Stunned Silence: Panthers and Cowboys Battle to a Nail-Biting Golden Point Draw

The Panthers’ quest for a fourth victory this season concluded in a dramatic showdown, as the Cowboys fought through a heart-pounding golden point finish that ultimately ended in a draw.

Penrith had two chances to clinch the win during regular time, but a resolute defence from the Cowboys thwarted their efforts to take the lead.

An error from the Panthers allowed the Cowboys to earn a penalty, putting them in a prime position to attempt a field goal, which Scott Drinkwater squandered.

Drinkwater’s second attempt at a field goal in the golden point period’s first half veered to the right of the posts, failing to find touch.

The string of mistakes persisted as both teams faltered; Jake Clifford and Nathan Cleary each missed further goal attempts, with Cleary’s shot notably deflected by Drinkwater.

“Are we in a game show? I’m lost for words,” commentator Andrew Voss chuckled live on Fox League.

Just after Clifford’s kick faded to the left, the siren rang out, signalling an end to the match with a draw in Townsville.

“We really shouldn’t have been in that position, we had our chances… It’s incredibly frustrating,” Cleary remarked to Fox League in a post-match interview.

Earlier in the match, the teams exchanged tries, with the reigning champions heading into the break with an 18-12 advantage.

Clifford crossed over to equalise the score in the 45th minute, leading to a pivotal penalty that shifted the momentum of the game.

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The former Broncos coach Kevin Walters was visibly frustrated by a contentious penalty awarded in the 52nd minute, which granted the Panthers a key chance to take the lead.

With the score tied at 18-all, Penrith directed the ball towards the powerful Liam Henry, who charged through the defensive line, approaching Murray Taulagi.

However, following their collision, Henry fell to the ground, which prompted the referee Todd Smith to call for a high tackle despite no apparent contact with Henry’s head.

“That should never be a penalty,” Walters stated.

The Cowboys’ players expressed their frustrations to Smith, insisting it was not a high tackle, but their appeals fell on deaf ears as Penrith received the penalty.

“The defender had no options there. Seriously,” Walters protested.

“That penalty never should have been called. What exactly could he have done?”

“I’m unsure of what I’m meant to look for,” Voss chimed in.

This incident proved costly for the Cowboys, as just a few tackles later, Blaize Talagi executed a perfect kick over the defenders to set up Thomas Jenkins for a try.

“That’s a pivotal moment in the game,” Walters acknowledged.

Talagi was impressive throughout the match in Townsville, contributing four try assists before adding one of his own following Jenkins’ effort.

Robert Derby attempted to gather a grubber kick from Cleary in the in-goal area but fumbled the ball after a tough tackle from Jenkins.

The loose ball lingered on the ground until Talagi managed to recover it to score.

While the try elevated the Panthers’ tally to 30 points, the Cowboys responded with consecutive tries from Derby and Tom Dearden, culminating in a tied score and sending the match into golden point.