes
here at Australian Ninja Warrior.

Olivia Vivian is in the water
on obstacle four,

and, that, it could be curtains
for her entire season.

Oh, my goodness.

It was the backswing that got her,
and you can see on the replay,

when she went for the backswing,
she just went a little bit too far.

Yes, that was the moment
that it overshot the hook,

and put Olivia Vivian into the pool.

Not what she'd wanted,
not what she was planning for.

A huge shock, Crawf.

There's a towel.
Thank you.

Tell us where you think
it went wrong.

I was more worried about the tramp
jump and I was stoked to get there,

but this is Ninja
and this is what it's all about.

I knew I could've taken route A,
obstacles that I've done,

but it just didn't sit right
in my gut today.

I love playing on new things.

Obviously, you don't know what
it's like until you're up there.

That is the heart of Ninja for me,

and I wanted to come out here
and treat it like a playground,

and I'm really proud of myself for
choosing the more difficult route.

I know you'll be very disappointed
but you shouldn't be

because you are
an absolute inspiration

not only to all the girls out there

but to everyone who watches
the show, you really are.

Well, we didn't expect that,
the Ring Chaser

has taken out one of
the very best ninjas.

Mount Midoriyama has claimed
a huge star early in Heat 1,

and the reality is
there's a real danger

Olivia Vivian will
not make the semis.

Coming up, last year,
three ninjas scaled the summit.

This time, Mount Midoriyama
has gone to a whole new level.

The quest to become champion begins
tonight with bold new challenges.

The size of that crowd will
help me tackle the course.

I'm feeling really ready
to conquer tonight.

I want to prove to the world
that I can do it,

that all smaller guys can do it.

And battle-tested returning heroes.

I've trained so hard
for this moment,

I know what I'm capable of and
it's gonna be full steam ahead.

I'm the champ, I won last year,
I can go in with confidence.

For me, my goal is to come back
and back it up.

I've put blood, sweat and tears
into this.

Mount Midoriyama is angry
but so am I!

Welcome back to a brand-new season
of Australian Ninja Warrior.

We're at Sydney Olympic Park,

the scene of many titanic
sporting struggles,

and where Mount Midoriyama's fury is
unleashed - our toughest ever course.

But our 2021 crop of ninjas

are ready to give it
everything they've got.

And our next athlete has overcome
huge adversity before,

leaving war-torn West Africa
as a child

to find a new life in Australia.

We didn't see the best of him
last year.

Now he's back to settle the score.

He's from Melbourne.
It's Melvin Solo.

We love Melvin.

For 12 months, he's thought of
nothing else but getting back here,

and he's in the best shape
of his life, cut up.

I can see that.

Yep.

He's trained himself
for this moment right now.

He wants to go all the way.

Come on, let's get behind him.

Come on, Melvin.

Hi, I'm Melvin Solo.

I'm 22 years of age.

I'm a refugee from West Africa.

Coming from, like,
a war-torn country was very hard.

When I found out that,
my family and myself,

we were going to Australia,

it felt like, honestly,
winning, like, the lottery.

Here he comes, the Solo Ninja,
he's pumped!

Listen to that crowd!

Last year was amazing, you know,
getting on the stage.

(CHEERING)

People screaming my name,
my supporters,

it was so alive,
it was so surreal.

I don't think I've heard a support
crew making this much noise.

I lost my balance
and I just went in the water.

Oh, no!
He's in the water!

No!
Oh!

Since I was last on Ninja Warrior,

I've had so many people from
across the world, refugees,

that have come up to me,
asking me some questions, and just

motivated by my story, and I've
been helping kids train for Ninja.

Good stuff.

And that's gonna give me the energy
and motivation to keep pushing.

That's why I do all the things I do.

It makes me want to fight harder

and do my best for myself
and for them, as well.

You know, this is a comeback for me.

I'm back and better, hungrier.

I've put blood, sweat and tears
into this.

I've been training day and night.

I am lighter, fitter and faster
than last year.

I'm not gonna let down
all those people that look up to me.

Mount Midoriyama is angry
but so am I!

It is hard not to love this guy.

He's a true inspiration.

Grandma Jill over there giving him a
lot of coaching from the sidelines.

You can do it, mate!

Let's go.

(KLAXON SOUNDS)

The good news for Melvin,
no Bridge of Blades this year,

but the Shrinking Steps,
but he's past them.

Phew, he had trouble
with his balance last year.

One down for Melvin.

Onto the Big Dipper to Pole Rider.

He's going the mixed grip -
one hand under, one hand over.

That'll give him more control!

He gets there.

Cyclone Spinner time.

And this is all about grip,
this is all about core strength.

You need to get your body
as flat to that disc as possible,

and make sure you've got your feet
and your hands in those wedges,

locked in.

Get your feet in!

I don't think that foot's wedged in.

You gotta get it in more.

Wedge it in, wedge in that foot.

Ooh!
Oh, no! Oh, no.

Oh!
No, gone.

Oh, no.

Oh!
Not happy.

His foot wasn't wedged in.

Oh!
Whoa!

Yeah, that's not good.

The key is wedging your hands
and feet into the clips,

and then pushing against them,
keeping the pressure on the disc,

but Melvin just didn't
get his feet in far enough,

which is why, the moment the first
turn tipped over, his legs fell out.

So, it is back to the drawing board
for Melvin.

I've got a feeling, though,
he'll be back again

more experienced and more determined
than ever.

You said that last year, Bec.

This new course has got everyone
in a spin, but our next ninja

thinks she can find the formula
to make the breakthrough.

Here's Darcy Elliston.

I'm Darcy, I'm 22

and I'm an assistant researcher
at a biotech company.

I have a degree in biochemistry
and microbiology,

and I have an honours degree
in protein engineering

and optogenetics.

We look at developing
new antibody therapies

towards debilitating diseases.

It's a pretty rewarding job
and I really enjoy it.

I love science,
but people would be surprised

to find out I also am
a national weightlifter,

currently second in Australia
for my weight class and my age.

Whoo!
Oh!

I think there's a lot of stigma

about you can't be strong
and you can't be smart.

Oh!

But I think
I'm a pretty good representation

that you can definitely put
your mind to it and be both.

And, hopefully, in a few weeks, I'll
be Australia's next Ninja Warrior.

(CHEERING)

I don't think we've ever had a
scientist on top of the Warped Wall.

I'll check with our
research department, Bec.

Her mum, Claire,
is a biology teacher, as well,

so plenty of smarts in this family.

Oh, yeah, darl.
Come on, Darcy.

Has she got the brains and the brawn
to turn the theory into practice?

Has to switch on straight away
on the Shrinking Steps.

We know it only takes one slip.

Wow, comes out of the blocks
with a bang.

That's a confident start.

She is used to the bright lights
of competition.

She's a competitive weightlifter,
currently ranked second

in Olympic lifting clean-and-jerk
snatch for under-23-year-old women.

And she knows how important it is
to find the right grip on the bar.

She'll have lots of
upper-body strength.

Can she time the dismount?

No pressure.

Ooh...
Yes, Darcy!

Yes!
Well done.

Whoo!

Yeah, that is two down for Darcy,
but next up is this killer obstacle,

the Cyclone Spinner,

causing all sorts of problems
for our ninjas this evening.

I think she's gonna be fine
on the Cyclone Spinner.

I think her core strength
will see her through here.

And look at the muscles on the back.

