They may have had a rough start, but the Panthers are firmly back in the premiership hunt, after downing the Bulldogs in a Thursday night thriller.
A week after stunning top-four side the Warriors, Penrith kept the good times going this round, defeating the current league leaders by two points.
The turning point of the game came from a moment of magic orchestrated by Nathan Cleary, as he powered his team to their fourth-straight victory.
Nathan Cleary's magic moment as Panthers claim fourth-straight win
Thursday's clash between Canterbury-Bankstown and Penrith was a tough, low-scoring affair, featuring some of the best football that the NRL has seen this season.
CHARGE DOWN! 😤 #NRLPanthersBulldogs pic.twitter.com/gOFjDTZOoZ
— NRL (@NRL) June 26, 2025
But it was superstar Nathan Cleary who shone brightest in the game, producing a miracle charge-down try to give his team the lead, and ultimately the victory.
"I saw the guys outside of [Matt Burton] were a bit in front of him, so he couldn’t pass it, I think I’ll end up with a bruised chest because he kicked it that hard into it," Cleary said after his 55th minute charge down of Burton's kick.
"I said to dad [coach Ivan Cleary] after the game how there was a charge down in an Origin game in 2022 in Perth. The ball bounced over my head. I had visions of that as the ball was bouncing, and I was like, 'Please, don’t bounce over my head', luckily I got a good bounce."
Cleary senior also noted the significance of his son and star halfback's efforts, in a game that looked set to be decided by one moment such as this.
"It was a huge moment in the game," the Panthers coach said.
"Neither side was really getting a chance down the other end of the field. You had to take your chances when you could, however they came up, and it was a big play. It was good enough to get us home in the end."
After a bye in Round 18, Penrith's next game will come against the Parramatta Eels - the team that they kickstarted their current streak against, as they look to continue their way back up the NRL ladder.