Nine NRL games, and the Dolphins now lead the head-to-head 5–4 after winning the 2026 qualifying final 26–16 at Go Media Stadium on Saturday 12 September. That win also put them ahead on aggregate points, 198 to 190, in a fixture that had been level at four wins each.
Before the final, the last six meetings had all been decided by four points or fewer, and four of them by two points. This page sets out the full record, the 2026 games, how each side finished the season, the named teams and where both clubs go next.
What this article answers: How the 2026 Warriors v Dolphins qualifying final finished, what the full head-to-head record says, and where each team goes next.
Main points
- The Dolphins won the qualifying final 26–16 at Go Media Stadium in Auckland on Saturday 12 September 2026.
- The NRL head-to-head is 5–4 to the Dolphins after nine games since 2023, and they lead 198–190 on points.
- Six of the seven meetings before the final were decided by four points or fewer, and the home side has won six of the nine.
- The Dolphins get a week off before a preliminary final; the Warriors host the Knights in a semi-final at Eden Park on Sunday 20 September.
- It was the Dolphins’ first NRL finals game, in their fourth season, and they won it.
Warriors vs Dolphins qualifying final: how it finished and what it means
The second qualifying final pitted second against third. The Warriors hosted the Dolphins at Go Media Stadium in Auckland on Saturday 12 September 2026, kicked off at 6:05pm NZST, and lost 26–16. It was the third time in four years that the NRL finals had come to Mt Smart.
Only two competition points separated the sides at the end of the regular season. The Warriors finished on 42, level with minor premiers Penrith but behind them on points differential, and the Dolphins were one win back on 40.
Qualifying finals give the top four a second chance, so the result decided the route rather than the season:
- Dolphins: a week off, then a preliminary final on 25–27 September against the winner of the Roosters v Sharks semi-final.
- Warriors: a home semi-final against the Knights at Eden Park on Sunday 20 September. Win that, and a preliminary final against the Panthers follows.
A draw is not possible. If the scores are level after 80 minutes, finals go to golden point extra time, which continues until one team scores. Our NRL finals 2026 guide has the full schedule and a bracket tool to play out the rest of the series.
Warriors vs Dolphins head-to-head record
| Date | Venue | Result | Margin | Crowd |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Jun 2023 | Go Media Stadium, Auckland | Warriors 30–8 Dolphins | Warriors by 22 | 23,686 |
| 2 Sep 2023 | Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane | Dolphins 34–10 Warriors | Dolphins by 24 | 35,438 |
| 26 May 2024 | Go Media Stadium, Auckland | Warriors 24–20 Dolphins | Warriors by 4 | 23,116 |
| 11 Aug 2024 | Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane | Dolphins 34–32 Warriors | Dolphins by 2 | 28,056 |
| 17 May 2025 | Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane | Warriors 16–12 Dolphins | Warriors by 4 | 32,165 |
| 1 Aug 2025 | Go Media Stadium, Auckland | Dolphins 20–18 Warriors | Dolphins by 2 | 23,012 |
| 25 Apr 2026 | Hnry Stadium, Wellington | Warriors 20–18 Dolphins | Warriors by 2 | 34,812 |
| 27 Jun 2026 | Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane | Dolphins 26–24 Warriors | Dolphins by 2 | 40,465 |
| 12 Sep 2026 | Go Media Stadium, Auckland | Dolphins 26–16 Warriors | Dolphins by 10 | 26,131 |
The first two meetings were one-sided, in opposite directions. The Warriors won 30–8 at Mt Smart in June 2023, and the Dolphins replied with a 34–10 win at Suncorp three months later. The six games that followed were as even as they come, three wins each and no margin bigger than four points, before the Dolphins won the qualifying final by 10.
Home ground has mattered most. The home side has won six of the nine games; the exceptions were 2025, when the Warriors won 16–12 in Brisbane in May and the Dolphins won 20–18 in Auckland in August, and the 2026 qualifying final. At Go Media Stadium the record is 2–2, with the Warriors ahead 88 points to 74.
The two Warriors v Dolphins games of 2026
Round 8: Warriors 20, Dolphins 18 in Wellington
The first 2026 meeting was a Warriors home game taken to Wellington on Saturday 25 April, in front of 34,812 people. The Dolphins led 18–14 at half-time, and the Warriors kept them scoreless in the second half to win 20–18.
Round 17: Dolphins 26, Warriors 24 in Brisbane
The rematch at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday 27 June drew 40,465, the biggest crowd for any game between the clubs. A Dolphins try in the final minute settled it 26–24 and levelled the season series at one win each.