But that's the real crucial part.

I don't know if her foot's
wedged in enough.

Does she have the foot grip?
I don't know.

Ooh! I'm nervous.

We'll know within 2.5 seconds.

Melvin Solo paid the price
for foot placement.

Darcy's leg comes flying off.
Can she...?

Hold on, keep going, this is
fantastic, what a comeback.

Hold on, don't let go!
Oh, no!

Oh! What a save!
Oh!

Come on, yes!

What an effort.

Wow, it's next to impossible to save
yourself on the Cyclone Spinner,

but Darcy Elliston does, and now she
has the chance to pick her own path.

It's a huge equation for the
scientist, A or B, known or unknown.

She's chosen lane A, the path known,

obstacles that we've seen before,
and these are very, very tough.

Flying Shelf Grab
followed by the Floating Monkey

and then you've gotta have enough
energy to get up the Warped Wall,

which is ten centimetres higher
this year.

It's a massive challenge.
It starts right here.

Three shelves to get across,
two metres apart.

The middle one,
20 centimetres higher.

She's a weightlifter so
I'm backing her in here.

She's gonna have plenty
of upper body strength.

How's her grip strength, though?

I think it's gonna be good, but,
when you back people in, they...

Don't do that.

Don't be silly now.

No, I'm telling you...
Don't be silly, she's alright.

Darcy Elliston,
we want you up the wall tonight.

The arms are fully extended.

This must be hurting.

Can she get up to the highest shelf?

Oh, it's the Maddern curse
striking again,

and that middle shelf was just
a little bit too much for Darcy.

I think someone's jinxed her.

It wasn't me.

No, it wasn't you.

It definitely wasn't me.

Well done, beautiful girl.

Whoo!

Darcy, girl power, how good are you!

Oh, thanks.

Yeah, I just go out, give it 100%.

Don't ever give up.

First time on the course.

It's massive, isn't it?

Yeah, you run through your head
how you think it's gonna go, but

you just get out here, and it's kind
of all plans out the window, really.

How did you somehow get yourself
back on the Cyclone Spinner?

No idea.

Pure adrenaline, I think.

Just, yeah, never give in,
never say die,

not until you're in the water
and wet.

Well done.
Thank you.

Well, you know what?

That's a newbie Ninja,
Darcy Elliston making her mark.

But this killer course
continues to torment our ninjas.

We'll be back right after the break
with more Australian Ninja Warrior.

Still to come...

The Ninja nerds are back, baby.

Nathan Burley and Todd Smith return,
this time with a new recruit.

And he's the smallest
male ninja ever.

All the pressure is on
reigning champ Ben Polson.

There's gonna be a lot of people
out for blood this year.

I've got a target on my back,

and it's gonna be tougher than ever,
but, if you ask me,

do I believe I can back it up
and do it two years in a row?

The answer is yes, 100%.

And, later, it's ninja versus ninja
on the toughest Power Tower ever.

Welcome back to
Australian Ninja Warrior

where our ninjas face
our toughest obstacle course ever,

and Mount Midoriyama has continued
to churn through the field.

40-year-old Melbourne builder
Daniel Tolli

learned the painful truth
about the very first obstacle.

Oh! Wow!

He was going so fast
and, unfortunately,

his feet have hit the water.

Ouch!

Puppeteer Stanley Browning knows
how to put on a good show, but...

Big Dipper to Pole Rider.

Oh, no.

(AUDIENCE GROANS)

He had a very entertaining ending.

And auctioneer Janelle Zanatta

paid the ultimate price
on the Cyclone Spinner.

It's all about your core
and hanging on.

She's flat as a tack
to that disc on the...

Oh!
(AUDIENCE GROANS)

Going, going, gone.

Only three ninjas have gone further

than the first three obstacles
so far,

which means our next hopeful
has an enormous task ahead of him.

At just 166cm tall
and weighing just 53kg,

he's our smallest male ninja ever.

From Brisbane, it's Sam Roberts.

I'm Sam, I'm 21 from Brisbane

and I love my job,
working at a supermarket.

I've always been a smaller kid,
as you can see.

Have a good day.
Thanks very much, indeed.

Since I was a kid, I didn't really
go into any sports or anything

that other kids would do,
and I was more of a loner, really,

just preferred to be on my own, and
comic books meant the world to me.

I just love the way superheroes
can relate to us as people.

They're just ordinary people
with these abilities.

Being only 166cm tall and only 53kg,

I don't look like your average
athlete, just a small, nerdy kid.

But, 'cause of my size,
I'm underestimated,

but, something like Ninja,
my size is my superpower.

Going into this competition,

I want to prove to myself, my mates
and the world that I can do it,

that all smaller guys can do it,
and we can kill it, too.

I want to be a real-life superhero
just like Spider-Man.

(CHEERING)

Well, we don't judge books
by their cover,

we don't judge ninjas
by their size

because we've seen
in this competition before,

sometimes, it's the smallest,
leanest ninjas

who go furthest fastest,
but this young man is rather small.

166cm and just 53kg.

It's gonna be very hard for him
on some of these obstacles.

But he tells us, tonight,
he's going to channel Spider-Man.

Mate, you've got this!

Now, he's got his two mentors on the
sideline watching his every move.

The Ninja nerds,
Nathan Burley and Todd Smith,

they've been training

Sam, and they'll be on the course
themselves later tonight.

You've got this, mate.
Go, Ninja nerd, come on.

Smaller kids watching,
some of those kids out there

who wish they had a bit more size,

just watch this young man
and cheer him on.

These steps are 1.5 metres apart,
only a little less than

Sam's entire height, but he makes
it across no problem, one bound.

Go!

And here he goes,
the Big Dipper to Pole Rider.

Look at this kid go!

Could someone check his ID, please?

Is he old enough to be here?

Spider-Sam is gonna fly
down the Big Dipper now.

The dismount is gonna be crucial.

And catch!
Yes!

Absolutely perfect!

He pumps his arms.
You've got this.

The Cyclone Spinner, though,
that's looming large.

If ever there was a time to
channel Spider-Man, it is now.

This has been a nightmare
for our ninjas so far.

Has Sam got the core control
and the strength

to hang on through four rotations?

He's wedged in nice and tight, Bec.
All the way!

Technique looks good.

It's flawless.

Look at him go.
Well done, Sam.

Oh, this 21-year-old
supermarket worker

couldn't have dreamt
of a better start.

He's showing no fear,
and he is so fired up, Ben.

And you get the feeling
the next two obstacles

are gonna test Sam Roberts
like never before.

Will it be path A,
the known obstacles,

or B, the faster but
more difficult route?

Where's he gonna go?

What's he gonna do?

He's going to take the known path,
path A.

He'll have practiced the Flying Shelf
Grab and the Floating Monkey.

He knows what he's up against here,
two upper-body killers.

And it's where his size
could hurt him.

These three shelves are
over two metres apart.

He's gonna need a big swing.

Good start.

There he goes, gets the first one,
but now he has to go up,

and just have a look at his core
engaging here and how it's working.

Wow!

He is fantastic.

Make no mistake, he is defying
the odds with every single lache.

Oh, and he's done it again.

Whoo-hoo!

Now gets ready for the dismount.

He'll get a big roar from this crowd.
Oh, yeah.

Outside the Olympic Stadium
in Sydney.

We're watching a performance worthy
of this inspirational venue, Bec.

