Welcome to our Australian Ninja Warrior episode 9 recap! The GRAND FINAL!
Australian Ninja Warrior Season 1 Episode 9 Obstacles – STAGE ONE
Starts off as per usual with the Quintuple Steps
Followed by the Big Dipper
There is always a balance obstacle third, and it’s the Spinning Log with Donut this time.
Jump Hang is next
The dreaded Spider Jump that always takes out a heap of people on the American show.
The Warped Wall is next… but it’s not over yet…. another 3 to go in Stage One.
Globe Grasper
Then the Ring Swing
Get to this point, and there’s only one thing standing in your way to the buzzer. It’s the Chimney Climb.
Australian Ninja Warrior Season 1 Episode 9 GRAND FINAL Info
21 remaining Ninjas
Stage One – 9 obstacles – 3:45 time limit
Stage Two – 8 obstacles – 65 seconds time limit
Stage Three – Mt. Midoriyama – 22 metre rope climb in 30 seconds
Australian Ninja Warrior Season 1 Episode 9 Ninjas
Ryan Solomon took a big fall on the Big Dipper, the 2nd obstacle. This thing has always taken out so many people on the American series. He’s a tricky guy.
Ryan Solomon Stage 1 Ninja Run
Sam Goodall took the Big Dipper like a boss… he was so quick on the Spinning Log even though he came off right at the end… he climbed back up to safety. It was the Jump Hang that got him… just couldn’t ride the whip.
Ben Cossey was looking great. He smashed the Spider Jump but had trouble with the Globe Grasper… and then provided the most hilarious post-interview I’ve ever seen…
Australian Ninja Warrior Season 1 Episode 9 Ninjas – continued
Jayden Irving, the brilliant stuntman, tripped on the Spinning Log but recovered like it ain’t a thing. He hit the Spider Jump and bounced back out just as fast, it was crazy times… he didn’t realise straight away that you only get one shot, and so while his second attempt was successful, he was DQ’d. Dagnammit.
Jayden Irving Stage 1 Ninja Run
Daniel Weston, Tarzaniel, he smiles so much, it’s so great! He too got taken out by the Jump Hang… which at the start of the night I wouldn’t have guessed would be too much of a problem… even the people who made it take a really low horizontal flight at it… guess the time-limit has everyone on edge.
Daniel Weston Stage 1 Ninja Run
Tom O’Halloran, part of the Blue Mountain Rock Climbing quartet… did the Big Dipper the best ever… but then totally fall off the Spinning Log, and climbed back up. Really quick through the rest of the obstacles until the Globe Grasper, where he slowed down but was really strategic about his approach. Ring Swing took him a moment, but he smashed it and hit the buzzer with 59 seconds spare. Amazing!
Tom O’Halloran Stage 1 Ninja Run
Quick Runs from the break
Mike Snow took a massive fall on the Big Dipper, landed backwards and upside down in the water… if you’ve gotta go out…
Tom Hazell did a whole backwards somersault after grabbing the cargo net on Jump Hang. Amazing.. but, ah, not ideal.
Neal Holmes, Non Stop Neal, looked like he had a blistering time, but just missed the second set of Glabe Graspers on his first swing and fell straight off. Damn.
Australian Ninja Warrior Season 1 Episode 9 Ninjas – continued
Jack Wilson, the Deadly Ninja, totally dolphined off the Spinning Log. He was incredible on the Ring Swing, it was beautiful to watch and he easily hit the buzzer with 27 seconds left on the clock.
Fred Dorrington, who came third on Ninja Warrior UK, really really low grab on the rope on the Big Dipper… lots of confusion on whether he touched the water or not. The red light siren went off while he was on the cargo net from Jump Hang… on the video replay it looked like the impact with the padding caused the ripples. He got to start again on the Jump Hang net, and definitely seemed to take the wind out of his sails for a second, and then was killing it by the Globe Grasper… until he started to rotate… but he got it good and had no problem on the Ring Swing. Hit the buzzer with 23 seconds.
William Laister, looked like he had a good approach on the Big Dipper but he didn’t even get to the rope. Fell well short.
William Laister Stage 1 Ninja Run
Lee Cossey, the older more serious Cossey bro, so smooth through the Dipper and real quick on the Spinning Log, and while his brother offered hilarious advice, he hit the buzzer with 43 seconds to go.
