Canberra Raiders win 20-16 over Penrith Panthers in golden point thriller

The Raiders have produced one of the most astonishing wins in rugby league history to keep their minor premiership dream alive, while the Panthers’ top-four hopes suffered a massive blow. WATCH the thrilling finish.

Canberra has ended any lingering doubt over their premiership credentials with one of the most astonishing wins in rugby league history. A win for the ages that may yet inspire a fourth title for the Green Machine.

Words can barely do it justice but we’ll give it a go anyway after the Raiders came from 10 points down to beat Penrith 20-16 in a golden point thriller at Glen Willow Oval, the final seconds among the most remarkable in the game’s 117-year history.

Andrew Voss in commentary for Fox League labelled it the Miracle in Mudgee. Hard to imagine a more apt description for a game that will become a part of rugby league folklore after the Raiders put the four-time premiers to the sword.

Canberra spent much of the night on the back foot but having clawed their way back to 16-all in the dying stages after an Ethan Strange try, they remarkably had the chance to steal the win in regulation time only for Jamal Fogarty to miss his mark.

Ethan Strange scored the try that locked the scores up and set up the match winning try in golden point. Picture: Getty Images

Nathan Cleary was unusually wasteful as well. The Panthers champion had his opportunities but he couldn’t nail a match-winning field goal. So onto extra time it went with the ground announcer doing his best to encapsulate the moment by belting out Eminem’s ‘Lose Yourself’.

Palms were sweaty, knees were weak, and arms were certainly heavy. The game was headed for a grandstand finish and it got the ending it deserved in the 83rd minute after Cleary took aim from 37 metre and appeared to strike it sweetly.

"THAT IS THE MOST REMARKABLE FINISH TO A GOLDEN POINT GAME I HAVE EVER WITNESSED" 🤯🤯🤯

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This was the sort of moment Cleary has owned over the years. His calling card. The game’s best player has ice in his veins but rather than sail between the uprights, the ball instead clattered the post and bounced into the arms of Canberra winger Jed Stuart.

With the post still rattling, Stuart was in mid-air when he grabbed the ball and at the mercy of Penrith defenders Liam Martin and Izack Tago. Martin and Tago hesitated for a second, seemingly fearful that they would concede a penalty for tackling Stuart in mid-air.

Instead of driving Stuart into the dirt, they allowed him to slip through their grasp. In hindsight, they were well within their rights to bury Stuart given he had caught the ball off a rebound.

That was all Canberra needed. Give these Raiders an inch and they’ll take a mile. They’ve been doing it all season. Stuart found Ethan Strange, who had dragged his side back into the game in the second half, and the flying Kaeo Weekes loomed in support.

Weekes did the rest as the Raiders locked away a spot in the top two and guaranteed themselves a home final. Stuart now has the luxury of being able to rest his players over the next fortnight heading into the finals.

When they get there, they will take plenty of beating. These Raiders are fearless. They are never beaten. Belief courses through their veins. They struggled to go with the Panthers early in the game but count them out at your peril.

Stuart’s side found a way to win again. The reigning premiers have become their latest scalp in a season where they have been chalking them up on a weekly basis.

Penrith, meanwhile, walked away licking their wounds and facing a challenge to win back their spot in the top four. If Brisbane win on Sunday, the Panthers will drift to seventh and their hopes of a five-peat will once again be on life support.

They face the Bulldogs and St George Illawarra to finish the season but they no doubt have their eyes on bigger games ahead. They will need to do it the hard way. After all this years, it may yet be beyond them.

They may live to regret the Miracle in Mudgee.

Originally published as Canberra Raiders win 20-16 over Penrith Panthers in golden point thriller