You got this, man.

He's just one obstacle away
from the Warped Wall

for the first time tonight.

The challenge is gonna be
Sam's wingspan.

I mean, Ben Polson
has got a 2-metre wingspan.

Now, just have a look, see.

The struggle is real.
Oh!

Just trying to get it
into the cradle.

Get it in!
No, no, no.

Oh!
Oh, again!

(AUDIENCE GASPS)
Oh, finally!

Now he locks it into place.

Whew!

And he shakes it off.

There's a long way to go.

Yeah, but he's looking
quite comfortable up there now, Ben.

I don't know,
I can see fear in his eyes.

Ooh! No!
Oh!

Oh, no.

This is excruciating.

Oh...

He locks that one in.

OK, good boy.

Nice!
Now he seems calm.

It's not over yet.

He's only...

Now...he's got it now,
he's got it now.

Hang on a minute.
Oh!

You've done it again,
Rebecca Maddern.

But he's a happy boy
and so he should be.

What an effort from young Sam,

and the crowd absolutely love
what they see.

Yep, Sam Roberts took the fight
to Mount Midoriyama this evening,

and none of us will forget that
performance for a long, long time.

Just like Cruze Morley,
we didn't see this one coming.

Sam Roberts might be the
smallest male ninja ever,

but he showed such huge spirit in
taking on the penultimate obstacle

where, finally, upper-body fatigue
just caught up with him.

Spider-Sam,
I think we've got a new cult hero

in Australian Ninja Warrior.

What do you reckon about Spider-Sam?

(CHEERING)

It's quite incredible.

It's huge, isn't it,
when you get here?

I'm sure you've done a lot of
training but, when you get here,

it is so much bigger than
what it looks like on TV.

Nothing can prepare you, honestly.

It's...been training for about
two years now, and coming here,

seeing everything, it still
hasn't kicked in that I'm here.

But it's amazing
that I got this far.

I'm so happy with how I did.

We want to see you continue on
in this competition.

Oh, yeah, I will be.

I'll be heading for that Power Tower
on the semis,

and I'll be heading
for Mount Midoriyama.

Alright, Spider-Sam!

Well done, he's heading
to Mount Midoriyama!

It was a superhuman effort
from Spider-Sam.

On the toughest course in the world,
our ninjas are getting it done.

Stay tuned. Don't go anywhere.

You're watching Australian Ninja
Warrior from Sydney Olympic Park.

The mountain has erupted, but which
ninjas will be forged in the fire?

Will it be Adelaide engineer
Stewart Furze?

This year, the course is
even more fierce than before,

but the furbinator focus is back
and even clearer.

Brisbane high school teacher
Nathan Burley?

Give it a burl,
the Ninja Nerd is back

and I'm here to destroy the course.

Or the spiritual ninja, Joel Hogan?

The stakes are so much higher
this year.

I'm going in 110% ready to take on
the course and win that Power Tower.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEN: Australia, welcome back
to Sydney Olympic Park.

Revenge has been sweet so far
for Mount Midoriyama

as this relentless new course
continues to dominate.

BEC: But for the two ninjas
who finish furthest fastest,

a battle awaits on the fiercest
Power Tower ever

where the winner
really will take it all

and go straight to the grand final.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

A golden opportunity
for our next ninja

to go beyond the semis
for the first time.

It's high school teacher
and ninja nerd, Nathan Burley.

(CHEERING)

(ROCK MUSIC)

NATHAN: Since you've seen me last,

my ninja obsession
clearly hasn't dwindled.

I've been busy trying to focus
my mind and body

into the very first ever Australian
Ninja Warrior, the board game.

Wow!
Whoa!

Australian Ninja Warrior!

The boardgame!

It is so fun.

You play as your favourite athlete.

(GROANS)
So close!

My boardgame
comes with athlete playing cards,

obstacle playing cards,

your very own buzzer,
a miniature Warped Wall

and Mount Midoriyama!

Australian Ninja Warrior course
is basically a life-size version

of my game and I'm the game master.

But on season four,
I went all the way through

until I met my nemesis,
The Doorknob Drop.

SHANE: This is where P oh, no!

BEN: Nathan, no!

NATHAN: All my students, they tease
me tremendously about my failure.

They call me
'The Doorknob Dropkick'.

So, hopefully, I want to be called
Mr Buzzer this year.

Yes!

(CHEERING)

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Yeah! Game on! Whoo!

Well, we have an entrepreneur here.

Last year, he brought a book.

This year, he has created
a ninja boardgame.

He is full of beans
and we love it.

BEN: So are you, Crawf.

Down there, Nathan's wife, Sarah,

and the other ninja nerds,
Sam Roberts and Todd Smith.

You got this! You got this!

(STARTING TONE)

BEC: So, Nathan Burley looks like
he's just here for a bit of fun,

bringing his board game out
but make no mistake.

He made it to the semifinals
last year.

He means business.
He was to go even further this year.

BEN: And tonight is about
whether he can go

from being a super fan
to being the real deal.

A genuine contender.

Grabs The Pole Rider
and makes a lovely exit

from obstacle number two.

Now, here is The Cyclone Spinner.

Nathan, make sure
it's in real tight, OK?

BEN: Bec, this is going to be
a huge test.

He can look down at his mate,
Sam Roberts, for inspiration.

He's locking those feet in. He knows
you've got to lock them right in.

Hold on tight and give it a shove.

Here he goes. Come on!

BEN: Here he goes now. On the roll.

One, two, three, four,

hang on, get off. Well done.

BEC: (LAUGHS)

Plenty of relief
in those celebrations

and the now for someone
who loves boardgames,

well, he gets to choose
his own adventure here.

A or B for the ninja nerd?

SHANE: Yes! It's the letter B!

BEC: It'll be the second time
tonight we are heading down path B.

BEN: Get ready, new obstacles.

We haven't seen Clockwork yet.

But we know The Ring Chaser
has already claimed the huge scalp

of Olivia Vivian,

and the moment you hit
that first bar on these monkey bars,

the ring starts rolling

and you've got to get in front
of it.

Oh, he's gone straight
to the second one!

He went straight to the second one
and it didn't move!

He's got to go back 'cause he didn't
touch the first bar to release it.

Go back and touch the first one.

BEC: Yep, that's right.

You've got to the first bar
for the ring to be released.

So, he's not panicking
and there it goes, rolling.

This is what you needed to do, Nath.

BEN: Ah, I see.

Very smart, Nathan. Very smart.

BEN: Yeah, there is a second chance
ring we may see later on

but at the moment,
we're with Nathan Burley.

Oh, well done!

This is incredible right now.
He's had to go back on the course.

Now he's going forward again.

BEC: And Olivia Vivian
got to this point, remember.

BEN: Got it!

BEC: OK, and we just need
the landing to the mat

and Nathan Burley
is the first competitor

to reach this brand-new obstacle

which we've been dying to see,
Clockwork.

BEN: Now, you have
these three major cogs

and they all move the moment

the ninja jumps up
onto this obstacle.

But they don't move
in a uniform manner.

There are handles, you've got
to transfer between the handles.

BEC: This is going to be
a very weird sensation

for our ninjas. Our ninjas
are used to obstacles

that have a nice flow to them.

This one is quite jolty.
It works on a pulley system.

BEN: OK, on the handles now.
He's got the transfer here.

Getting ready P no!
BEC: Oh, no!

BEN: Oh, no.