Quick Runs from the break
Nathan McCallum didn’t hit the Spider Jump evenly and found himself in the drink.
Nathan McCallum Stage 1 Ninja Run
Ben Polson killed it quick with 55 seconds left.
Rob Patterson also blitzed it, with 1:11 remaining. Incredible!
Rob Patterson Stage 1 Ninja Run
Australian Ninja Warrior Season 1 Episode 9 Ninjas – continued
Alex Matthews didn’t seem to have any issues at all until the Ring Swing… he was left hanging on the first ring for ages, and managed to secure it and had 30 seconds to get up the Chimney Climb… he knew he was in trouble, but caned it and hit that buzzer with 8 seconds left on the clock. Friggin heart-stopping!
Alex Matthews Stage 1 Ninja Run
Ashlin Herbert was the last ninja to take on Stage One. The Spinning Log was textbook, the dude has no fear, and doesn’t really seem to have any weaknesses… he hit the buzzer with 1:21 seconds to spare. Absolutely insane.
Ashlin Herbert Stage 1 Ninja Run
Australian Ninja Warrior Season 1 Episode 9 Stage One – Leaderboard
Australian Ninja Warrior Season 1 Episode 9 Ninjas – STAGE TWO
Australian Ninja Warrior Season 1 Episode 9 Obstacles – STAGE TWO
Jungle Ropes were hardcore. Two paths, one with two ropes and one with three. The first rope slides across.
Basket Toss are each set at a weird 45 degree angle.
Salmon Ladder – we all know and love.
Unstable Bridge
Wall Lift
The above obstacles had to be completed in 65 seconds… only then could you attempt the remaining obstacles in Stage 2
Crazy Cliffhanger
Floating Boards
Flying Bars
If you complete all that… only then can you take Stage Four – Mt Midoriyama.
Australian Ninja Warrior Season 1 Episode 9 Ninjas – continued
Fred Dorrington took on the Jungle Ropes, it took him 3 swings, but he made the dismount smoothly… which he couldn’t say on the Basket Toss, but he made it. Salmon Ladder was no problem, as was the transition to the first Unstable Bridge. Great effort, but he ran out of time before his jump to the second.
Fred Dorrington Stage 2 Ninja Run
Rob Patterson just missed his first grab on the Jungle Ropes, but made it through… he smashed down on the 2nd Basket Toss. It’s an awkward grab.
Rob Patterson Stage 2 Ninja Run
Ben Polson got caught up on the Jungle Ropes, he was going diagonal to the obstacle at one point … and ended up stepping off. Crazy rough obstacle.
Australian Ninja Warrior Season 1 Episode 9 Ninjas – continued
Tom O’Halloran took a massive swing on the Jungle Ropes, grabbed the last rope, but he had to swing back to make the dismount, just. Same story on the Basket Toss, so awkward. He killed the Salmon Ladder and the first Unstable Bridge.. but couldn’t get the kick to the 2nd bridge.
Tom O’Halloran Stage 2 Ninja Run
Alex Matthews immediately got caught up in the Jungle Ropes, he was going all sorts of directions, even sideways… it actually took a huge effort to even time his jump into the pool.
Alex Matthews Stage 2 Ninja Run
By the time Ashlin Herbert hit the course, it was raining pretty heavily, but he was protected by his afro, so he was cool. He missed the first big swing, but managed to take the slow road and build up enough momentum. The Basket Toss held him up a touch, but he was alright. He got the 10 second warning on the Salmon Ladder. He made the transition to the Unstable Bridge but he was already out of time.
Ashlin Herbert Stage 2 Ninja Run
Australian Ninja Warrior Season 1 Episode 9 Ninjas – continued
Lee Cossey made a perfect grab with the big rope swing on the Rope Jungle but couldn’t get the distance on the dismount and splashed down. I’m not sure how much more he could have done to smash it in the time allowed.
Jack Wilson was Australia’s last hope to smash Stage 2, and was definitely up for the challenge. Super calm and collected while swinging. He made a huge dismount, but time was running short… for the first time he didn’t test the tramp for the Basket Toss and came crashing down.
Australian Ninja Warrior Season 1 Episode 9 Grand Final – Leaderboard
Performance of the Night – Fred Dorrington for getting the furthest the fastest.
Well done to Fred for this incredible effort! Can’t wait to see what you bring next Season!
