Mat Croker comments on eerie atmosphere at Eden Park semi-final

Newcastle Knights lock Mat Croker shared his thoughts on the unusual atmosphere during their semi-final against the New Zealand Warriors at Eden Park on September 20, 2026. Despite nearly 50,000 fans in attendance, Croker felt the noise was reminiscent of games played without spectators during the pandemic. He noted that the crowd support leaned heavily in favor of the Warriors, creating a stark contrast when the Knights scored. The Knights progressed to the next finals round and will face Penrith on Sunday, with high expectations from their fanbase following strong ticket sales.

• 2:02 AMZero Tackle NRL — Mat Croker makes bold ‘Covid’ atmosphere claim from Eden Park semi-final