Nathan Burley crashes out
on the Clockwork.

Course of gold.

BEN: An A plus effort from him.

We knew the jerky movement
of the cogs was going to be tough

but it meant that Nathan
couldn't predict

where the next handle
was going to be

and if you can't predict it,
you can't time it.

He held on too long
and his grip just gave out.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Nathan Burley. You are legend.

Well done.
Thank you so much. It was so fun.

It is a super fan's dream

to make this real-life board game
into a real game. It's amazing.

And everyone knew
once you got to the crossroads,

you were going to choose B

'cause you've never done
that before.

If you're here, you might as well do
something you've never done before

and I get excited by new obstacles.

As if I'm ever going to go A.

It's great to have you
a part of the show. Well done.

It felt so good.

I can't wait to get my hands
on more obstacles.

Let's go!
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEC: You could be doing that
soon enough, Nathan Burley.

He's just announced himself
as a real contender this year

and moved up into second place

behind the man right there,
Sam Roberts.

They are the two furthest fastest
at the moment

and heading for the Power Tower

where the winner will earn
an express pass

straight to the grand final.

BEN: But so far, no one's made it
to The Warped Wall.

So, it's time for us
to send in the biggest names

in Australian Ninja Warrior,
and there's none bigger than this.

He's a three-time grand finalist
and two-time runner-up.

Get ready for Bryson Klein.

(HIGHPENERGY MUSIC)

BRYSON: This is my fourth season
of Australian Ninja Warrior.

When I first stepped out
onto the ninja course in series two,

I was a lot younger,
perhaps a bit more timid,

not quite as confident or outgoing.

So, throughout the years
of completing on Ninja Warrior,

I've definitely gained
a lot of confidence.

That's really helped me to become
the athlete that I am today.

I'm definitely a lot stronger
and fitter and more prepared

for what the course can throw at me.

BEC: Bryson's winding up
for the lache.

BEN: Who's going to get it?

Charlie hits the buzzer!
(HORN SOUNDS)

BRYSON: Unfortunately,
I've never actually won a heat.

I've only ever come second.

I have also come second
in two grand finals.

My absolute ultimate goal

was to be the first
Australian Ninja Warrior.

SHANE: Ben Polson!

He's done it!

BRYSON: Now, that goal
is never achievable for me.

Yeah, I had to go through
the process of letting that go.

That was, you know, eye-opening.

As they say, if you want to be
a millionaire,

hang out with millionaires.

I want to be Australian
Ninja Warrior,

so I decided to move to Brisbane,

move in with the champ himself,
Ben Polson...

Oh, my god. We've got a house.

..as well as Olivia Vivian
and Fred Dorrington

in the ninja super house.

There's no better place to be

to get yourself in the right mindset
and for training.

I've trained so hard this past year.

I've worked on all of my weaknesses.

I truly believe that this is
my year to win it.

I know that it's just going to be
so much harder

but I will be number one.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEC: Here he comes.
Here comes Bryson.

We are bringing out the big guns
to take down Mount Midoriyama.

Now, he has never won a heat,
interestingly,

but overall however,
he's finished runner-up twice.

He needs to shake off
that bridesmaid tag

and keeping a close eye on this one
is reigning champ, Ben Polson,

there with Bryson's girlfriend,
Gemma, his dad,

and fellow housemate, Olivia Vivian.

You've got this, Bryson!

BEN: He's walking a tight rope here.

He's going to have to pull
it all out for the Power Tower.

But on this course especially,
one slip and it's all over.

(STARTING TONE)

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEC: Shrinking steps
will be no problem

for this chap, Bryson Klein.

He has done it all
on Australian Ninja Warrior

except wear that crown.

BEN: He's got the mixed grip.
He's got the log.

Oh! (INDISTINCT)

BEN: And now, he's about to get
The Cyclone Spinner.

BEC: Wedging the feet in now,

making sure the hands
are there as well. That's it.

Make sure your ankles
are almost touching the disc.

OLIVIA: Lock this in, Bryson!

BEN: Starts to roll now.

He looks strong, he's got
that tension

right up against the spinning disc.

Perfect from Bryson Klein
on The Cyclone Spinner.

Whoa!

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEC: He is flying.

He looks so determined tonight.

Makes the decision to go down
the faster path B

and tackle these two
brand-new obstacles.

Up he goes.
BEN: When he hits The Ring Chaser,

that ring starts rolling

and he's got to catch it
and he does.

BEC: Perfect timing
for Bryson Klein.

MAN: Yeah, Bryson!

BEC: And just watch his upper body
strength through this.

This will be superb.

BEN: Now, these sky hooks.
They're tiny.

BEC: Nice.

BEN: But someone like Bryson
doesn't miss.

How quick is he?

BEN: Four obstacles done.

SHANE: This guy is an absolute
machine and speaking of machine,

it's now The Clockwork.

Come on, work it out, work it out!

BEN: Nathan Burley couldn't handle
the awkward movement on these cogs.

Let's see if Bryson Klein can.

He catches the first handle.

He's so strong.
BEC: Oh, he's just so strong.

BEN: Time for the lache.

Can he?

He can!

BEC: That was a fingertip save
from Bryson Klein.

It was nearly all over for him
but now, The Warped Wall.

BEN: Wasting no time,
first time, never in doubt.

(HORN SOUNDS)
Hits the buzzer

and right outside the stadium
where so many champions were born,

a ninja champion reminds us,
"I'm here to succeed."

BEC: And Bryson Klein,
you are the first ninja

to hit the buzzer in season five.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Well, there's a big prize
at the top of that Power Tower,

so I've got to be smooth and fast
and fast and smooth.

We're looking forward to seeing
plenty more of you, mate.

Go down and celebrate with the gang.

Put your hands together
for Bryson Klein.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

What do they say?
The cream rises to the top.

Incredible poise and what about
the high-speed technique,

and a desperate save
on The Clockwork.

Bryson Klein,
the new furthest fastest

and now on track
to win his first ever heat,

and there he is

on the top of the leaderboard,

charging onto the Power Tower

with Nathan Burley

and pushing Sam Roberts

down to third.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEC: Well, he has set a cracking
pace tonight, Bryson Klein.

It's all hugs down there

but he has laid the gauntlet down
for reigning champ, Ben Polson,

and made the breakthrough
we have all been waiting for.

We will be back
right after this short break.

BEN: Ninja versus ninja...

..in a race like no other.

This year, the stakes
are even higher,

with a place in the grand final
for the winner.

Don't miss the Power Tower.

BEC: And two ninjas desperate
for redemption.

Two-time grand finalist,
Josh O'Sullivan.

JOSH: To go from season three
grand finals

to then season four,
not making semifinals.

It's a humbling experience.

BEC: And back from season three,
Katie Sparrow.

I'm back here because I don't feel
like I was able to do it

to the best of my ability last time.

(BUZZER)

I want to give it my best shot

and see if I can complete
the course.

BEN: Tonight's top two
furthest fastest ninjas

will face off
on the all new Power Tower

for a fast pass straight through
to the grand final.

All thanks to Energizer.

(HORN SOUNDS)

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEN: You're back
with Australian Ninja Warrior

at Sydney Olympic Park.

BEC: So far tonight,

only Bryson Klein has defied
Mount Midoriyama

and made it to the top
of The Warped Wall.

(HORN SOUNDS)
BEN: Never in doubt.