How the Warriors and Dolphins finished 2026
| Warriors | Dolphins | |
|---|---|---|
| Ladder position | 2nd | 3rd |
| Wins–losses | 18–6 | 17–7 |
| Competition points | 42 | 40 |
| Points for | 728 | 662 |
| Points against | 418 | 506 |
| Points differential | +310 | +156 |
| Winning run into the finals | 6 games | 7 games |
The Warriors scored more points than any other team, 728, and conceded 88 fewer than the Dolphins. Their six-game winning run ended with a 31–30 win over Manly in the final round, sealed by a Chanel Harris-Tavita field goal. Their full season is on our NRL results page.
The Dolphins’ season came in streaks. They lost five of their first seven games, won eight in a row from Round 9, then lost twice, including a 66–0 defeat by Cronulla in Round 19 that accounts for a big share of the points they conceded. They have won every game since, seven straight, to finish third.
Warriors v Dolphins team news
Both teams were named on Tuesday, and the final line-ups are confirmed an hour before kick-off; our NRL team lists guide explains the timing.
Warriors: Taine Tuaupiki starts at fullback. Hooker Wayde Egan and second-rower Kurt Capewell return after being rested, centre Leka Halasima is back from injury, and prop Jackson Ford is on the bench for his first game since Round 16. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Luke Metcalf, Tannah Boyd and Luke Laulilii remain out.
Dolphins: Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow is at fullback and Jamayne Isaako, the NRL’s leading point-scorer this season with 280, is on the wing. Selwyn Cobbo, Kulikefu Finefeuiaki and Kodi Nikorima return after missing the final round, and the Dolphins go in close to full strength.
| No. | Warriors | Dolphins |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Taine Tuaupiki | Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow |
| 2 | Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad | Jamayne Isaako |
| 3 | Ali Leiataua | Jack Bostock |
| 4 | Leka Halasima | Herbie Farnworth |
| 5 | Alofiana Khan-Pereira | Selwyn Cobbo |
| 6 | Chanel Harris-Tavita | Kodi Nikorima |
| 7 | Te Maire Martin | Isaiya Katoa |
| 8 | James Fisher-Harris | Thomas Flegler |
| 9 | Wayde Egan | Jeremy Marshall-King |
| 10 | Mitchell Barnett | Tom Gilbert |
| 11 | Kurt Capewell | Max Plath |
| 12 | Jacob Laban | Kulikefu Finefeuiaki |
| 13 | Erin Clark | Morgan Knowles |
What the numbers mean for a Warriors v Dolphins bet
Six straight games decided by four points or fewer is the most useful number here. In a line (handicap) bet, a start of a couple of points can decide the result.
Suppose the line had been 2.5 points in the Warriors’ favour in each of the last six meetings. The Warriors won three of those games outright, but a Warriors −2.5 bet would have won only two, because the April 2026 win was by two points. A Dolphins +2.5 bet would have won the other four. The calculator below settles any line with any score.
Warriors v Dolphins line calculator
Enter a line and the final score to see how a handicap bet settles
Head-to-head history is context, not a forecast. Squads change from year to year, and both teams arrive on long winning runs. If the game goes to golden point, check how your market is settled, because the rules on extra time differ between bet types.
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- Rugby League Project — Dolphins vs Warriors head-to-head summary
- Rugby League Project — Dolphins vs Warriors results list
- Rugby League Project — Dolphins 2026 results
- RNZ — Warriors v Dolphins NRL qualifying final: kick-off time, team list, injuries
- RNZ — NRL finals schedule: who plays who and how the Warriors can make the grand final
- Auckland Stadiums — NRL Finals: One NZ Warriors vs Dolphins 2026
For the Warriors’ record against Canberra, see our Warriors vs Raiders head-to-head.
FAQs
What is the Warriors vs Dolphins head-to-head record?
It is 4–4 after eight NRL premiership games since the Dolphins joined the competition in 2023. The Warriors have scored 174 points in those games and the Dolphins 172.
When does the Warriors v Dolphins qualifying final start?
Saturday 12 September 2026 at 6:05pm NZST, at Go Media Stadium (Mt Smart) in Auckland. Gates open at 4:30pm.
What happens to the Warriors if they lose to the Dolphins?
Their season continues. As a qualifying-final loser, the Warriors would host a semi-final on the weekend of 18–20 September against the winner of the Rabbitohs v Knights elimination final.
Have the Dolphins played in the NRL finals before?
No. Saturday’s game is the Dolphins’ first NRL finals match, in their fourth season since joining the competition in 2023.
Who won the last Warriors v Dolphins game?
The Dolphins won 26–24 at Suncorp Stadium in Round 17, on 27 June 2026. A try in the final minute settled it.
How close are Warriors v Dolphins games?
Very close lately. The last six meetings were all decided by four points or fewer, and four of them by two points.
