Overview

• Penrith eliminated the Warriors 24-8 in Auckland to set up a semi-final with Canterbury next Saturday night at Accor Stadium.
• Bulldogs captain Stephen Crichton has been ruled out for the remainder of the season with a syndesmosis ankle injury, returning to Sydney in a moon boot.
• Canterbury’s casualty list deepened with Enari Tuala sidelined by a calf injury, Kikau awaiting assessment for a possible facial fracture, and Sexton undergoing scans on a sternum knock; Bronson Xerri is slated to return.
• Cameron Ciraldo is weighing a Sexton–Galvin halves pairing with Matt Burton shifted to centre after in-game changes boosted fluency, and he has urged a big home turnout.
• Melbourne advanced directly to a preliminary final with a 26-18 win over the Bulldogs, while Penrith reported no new injuries and expect hooker Mitch Kenny to be available.