BEC: Can our next ninja follow
his lead?

BEN: Direct from the northern
beaches of Sydney,

a powerhouse mix of sun, sand
and steely determination.

Come on down, Katie Sparrow.

KATIE: My name's Katie Sparrow.

I'm 28 and am from Manly
and I work as a personal trainer.

Well done! High five
on the way through.

What I find most rewarding
is helping women find strength

in all aspects of their life
through fitness

and it's the best job in the world.

BEN: Lets go, Katie.

Back in season three, I came off
on The Swing Surfer.

Big bounce. Oh, yes!

KATIE: Ideally, you get off
straight away

while you have that momentum.

She's very scared about getting off.
Oh, Katie.

Katie Sparrow is in no man's land.

Nothing was happening,
so I jumped off.

Missed the platform by a mile
and fell into the water.

Ninja represents
a massive challenge,

something that I look at and think,

"Wow, it would be really cool
to be able to do that."

'Cause I know the sense
of achievement

is something you can't really beat.

Ninja doesn't discriminate.

It's a mixture of guys and girls
and we do the exact same course.

I do believe there's a new strong
wave of ninja women coming through

and I'd love to lead the way.

I want to give it my best shot
and do it for the girls.

I've heard Mount Midoriyama is angry
but I'm ready to take it on.

I've put in the training,

so hopefully we'll make it
angry again.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEC: In season three, Katie Sparrow
came off on obstacle two.

She's been training night and day
to come back better.

She says she's more prepared
than ever,

so fingers crossed she can go
all the way tonight.

BEN: She's got plenty of support
willing her on

and she wants to capitalise
on that right now

at the Sydney Olympic Stadium.

(STARTING TONE)

BEC: Shrinking steps, off she goes.

First step, nice, yes, she's home.

BEN: She's all good.

BEC: And here we are,
already at obstacle two,

The Big Dipper to Pole Ride

and now, after two years
of thinking about this moment,

she's got to be nervous.

BEN: She needs to hold on
tight here.

BEC: Down she goes.
BEN: Yes!

BEC: Makes the grab,
finds the safety of the mat

and she has now gone one better
than series three.

Well done, Katie Sparrow.

BEN: What's up next, Bec?

The Cyclone Spinner.

This tests even the best ninjas.

BEN: OK, locks the feet into place.

BEC: That looks good to me.

BEN: Now, hands are ready to go.

BEC: That looks good.
BEN: And here comes the roll, Bec.

BEC: Squish your body onto the disc.

This is one hell of a ride
and you're almost at the end.

SHANE: Well done!

WOMAN: Got it!
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEN: Home.

You can see a sense of confidence
is growing with every obstacle

and she's become
one of a select few ninjas

to make it to the crossroads
tonight.

She looks relieved.

BEC: What path is Katie Sparrow
going to choose?

It's a really big decision.

She says, "I don't know.
They all look terrifying."

BEN: It's decision time, Katie.

She's going the safe route.

BEC: There she goes.

She's chosen lane A, the path known.

Two obstacles that she's trained for

but they are two of the toughest
Mount Midoriyama can throw at her.

BEN: Only two ninjas have made it
past The Flying Shelf Grab tonight.

Katie, she's doing a great job.

Good.

BEC: Lets go, Katie.
BEN: Get your swing on, Katie.

BEC: She can hear the crowd,
it's pumping her up.

She wants it, she makes
the first transition.

Now, she knows she can do it,

so she should get a lot
of confidence from that.

BEN: This is the harder one
because it's higher in height.

SHANE: Keep going, keep going.

Oh, it's such a long way!
(BUZZER)

It really is such a long way.
Well done, Katie.

BEN: Katie sparrow should be really
proud of her achievement tonight.

She's done herself
and everyone proud.

Well done, Katie Sparrow.

BEC: All that training paid off
for Katie

as she sailed past
the second obstacle this time

but a small mistake cost her
on The Flying Shelf Grab.

Swinging for the lache,

Katie didn't move her hands
to the sides of the first shelf,

which would have bought
extra centimetres on her lache

and saved her from falling short.

BEN: That puts Katie Sparrow

into the top five places tonight.

Great result, Katie.

At the moment, Bryson Klein

and Nathan Burley

are set to battle it out

on the Power Tower

for that golden ticket

to the grand final.

One name missing from the top

of the leaderboard, Olivia Vivian.

She'll be anxiously waiting

to see if she's done enough

for a spot in the semifinals.

BEC: Well, we've already channelled
Spiderman tonight.

Next, it's a two-time
grand finalist

who wants to make like Marty McFly
and head back to the future.

It's Adelaide's
Stewart 'The Furbinator' Furze.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

STEWART: This year, I'm back
and more prepared than ever.

(CHEERING)

In the past, balance
has always been one thing

that I've been super worried about.

I picked up a skateboard
in the last 12 months

and I've been rolling around
at the local skate park

to try and improve my balance.

Season two, three, and four,

I had Ashanti as my girlfriend
on the sidelines.

This year, she's my wife.

Ashanti and I have always had
a common fascination

with the movie 'Back to the Future'

and many years ago, we thought
if we ever get married,

we should have a 'Back
to the Future' themed wedding.

Think back to the future

when you guys met
for that first time ever.

We actually managed to do that
in the last 12 months.

I don't have the typical look,
being tall with a tan and muscles.

But I don't need all that.

This year, the Furbinator focus
is back and even clearer.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEN: He is a favourite, this bloke,
the Furbinator.

Maybe not a favourite
with the bookies

to go all the way to the top
of Mount Midoriyama

but a fan favourite,
that's for sure.

BEC: And what he wouldn't do
for a hover board right now.

He's been practising
with a skateboard,

so let's see if that helps him out
on the course.

BEN: Tell him he's dreaming.

Stewart, turn your eyes
to the big screen

because we have your lovely wife,
Ashanti,

joining you on this run tonight.

BEN: Oh, yes.
BEC: Ashanti,

final words for your husband.

Go your hardest!

Just get to the end!

BEN: (LAUGHS)

BEC: Short but sweet.

And don't stuff it up, Furbinator.
(LAUGHS)

I love you.

BEN: Oh, we love you too.

We'll turn it over
to the Furbinator.

Here we go.

(STARTING TONE)

SHANE: The Furbinator has been
working on his balance.

He's taken up skateboarding
and he's going to need it.

BEN: Yeah, well, he's one
of the elite competitors

on Australian Ninja Warrior.

A grand finalist in season two,
he's reached two semifinals.

Can he do even better tonight
on this course?

Come on, Furbinator.

BEC: He goes onto The Pole Rider.
BEN: Go, Furby!

BEC: The Furbinator,
he's a seasoned campaigner.

He knows what this is all about.

However, we have been warning
our ninjas that season five,

we've stepped it up significantly.

BEN: Including on this killer
obstacle.

Hands and feet wedged in.

Four cartwheels
down a seven-metre track.

Is he in tight enough?

Not as much as we've seen
from others.

Oh, it wasn't pretty
but he got there.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEC: Well done, Furbinator.

OK, here she is at the crossroads.

He's about ten seconds slower
than Nathan Burley at the moment.

BEN: Where's he going?

BEC: B. He is bringing it tonight.

BEN: That's a statement of intent.

He wants the Power Tower spot
and he wants the faster track.

BEC: Will it be a good decision
or not?

Here's The Ring Chaser.

