The North-Queensland Cowboys have easily and expectedly dominated a vastly understrength Panthers outfit, winning by 30-points to give themselves the best chance at securing a home final.
It was the Panthers who had a golden opportunity to take an unlikely early lead, getting a penalty and set restart in quick succession to go on the attack. To their credit, they were threatening, but Hopgood's attempt to reach out and score ended in a Penrith knock on.
The Cowboys off the back of a penalty would predictably go up the field and score a try, finding spac easily with a left side shift that was finished off by Ronaldo Mulitalo.
The Panthers completion rate would remain poor, and the Cowboys had a try disallowed by the bunker when Feldt went into touch before grounding it.
Five minutes later, the Cowboys would extend their lead courtesy of a successful challenge, retaining possession and putting in a kick that was dropped by Jennings, recovered by Holmes and grounded.
It was all getting too easy for North-Queensland when Reece Robson easily made a line break from dummy half, drawing and passing to Scott Drinkwater, putting his fullback over for an easy try. They'd score again just 3 minutes later off the back of a penalty, with Holmes muscling his way over the defence to score his second.
The Panthers would restore some pride to the scoreline shortly after halftime when Robert Jennings found a hole in the Cowboys defensive line, making it 20-4 in favour of the hosts.
The Cowboys would be quick to respond however. After repelling another Panthers attacking raid, Valentine Holmes caught the ball in goal giving his side a 7 tackle set, but they only needed one, with the star centre streaking away after the tap, passing to Kyle Feldt who then passed back to Holmes, who streaked away to score an entertaining try.
Young Panthers centre Tom Jenkins would sit down for 10 after it was ruled he took out a Cowboys player off the ball. Despite the one man advantage, the Cowboys would somehow concede a try during the 10 minutes, with Penrith stripping them for number on the edge and getting Sunia Turuva his first NRL try.
The Cowboys would blow the scoreline out with two late tries to Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Reece Robson respectively. It looked for all money they'd add one more when Scott Drinkwater found open space in the final minute, but bench forward Eddie Blacker produced a Herculean effort to run him down and spoil the party.
Next week, Penrith will be back to full strength as they look to finally get over the hump and beat Parramatta, while the Cowboys will take on the Sharks with the venue dependant on the outcome of the Newcastle/Cronulla game on Sunday.