Matty Stewart links up with Knights legend Kurt Gidley for a brand-new season of The Don’t Argue podcast! Breaking down the biggest NRL headlines, match-winning plays, and their Best Bets. Watch and listen each week and stay one step ahead.
Matty and Gids are back for Preliminary Final week on The Don’t Argue, and after another dramatic weekend of finals football, the race for the 2026 premiership is down to just four teams. The Dolphins and Penrith Panthers earned the week off after qualifying final victories, while the Sydney Roosters and Newcastle Knights fought their way through the semi-finals to keep their premiership dreams alive.
The boys look back on the semi-finals, where the Roosters produced a ruthless 46-10 victory over the Sharks to book another preliminary final appearance, while the Knights continued one of the stories of the season with a gritty 12-10 win over the Warriors in Auckland. The result completed a remarkable rise for Newcastle, who finished with the wooden spoon just 12 months ago and now find themselves one win away from a Grand Final.
Attention then turns to Friday night’s blockbuster at Suncorp Stadium, where the Dolphins host the Roosters for a place in the Grand Final. The Dolphins have already made history with their first finals victory and now stand one game away from a maiden decider, while the Roosters arrive full of confidence after dismantling Cronulla. The boys discuss whether the Dolphins can continue their fairytale run or if the Roosters’ experience will prove too much.
The second preliminary final sees minor premiers Penrith Panthers take on Newcastle Knights at Accor Stadium. Penrith remains the benchmark of the competition and is chasing yet another Grand Final appearance, but the Knights have become September’s biggest surprise packet and continue to find ways to win. Gids is understandably loving Newcastle’s resurgence, going from last year’s wooden spooners to genuine premiership contenders in one of the most remarkable turnarounds in recent NRL history.
To wrap up the episode, the boys lock in their preliminary final tips, Clive Churchill smoky predictions and Grand Final projections. If you’re after all the biggest NRL talking points, finals analysis and premiership predictions, The Don’t Argue has everything you need heading into a massive preliminary final weekend.