"What has just happened”: SEN League reacts to the Mudgee Miracle

The Canberra Raiders have dispelled any doubts surrounding their premiership chances with a 20-16 golden point win over the Penrith Panthers in Mudgee on Friday night.

It was a phenomenal match between the two sides, which lived up to every bit of expectation that it had coming into it.

The match would be incredibly even between the two sides, with Ethan Strange’s try at the 74th minute mark helping send the match to golden point.

And the conclusion would raise it an extra notch.

Towards the end of the first five-minute period of extra time, Nathan Cleary would have a field goal attempt to win the game for the Panthers. But he would hit the left-hand post.

From there, Jed Stuart picked up the ball and ran before passing the ball to Strange, who ran through the Panthers’ defence before passing it off to Kaeo Weekes, who scored the winning try.

It is now the second week in a row that the Panthers have lost in golden point.

In commentary, SEN League’s Joel Caine and Justin Horo could not believe what they were seeing as the Raiders streaked down the field following Nathan Cleary’s field goal attempt.

Caine: “Oooh, it’s hit the post.”

“Lands in the hands of Jed Stuart and off he goes 10 metres out.

“Links up with Ethan Strange. Strange over 30 (metres). He gets the fullback.

“He’s 40 metres away, He’s 40 (metres) away! Weekes in support, back into Weekes. Weekes (is) running for the tryline. CANBERRA!

“THE RAIDERS HAVE PINCHED IT!

“A famous game at the Wembley of the West.

“The ball comes off the post…and then Canberra runs the distance.

Horo: “What has just happened!”

Caine: “What has happened!”

 Horo: “Ricky’s Raiders, and it’s started with son Jed.

“Every Penrith player was sitting and watching the kick.

“Nathan Cleary has nailed it from about 40 metres and hit it sweetly. It has hit the left post, hit the deck, (and) three Panthers players around him.

“Jed Stuart comes up with the deflection. How about this play (from Ethan Strange). Whooska (past) Liam Martin, Izack Tago.

“Who (then) beats Nathan Cleary, then he beats Dylan Edwards. Who’s coming in to cover? It's Milky (Tom) Jenkins.

“And then it’s Kaeo Weekes through the middle.

“What a try!”

Caine: “What a game.”

Horo: "And Kaeo Weekes, he's the one that puts the pressure on as well."

The Raiders will look to claim their first minor premiership since 1990 as they close out the season with games against the Wests Tigers and the Dolphins.