The Parramatta Eels live on in 2021 after outlasting the Newcastle Knights 28-20 in an elimination final marred by controversy.
A decision to award youngster Will Penisini a penalty try in the dying minutes after a clash with Enari Tuala gave the Eels the all-important buffer, much to the fury of Knights fans.
Brad Arthur’s men take on the suddenly shaky Penrith Panthers in next week’s semi-final, while the Knights’ season is over.
Often criticised for his poor run of results in big games, Eels star Mitchell Moses produced telling moments either side of halftime to put the Eels on top, before he held his nerve late.
The favourites looked to have the match won at 22-10 with 30 minutes to play, before the Knights hit back with two tries in six minutes to draw within two points.
Both came off the back of crucial plays, the first from an unsuccessful Will Smith charge down and the second after the bunker spotted a Paulo high shot.
And with a terrible finals record of one win from six attempts since 2017 and after a late-season fade this year, the Eels would have been forgiven for fearing the worst.
But unlike previous seasons, their defence held firm before late drama helped them finish the job with a Will Penisini penalty try.
After an ugly Clint Gutherson grubber kick dribbled along the ground, Penisini was taken out from behind by Enarti Tuala in the chase.
The play went up as no try, but the bunker ruled Kalyn Ponga had overran the ball and Penisini would have got to it first and awarded a penalty try, and killing off a Knights comeback.
Earlier, the Eels had shown plenty of signs of nerves.
Gutherson put the opening kick-off out on the full and Newcastle had a 4-0 lead when a Kalyn Ponga cut-out ball hit Tuala on the chest.
Both sides traded tries for Newcastle to lead 10-6 before Moses stood up, spotting a gap and going 40 metres to score.
From the next set, Paulo and Nathan Brown put him on the front foot, claiming a quick play-the-ball before Will Penisini skipped through and flicked for Blake Ferguson to score.
Moses made his mark once more to start the second half, putting on a lofted cut-out ball for Ferguson to run onto and score.
The 12-point lead ultimately proved enough, ending the Knights season in the first week of the finals for a second straight year and keeping the Eels’ campaign alive.
However, the win could come at a cost, with Junior Paulo, Marata Niukore and Waqa Blake all put on report for dangerous tackles.
Short Memory
Guest
Read the rule. Or save yourself some time and read's Scott's article. Gutherson's intention was clearly always to kick the ball. He did. Drop kicks are allowed from anywhere on the field and Don't have to be aimed at goal. More controversial was the Knights try where Mann ran directly into Brown, knocking him out of position in defensive line. Text book obstruction.
Kramer
Guest
They roar editors get whacked on here all the time when they do something wrong.
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
That common sense Tom. Cut it out.
Tom G
Roar Rookie
The ball was kicked after it bounced when Gutherson had clearly lost control. It was a knock on any day of the week. The knights probably would not have got a result anyway but that decision ensured it. The Panthers will make it irrelevant next week by a fair margin as neither side is up to it
Red Rob
Roar Rookie
Great, an article for ref-bashing. So cool. Way to go, Roar. Can we have a page for Roar editors bashing?
Nico
Roar Rookie
Yeah it's a silly rule, refs are given a lot of discretion to rule on other grey areas of the game, so I don't see why refs can't be given discretion here to determine if it's a genuine drop goal attempt or just an attempt to cover up a kock on
Watda
Guest
Yesterday that was not a penalty try...but hey it was the roosters?
Nico
Roar Rookie
Yeah it's a curious one, it looks like the ball was knocked on before it was kicked, so have they ruled the old Billy Slater knock on-cum-drop goal attempt or have the officials just not seen the knock on here? Tough call against the Knights but didn't cost them the game in the final wash-up
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
didn't Slater at the storm score a try when he dropped the ball, then kicked it after it bounced which technically made it a drop goal attempt, then he fell on the ball as it crossed the line. So to the letter of the law it was a drop goal attempt but in the spirit of the game - no way wasd it a drop goal attempt
Harry
Guest
It was a questionable decision which denied the Knights a chance at a last-ditch miracle but the bunker absolutely did not “decide the outcome of the game”.
farkurnell
Roar Rookie
Knights were given a dodgy try in the 1st half by the Bunker - so it evened out ,Kobl
Phil
Roar Rookie
I saw a sport report on local TV covering the game. The reporter talked up Kalyn Ponga how brilliant he was. This media hack obviously didn't see Ponga's missed tackles, tackles a first grade fullback should make. Parramatta were deserved winners even without the penalty try. Newcastle with a negative 143 points differential can consider themselves lucky to claim a spot in the playoffs.
Cadfael
Roar Guru
Take it out and its still a Parra win.
Peter Anderson
Guest
Newy had two bunker decisions go their way, which I've seen very similar go the other way this year.
Nat
Roar Guru
Google Ashley Klein, controversy, nrl. Pages and pages over the year. At what point is it not coincidence?
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
how can the penalty try help them slither past when they were already in front?
Hard Yards
Roar Rookie
The officials in this game have presumably been drawn from the Boxing world. They stink. NRL is its own worst enemy.
Kobi
Guest
Clearly dropped then kicked by Gutherson should have been a handover to Knights. Bunker decided the outcome of the game. A disgraceful decision by those involved rubbing it in by awarding a penalty try at the end of it. That decision allowing play to continue after Gutherson clearly knocked on denied the Knights the oportunity to win the game at the death.