Game of the Season contender as Panthers hang on... just!

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Penrith Panthers v Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs

In a game fitting of a finals dress-rehearsal, the Penrith Panthers have hung on for a remarkable 8-6 victory over the Canterbury Bulldogs to kickstart Beanies for Brain Cancer Round at CommBank Stadium.

It was a frantic opening 25 minutes to the contest with both sides firing shots like they were heavyweight fighters. Penrith fired the first real attacking chance when Luke Garner somehow got a miraculous flick pass to Blaize Talagi. The former Eel was setting sail for the line before he ran into a brick-wall named Connor Tracey. Canterbury's best chance came from a Matt Burton line-break before a great tackle from Izack Tago and Dylan Edwards stopped the former Panther in his tracks.

A Viliame Kikau high tackle on Nathan Cleary saw the ‘home' side open the game scoring after 27 minutes. Dylan Edwards added the penalty goal, taking the goal kicking from Cleary who was battling with a groin injury.

It took a while for the defence of either side to be broken and it was coincidentally broken play that caught the Panthers out. It was the most talked about half on the open market that helped to break the game open. An inside pass from Toby Sexton that sent Tracey away before finding Reed Mahoney in the clear, he lined up Jacob Preston in support who sprinted away for the opening try of the contest.

Penrith looked certain to level or even take the lead prior to the break when Talagi broke away again. But it was a carbon copy of earlier in the game when he was met by a steamtrain named Tracey and it was 6-2 at the break.

Penrith opened the fight to start the second half. The warning shots were fired in the set before when Cleary picked out fresh replacement Lachlan Galvin to break away down the sideline. In defence, the NSW halfback charged down an early Matt Burton punt to break away and tie the game up at 6-6. Edwards nailed the extras to give the Panthers the lead back.

The final 25 minutes was one of war and attrition. Both sides throwing everything at one another. Canterbury's late game decision making would leave everyone speechless, they passed up a chance to tie the game when Stephen Crichton didn't go for penalty goal. The Bulldogs had the game's final say with a set play down the right side, but Crichton was unable to get the pass away on time to Marcelo Montoya after a terrific Tom Jenkins tackle to hold on for a famous victory.