BEN: This is a big jump.

A really big jump from a trampoline.

BEC: Particularly for someone
who is 168 cm.

BEN: And remember, if you do make it
to the monkey bar,

that ring starts rolling
straight away. It's then a race.

BEC: Got to go quick.
Here he goes. The Furbinator.

BEN: Off goes the ring.
BEC: Onto the handle.

There it goes. Quick, quick.
So does the Furbinator.

Go, go, go, go, go.
It's going to be close. He gets it.

Oh, no! He's dropped the ring!

He's dropped the ring!

BEC: Uh-oh!
BEN: So, there's a back-up.

Watch this. He'll now go
for the back-up.

But it's a smaller option.

Only 20 cm in diameter.

So, it's not as easy
with this lache.

BEC: Oh, you've got to be
spot-on now.

BEN: He's landed it!

The Furbinator saves himself.

BEC: He has chosen the tougher lane.

We're behind you, Furby! Come on!

BEN: What a rescue!

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)
BEC: Survives The Ring Chaser.

Ashanti, what do you make of this?

Incredible!

(LAUGHS)

BEC: So, we are now up to the second
last obstacle, Clockwork.

Only Bryson Klein has worked out
how to do this one so far.

BEN: There's a nasty kick
when you go back on that cog.

The movement is not in any way
uniform.

BEC: He's too scared to release.
Is he going to go, he's going to go.

BEN: Oh, yes.

A little slip there but he got it.

If he gets this, he's home.

BEC: Go, Furby! He's done it!
BEN: Yes!

BEC: Yes, Furby!

SHANE: The Furbinator is fantastic!

Now, he's going to head towards
The Warped Wall.

AUDIENCE (CHANTING): Beat the wall!

BEC: Come on, Stewart Furze.
You've been training for this.

It's ten centimetres higher
this year. Push those arms P oh!

He's about ten centimetres short,

so if it was last year, he would be
up and celebrating at this point.

BEN: He's 168 cm.

The wall is two and a half times
his size.

Take his time, a bit faster
up the ramp.

Drive to the top. I reckon
he's going to get this. Come on!

BEN: Yes, Furbinator! Yes!
SHANE: He's got it!

BEC: Furbinator,
put your hand on that buzzer!

Stewart Furze is heading
to the Power Tower!

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Well, that's a nice feeling,
isn't it?

(LAUGHS)

Didn't have to dig deep!
After dropping the big ring,

Stewart Furze kept his cool
to make it through Ring Chaser

then fell short on his first attempt
at The Warped Wall.

But he would not be denied
on his second try.

The Furbinator on top
in season five.

BEN: You know you're only
the second ninja

to hit the buzzer tonight, mate.

Mount Midoriyama has been ruthless.

Well, I dropped the ring
and then I tripped down here,

so you gave me some motivation
though.

We also gave you a lucky charm
there in the big screen.

Ashanti, how good is it
to have her watching on?

Oh, she's my angel.

I'd be nothing without her.

BEC: Oh!
BEN: Oh!

Ashanti, you must be very proud.

I am so very, very proud.

Well, mate, you go and enjoy
the celebrations

and we can't wait to see you
in the semifinals.

We might even see the Furbinator
on the Power Tower later tonight.

He's in prime position to join
Bryson Klein there

and a reminder, whoever wins
on the Power Tower

goes straight into the grand final.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Great performance
from The Furbinator.

Superstar, Olivia Vivian, slips
even further down the leaderboard.

She's in big trouble at the moment.

We'll be back right after this.

BEC: Our ninjas are raising the bar

and taking the fight
to Mount Midoriyama.

With three grand finalists
including Ninja Toddles

and the reigning champ, Ben Polson,
still to run,

the race to the Power Tower
will go down to the wire.

Skipping the semi-final and going
straight to the grand final,

oh, that is a massive advantage.

I'm definitely going
for that Power Tower tonight.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEN: You are back
with Australian Ninja Warrior.

Thanks for joining us
and while you were gone,

we saw plenty of thrills and spills

as three more ninjas chased a spot
on the formidable new Power Tower.

BEC: After a year
of deep meditation,

Joel Hogan returned to ninja

more spiritually charged than ever.

Grab, yes!

Before The Flying Shelf Grab
brought him back down to Earth.

Oh!
Oh, no!

BEN: 47-year-old parking inspector,
Trevor Salter,

is the oldest ninja in heat one

and he looked just the ticket.

BEC: I think he's going to do it!

BEN: Until he paid the penalty
on The Floating Monkey.

BEC: Trevor Salter making it
really hard work for himself

on The Floating Monkey
and he finds the pool.

Two-time grand finalist
and firefighter, Josh O'Sullivan,

brought the heat.

Josh O'Sullivan is known

for putting a cracking
pace together.

Burned after missing out
on the semis last year,

he was more fired up than ever...

BEN: There's the jump!

..becoming the third ninja
to go all the way.

BEN: Straight up The Warped Wall,
first attempt. He hits it!

BEC: Whoa!

BEN: And Josh O'Sullivan
is heading to the Power Tower.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEN: So, Josh O'Sullivan squeezes

Stewart Furze out of second place

by one second.

Sliding into the Power Tower

hot seat just behind Bryson Klein

and positioning himself perfectly

for a chance to win the express pass

to the grand final.

But ready to crash the party
right now is Ninja Nerd, Todd Smith.

After reaching the semis
in season three

and the grand final last year,

he firmly believes his star
is on the rise.

(STARTING TONE)

Here we go. It's time for Toddles
to have a crack.

One, two, three, four, five.

BEC: Oh, no!
BEN: No, that's a problem.

BEC: We nearly lost Ninja Toddles
on the first obstacle.

Oh, my goodness. He was almost out
of the competition.

BEN: He's still going.
Big Dipper to Pole Rider.

There's the catch onto the log.

Now, he's getting ready to take on
The Cyclone Spinner

which has been a nightmare
for a lot of our ninjas.

Big dramas to start
with the Ninja Toddles.

He's got to compose himself here.

Get all of his ducks in a row,
get that core engaged.

MAN: Be strong!

BEC: Get your body nice and close
to the spinner and there it goes.

Don't move an inch.

Grab on for your dear life
and you will get to the end.

That's exactly how you do it,
Ninja Toddles,

and I'm just looking at the clock.

Ten seconds up on Josh O'Sullivan
despite that slip.

Now, that is a surprise.

He's chosen path A,
the slower route.

His mate Nathan crashed out
on Clockwork.

Best to stick with what you know.

BEN: Yes, Nathan Burley
went the new obstacles.

Ninja Toddles is going
the familiar ones

and already that decision
proving to be a smart one

because he knows these obstacles.

He's been on them before.

He knows how to catch a shelf,
he knows how to fly between them.

BEC: And Ninja Toddles is setting
a cracking pace here

which really should come
as no surprise.

In season three, he was the fastest
in his heat.

SHANE: Can you believe it?

After such a poor start,
he's now in a wonderful position.

Go, the Ninja Nerd!

BEC: Yeah, here he goes
up onto The Floating Monkey.

Come on, mate.
Yep, come on. Take your time.

BEC: He's over 30 seconds
faster than Josh O'Sullivan now

but he has to be careful.
BEN: Wow!

We saw what happened
with Sam Roberts.

If you miss one of those monkey
bars, you're in a world of pain.

BEN: And he's got to hold on.

OK, OK. Hold on!

