Penrith have recorded one of the greatest modern-day NRL comebacks, reeling in a 22-point halftime deficit to beat the Warriors 36-28 at Pepper Stadium on Saturday.
The Panthers were booed by their own fans as they came off the ground down 28-6 at the break but by the 61st minute they had gobbled up the deficit and taken the lead.
The victory snaps a five-game losing streak and ignited the Panthers’ season after it looked dead in the water just 40 minutes earlier.
Isaah Yeo was the unlikely Penrith hero, scoring either side of halfltime before putting Waqa Blake through a hole, with the Panthers centre running over the top of Roger Tuivasa-Sheck to make it 28-24 after 56 minutes.
When Matt Moylan crossed in the 59th and Nathan Cleary potted the subsequent conversion, the Panthers had done the unthinkable and taken the lead.
Tyrone Peachey crossed four minutes from fulltime and Penrith were suddenly looking every bit the contenders many had tipped them to be this year.
They scored five unanswered tries in the second half to record one of the most memorable wins in the club’s 50-year history.
It was the Panthers’ second-biggest comeback, falling just short of the 23-point disadvantage they clawed back against the Wests Tigers in 2000.
It was an extraordinarily important two points in the context of the season as a loss would have almost spelled the end of their title hopes.
But instead the win lifts the Panthers to 3-7 and gives them confidence and belief heading in to next week’s clash with Newcastle.
For the Warriors, it was their biggest collapse, eclipsing the 18-point lead they gave up against Manly in 2012.
Kieran Foran, fresh off securing his long-term future with Canterbury, was good in the first half – scoring a try and setting up a Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad four-pointer – however there were few highlights for the Warriors.
It leaves Stephen Kearney’s 4-6 side winless in Australia this year and will prompt big questions about their top eight chances.