Canberra steal sure win from Penrith in thriller

Canberra kept themselves in the NRL semi-final race and looked to have quashed any hopes Penrith had at a minor premiership tilt with a come-from-behind 30-26 win.

The Raiders scored five tries to the Panthers’ four at Canberra Stadium, leaving the visitors scoreless in the second half.

Marshalled brilliantly by five-eighth Terry Campese in the final 40 minutes, the Raiders took charge to lay on three unanswered tries.

They now move to 11th spot (22 points) and are four points adrift of the top eight with four games remaining.

The Panthers’ loss keeps them in second (28 points), four points adrift of St George Illawarra who also enjoy a far superior for and against.

But the Panthers will be more concerned with their leaky defence then where they finish in the regular season after blowing a great start.

The sides went try for try early with the scores locked at 12-12 after 24 minutes.

Canberra centre Joel Monaghan and returning fullback Josh Dugan notched up early four pointers with Penrith hooker Kevin Kingston and second rower Frank Pritchard replying in kind.

Then a try from Sam McKendry in the 29th minute signalled a short-lived turnaround for the Panthers.

With winger Brad Tighe’s 35th minute effort aided by opposite Daniel Vidot’s attempt to prevent him scoring with his foot, Penrith enjoyed a second conversion attempt, Michael Gordon adding the extras and then another penalty goal just before the break for a 26-12 buffer.

However Canberra shook off their reputation as 40 minute faders, Vidot coming out firing with a try in the 42nd minute to close the gap to ten points.

Raiders’ second rower Bronson Harrison followed up with a four pointer in the 52nd minute, and the outstanding Campese helped his side to a 30-26 lead 15 minutes from time.

Penrith scrambled to catch up with lock Luke Lewis held up over the line in the dying minutes.

Campese said a good talk from coach David Furner at the break helped the side stay calm and get their confidence back heading into the second half.

“I walked off the field with my head down, and I was waiting for a serving from Furnsey but he kept us calm, gave us the confidence to go back out there and play our football,” he told reporters.

“We talked about just shutting them out and not letting them score any tries … and that’s what we did, we scored the tries to win the game, and that came down to the coaches putting the confidence back in the boys.”
Furner dubbed the performance the Raiders’ best second half of the season.

“We talk about discipline in our game plan, we talk about discipline in our defence, and basically it was just a call that they couldn’t (be allowed to) score another point in the second half.

“The desperation that Campo and the players showed was evident.”
Penrith coach Matthew Elliott wasn’t happy with the referee’s decision-making.

“I thought there were some big decisions in that second half,” he said.

“I don’t often contact the referees either but I’ll be wanting some response.”

A penalty following a spilled ball in the second half by Vidot was amongst a number of questionable decisions, the Raiders awarded a penalty close to their own tryline for an alleged tackle in the air when replays suggested the Penrith player was going for the ball.

Casualties from the game included Canberra’s Josh Miller, with a concussion, meanwhile Vidot was put on report for his indiscretion against Tighe.

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