BEN: A lot of pressure on him now.

BEC: Locks in that bar.

BEN: One of the big advantages
is the weight factor.

He's 67 kg and look at him.

He's got a great build
but a light frame,

and his lead is now over 40 seconds.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Ninja Toddles is at The Warped Wall.

It was an ordinary start.

Can he put himself within touching
distance of the Power Tower?

AUDIENCE (CHANTING): Beat that wall!

BEC: Beat the wall. The wall
is ten centimetres higher this year.

It now stands at 4.35 metres
to the very top.

BEN: It's crunch time.

BEC: Here we go, Ninja Toddles!

Push those P oh, yes!
BEN: Yes!

BEC: Yes, he got there! Don't worry
about the ten centimetres!

BEN: Yes!
BEC: Hands on the buzzer

and what a celebration
from Ninja Toddles!

BEN: Oh, why not?

He's done it.

He beat Josh O'Sullivan

and at this stage, Todd Smith
is on the Power Tower

against her Bryson Klein.

BEC: Safe to say,
you're pretty happy

to be on top of The Warped Wall.

This is amazing!

This is my third buzzer
and I'm coming for that Power Tower.

BEC: You made the grand final
last year.

What are you aiming for this year?

Semi-final season three,
grand final season four.

Champion, season five.

BEN: Ninja Toddles!

BEC: It was nearly all over
in the first three seconds though

but Todd Smith saved himself
on The Shrinking Steps

and he never looked back.

He was lightning fast throughout,

getting to the top
of The Warped Wall

with over 40 seconds to spare.

BEN: The Ninja Nerds
have had plenty to celebrate tonight

and after that performance
from Todd Smith,

they could be heading
to the Power Tower.

Join us after this to find out.

BEC: Next...

BEN: Ben Polson's done it!

..the ninja who defeated
the mountain.

The first Australian Ninja Warrior
is Ben Polson!

Can he do it again?

BEN: A few more eyes
will be on me this year.

I've got a target on my back.

Is he going to back it up
or is he going to flop?

But I'm still aware that I'm capable
of completing everything

and I'm capable of getting
to Mount Midoriyama once again.

I know I can go all the way.

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Welcome back to a brand-new season
of Australian Ninja Warrior.

BEN: Tonight,
we're at Sydney Olympic Park,

a fitting location
for the incredible feats

we've witnessed
on Australian Ninja Warrior.

Mount Midoriyama has tormented
our ninjas

and only four have been able
to finish the course.

BEC: Bryson Klein and Todd Smith
currently lead the way

to the Power Tower

where a head-to-head battle
will decide who skips the semis

and goes straight
into the grand final.

Now, just one ninja remains.

This man is conquering
this almighty beast!

(HORN SOUNDS)
BEN: Ben Polson's done it!!

BEC: Unbelievable!

The first Australian
Ninja Warrior is Ben Polson!

BEN: He's the Ninja Warrior
Champion.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEN: I remember the exact moment
that the win actually hit me.

I just started bursting out
in tears.

I was just thinking
of my younger self.

I can't believe all the stuff
that I went through

as a kid and a young adult.

I wasn't exactly popular
in high school

and I didn't really know
where I fit in,

and here I am sitting there
the next morning,

casually winning Australian
Ninja Warrior,

and it just all hit me.

It was really emotional.

The big question after becoming
Australia's first ever Ninja Warrior

is what's next?

When you accomplish your life goal,
you need to come up with a new goal.

But luckily for me,
the course keeps changing,

it keeps getting harder

and as far as I know,
there's never been a winner

which has won two years in a row
anywhere in the world.

My goal is to come back
and back it up

and prove that I'm not just a fluke,

that I am capable of accomplishing
it twice in a row.

Mount Midoriyama is going to be
tougher than ever.

I know it is.

You never know what to expect

but as a ninja,
we have to be focused

no matter what is in front of us
and that's just the joy of ninja.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEC: So, this is last year's
champion.

He's confident

but then there is a whole lot
of pressure on Ben Polson

that he wasn't feeling last year.

BEN: Heavy is the crown, Bec.

He knows he's got a big target
on his back right now

and his housemate, Bryson Klein,
has been studying his every move

for 12 months.

This is heavyweight rivalry
and Bryson has raised the bar.

BEC: Ben Polson has won every
single heat he's ever been in.

He would trade in
all of those victories

to be furthest fastest tonight.
(STARTING TONE)

Here we go.
BEN: Here he comes.

Ben Polson, good start. Solid.

Up onto the rope.

The fastest time of the night
is Bryson's 01:51.

That's about 18.5 seconds
per obstacle.

BEC: Oh, that is so, so fast.

Grabs the pole, flies.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

So, let's see how it goes
on The Cyclone Spinner.

SHANE: This is a very tall ninja.
One of our biggest ninjas,

so how is he going to go
on the spinning wheel?

BEC: 195 cm,
6'4" in the old scale.

See how much he's bending
his knees and his arms.

It's because he's so tall,

he's got to actually just put them
somewhere.

BEN: Yeah, and because he's got
that great core strength,

he's still able to hold on.

BEC: Well, Ben's slower
than Bryson at the moment

and he's also slower
than Ninja Toddles

who finished in 02:24.

So, he's picked the faster route,
path B,

but he's still four seconds
down on second-place, Todd Smith.

He's really going to have to get
a wriggle-on on The Ring Chaser.

BEN: And remember, the moment
you touch that first bar here,

the ring starts moving,

so you've got to hurry along
and make sure you grab it in time.

Here he goes, Ben Polson. Oh, easy.

He's there.

So confident, so strong.

Now, he's got the ring
over that first hook.

Getting ready to move it.

BEC: Now, remember,
this is the obstacle that took out

his girlfriend, Olivia Vivian.

So, she knows how tough
this is and so does he.

BEN: First one's fine.
Second one, straight.

SHANE: Locks it in.

Poetry in motion.

Poetry in motion.

BEN: Now, Clockwork.

Come on!

BEC: Getting the swing up,
ready for the transition.

Won't go. Come on, Ben.
You've got to go.

BEN: He's now six seconds
behind Toddles.

BEC: Lands it.

BEN: Now, he's on that middle cog.

He looks confident but the clock
is not on his side.

Grabs it again.

BEC: OK, you just need to make
the dismount now.

BEN: Time's running out.
BEC: That's it. Just Swing.

BEN: He's got 15 seconds.

Come on, Ben!

If he wants to make the Power Tower,
he'd better hurry up.

BEC: Up he goes
from a standing start.

BEN: What was that?

He gets the buzzer
with six seconds to spare.

Ben Polson's on the Power Tower.

Wow! What a comeback.

It looked like it was all over
for the champ but he's done it.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEC: Ben Polson, great run tonight.

It is so great to have our reigning
champion back on season five.

Ben, you are responsible
for a few things this year

and I'm talking about
Mount Midoriyama

because the mountain
is very angry because of you.

Oh, sorry to all the other ninjas
out there.

Yeah, look, it sure is angry.

It's a long way up from the top
of The Warped Wall

to the top of Mount Midoriyama.

What do you think
when you look up there?

Well, it brings me back to last year
for sure

and the emotions I felt standing
at the top there, you know?

It's something I visualised
for many, many years.

I'm looking at it now.

It takes me back to last year,
it gets me excited,

and excited for everyone else
to tackle it as well.

