Canberra were leading 31-28. The Panthers sent their attack down the left. Penrith five-eighth James Maloney sniffed an opportunity. He’d already thrown two intercept passes on that side of the field to Raiders half Aidan Sezer. Loading This time, the pass hit winger Josh Mansour right on the chest. The only problem was a clear forward pass. Was it one metre forward? Two? It was enough. And it happened right in front of the touch judge. Mansour’s try gave the Panthers the lead for the first time since the 19th minute but it deflated the poor old Raiders. One more try to Maloney with two minutes left sealed the deal.

Over to you, Ricky Stuart. “I don’t know,” the Raiders coach said when asked about the forward pass. “I don’t know, mate. I don’t want to get embroiled in that side of it again. That’s just marked our season, that’s why we’re not in the eight. Josh Mansour's try put Penrith in front but replays showed a clear forward pass. Credit:NRL Photos “People ask the question why we’re not in the eight. Too many times we’ve had wonderful leads going into halftime, we squander not just two but four-point leads; 16 against the Broncos; 14 against Penrith tonight. People say we can’t beat top-eight teams. We’re not good enough.” Stuart looked like he was chewing nails as he said all this. It was difficult to tell if he was blaming the match-day officials for not playing finals footy this year, or his team’s inability to finish off matches. Maybe both.

Any other week, he might’ve exploded. This time, he bit his bottom lip. “I thought it was sweet,” Maloney, not chewing nails, said of his own pass. Cecchin’s revelations in the Herald last week that he was retiring from the NRL at the end of this season have the potential to be a game-changer about how the code treats its men and women in the middle. While the pass was forward and costly, neither side can pin the result on it. They leaked a total of 13 tries. Penrith missed no less than 29 tackles, with Maloney missing six on his own. Canberra missed 25 tackles. Either way, it made for fascinating viewing as two massive forward packs ripped into each other, as outside backs missed tackles like it was touch football, as the score rocked from side to side like the drunkest man at the party with the Raiders holding the lead, then Penrith reeling them in, then letting them get back out, then reeling them back in.

Canberra players lament another one that got away on Sunday. Credit:AAP One of the funkiest moments came a minute before halftime with Penrith pressing the Raiders’ line in attack. Second rower Villame Kikau offloaded the ball but found Raiders winger Jordan Rapana instead. He was away. Maloney came flying across in cover, but couldn’t drag him into touch. As Rapana motored downfield, Penrith prop Reagan Campbell-Gillard looked like he was going to get the flying winger. Then he didn’t. Then Nathan Cleary looked like he would. Then he didn’t. Cecchin referred to the try to The Bunker. The Penrith faithful booed as the replays went through each delicate part of the try.

One fan looked towards one of the corporate boxes and pointed at his eyes in anger, clearly unaware The Bunker has been based in an office block in Redfern for four years. Wonderful stuff. Top of his game: Matt Cecchin prepares to referee his 300th NRL match. Credit:NRL Photos Rapana’s 95-metre try took the Raiders out to a 26-12 halftime lead. Stuart was right: if his side was good enough, it should’ve got the job done in the second half. As for Penrith, the win might’ve been thrilling — just like last week’s victory over Manly after they trailed by 18 points with 13 minutes left to play — but their premiership credentials are as iffy as the forward pass call. Maloney has injuries all over his body, including a small break in his thumb.