BEC: We are so excited
to have you back, Ben Polson.

Well done, mate.
Enjoy.

Ben Polson! The 2020
Australian Ninja Warrior Champion.

Can he do it again 12 months later?

BEC: A close call for Ben,
finishing faster than Ninja Toddles

by just over five seconds
in the end.

He was feeling the pressure
on the course

but did what all great champions
do, kept a cool head,

stepped it up and found a way
to turn it around.

BEN: And here's the confirmation

that Ben Polson has set up

a mouth-watering clash

with Bryson Klein

on the Power Tower.

But for the first time ever,

it's Bryson that wins the heat

and Ben finishes second.

BEC: The top 19 will go through

to the semifinals tonight

and there were brilliant

performances from newbie ninjas,

Sam Roberts and Cruze Morley

finishing in seventh and eighth,

while in 13th, is superstar,

Olivia Vivian, the only time

she's ever finished lower

was in season one.

She'll be hoping for much better

in the semifinals, and finally,

good news for Melvin Solo.

He scraped through in 18th spot.

BEN: So, with Bryson Klein
and Ben Polson

topping that leaderboard in first
and second place respectively,

they now head to the Power Tower.

Two ninjas from the same powerhouse
battling it out.

Housemate versus housemate.

This is going to be epic.

They will be going head-to-head
for an unbelievable prize.

The chance to avoid the semifinals
altogether

and go straight
into the grand final.

Get ready, Australia.
We'll see how it goes down.

It's ninja versus ninja
right after this.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEN: Welcome back
to Australian Ninja Warrior.

I tell you what, the atmosphere
is tense here

because it's Power Tower time.

Ninja versus ninja
and Bec, what about the line-up?

We've got Bryson Klein
up against Ben Polson.

They're flatmates, they live
in the same house,

in the ninja super house
in Brisbane.

BEC: And they will be
going for it tonight

because whoever touches
that big button first,

they gain a huge advantage.

They go straight through
to the grand finals.

That's right, they get a fast pass
straight to the GF.

No semifinals for them.

But with the biggest prize ever

comes a new more spectacular
and demanding Power Tower

than ever before.

BEN: I know. What about this?

The race begins with a flat out
20 m sprint for the steps.

There are five of them,
each 1.3 metres high.

Waiting at the top
is an unstable fire pole.

It is a white-knuckle slide
down to the floating steps below.

BEC: These are on a very tricky
angle

and a wrong step could spell
the end for one of our ninjas.

Next is an upper-body-shredding
dead-climb up a second fire pole

onto the dropping shelves.

BEN: These four shelves sink
when weight is applied to them,

making transfers even harder.

Then a final 1.75 m lache
to the platform and that buzzer.

(HORN SOUNDS)

BEC: Let's take a look to see
who might have the edge

in this highflying showdown.

Ben is one of the tallest ninjas
at 195 cm

and with a two-metre wingspan,

he could have a decisive advantage.

BEN: But Bryson's speed
could be crucial.

At just 73 kg, he's considerably
lighter than the reigning champ.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

SHANE: Flatmate versus flatmate.

Two of the finest ninjas
you're ever going to see.

I'm talking about Ben Polson
and Bryson Klein.

This is set to be a battle
of epic proportions.

Bring it on.

BEC: Here we are.

The first Power Tower
at season five.

BEN: Who's it going to be?

Bryson Klein or Ben Polson?

Who's going straight
to the grand final?

Waiting on the buzzer.

(STARTING TONE)

BEC: OK, it's 20 metres on the flat

and they hit the stairs
neck-and-neck.

BEN: Yeah, the stairs
are 1.3 metres high.

There's five of them.

As they get to the top...
BEC: Here they are.

..it's Bryson just out in front.

BEC: Down the fire pole
neck-and-neck at the moment.

Onto the floating stairs.
Bryson's first.

BEN: Ben is about two steps behind
as Bryson gets on the poles.

BEC: How about that leap
from Ben Polson!

He is the champion,
he's the reigning champion,

he's almost caught Bryson!

BEN: But it's Bryson
onto the dropping shelves first.

BEC: Oh, it's going to be a question
who wants it more.

BEN: Ben's got the experience
but look at Bryson!

BEC: Oh, whoa!
BEN: Here comes Polson!

He's catching him!
He's going to get him!

No! No! It's Bryson Klein first!
(HORN SOUNDS)

Ben Polson second.

BEC: Bryson Klein goes
straight through to the grand final!

Our first grand finalist

on Australian Ninja Warrior
season five.

BEN: What a race!

Bryson took the early lead
over the floating stairs.

Ben came back all guns blazing

and it was oh-so-close
on the dropping shelves.

But a final desperate leap
from Bryson

just got him across the line.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Bryson Klein, congratulations.
You took down Ben Polson.

Very hard to do.

Thank you very much. Yes, it's
definitely a feat worth remembering.

Yeah, he's the champ
and I knew I could do it.

It was just a matter
of putting it together.

Is this the year for Bryson Klein?

Oh, let's hope so. (LAUGHS)

We all hope so.

Bryson Klein is going through
to the grand final!

Congratulations, buddy. Well done.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

So, we can confirm
it is Bryson Klein

going through to the grand final

after beating Ben Polson,
his housemate, on the Power Tower.

That was a close finish, Bec.

It certainly was but that's all
we have time for tonight.

Make sure you join us tomorrow night
from here at Sydney Olympic Park.

It's Australian Ninja Warrior.

See you then!
Good night!

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

BEN: Tomorrow night,

tennis legend and ninja super fan,
Nick Kyrgios,

joins Shane Crawford
on the sidelines...

What did I just witness?

..as the mountain devises
more terrifying new obstacles...

Oh!

..for an exciting new crop
of ninjas,

including this stay-at-home mum
of two...

I'd love to be the first mum
on the Power Tower.

That would be amazing.

..and a doctor
with a Jackie Chan obsession.

As a kid, I always enjoyed climbing
up things, jumping over things.

I never really grew out of it.

BEN: Many are looking for redemption

after last year.
(BUZZER)

Oh, no.

Unfortunately, Le, you've been
disqualified

because you grabbed the pylon.

BEN: None more so
than Ashlin Herbert

and Daniel Mason who both made
shock exits in the semis.

Oh, no!

They have the fiercest rivalry
of all.

Don't want to be bottoming out
tonight.

I'm back to try and redeem myself.

BEN: Could they be battling it out
on the all new Power Tower

for a golden ticket
straight to the grand finals?

Hopefully that extra little bit
of incentive

is going to give me that extra fight
to push past and win.

BEN: And still to come
on Australian Ninja Warrior...

Is this man human?

..new obstacle...
BEC: Oh, yes!

..after new obstacle...
BEC: Oh, no!

..after new obstacle
of sheer terror...

Oh, no!

..as Mount Midoriyama
continues to exact revenge.

WOMAN: Mount Midoriyama's
fighting back.

It's bringing up some big obstacles
and I'm going to see you there

right at the top,
hitting that buzzer.

BEN: The toughest heats.

Oh, my...

BEN: The toughest semis.

Oh, no!

BEN: The toughest grand finals.

Oh, no!

BEN: The toughest Power Towers...

I'm coming for that Power Tower.
Probably, maybe, hopefully.

..as ninjas are tested
like never before.

It's definitely
a supercharged course.

Super-sized.

Tougher than ever.

BEN: Can they conquer
the mountain again?