The Penrith Panthers well and truly made a statement in the bush, running out 42-18 winners over the Canberra Raiders in front of a sold-out crowd at Glen Willow Oval in Mudgee. It was billed as the sequel to last year’s famous “Miracle of Mudgee“, and this time around there was no fairytale finish for the Raiders — just a comprehensive Penrith performance from start to finish.
In fact, Canberra scored the first goal which must have given their fans hope of another shock result. However, Canberra’s early goal advantage could not be maintained. With Penrith finding their rhythm, they took control of the match. While Liam Martin grabbed his first ever double in 40 minutes, Thomas Jenkins also found himself in the try scorer’s list twice as Penrith dominated the first half convincingly.
What made the win even more emphatic was how Penrith handled the setback of conceding first. Coach Ivan Cleary said afterwards that his side started a little too passively, waiting for something to happen rather than forcing the issue, but they corrected the problem almost immediately. That kind of composure under pressure is exactly what you’d expect from a team that’s been at or near the top of the competition for years now, and it’s a big reason why they remain the benchmark other clubs are chasing this season.
The second half told a similar story, even if Penrith took a little longer to add to their tally. It wasn’t until the 56th minute that they crossed again, Liam Henry crashing over to put the result beyond doubt and snuff out any lingering hope of a Canberra comeback. Debutant fullback Jaxen Edgar, filling in for the injured Dylan Edwards, also got his name on the scoresheet with his first NRL try — a nice moment in what was otherwise a tough night for the Raiders. Canberra did manage to rally with a couple of late tries, and Isaiah Papali’i grabbed one right at the death, but by then the game was well and truly decided.
While the win is an impressive one for Penrith in terms of the replay footage, the real significance lies in how it continues to position them as the team sitting atop the NRL ladder as they enter the most important part of the year, with upcoming games against the Warriors and the Roosters over the next two weeks – outcomes which will determine the winner of the minor premiership. Coming from the road, against the passionate regional supporters, and against a Canberra team who had won four games on the trot, is the kind of result that will carry on into the NRL Finals series of 2026.
There was also a nice personal milestone tucked into the occasion. Panthers winger Brian To’o played his 150th NRL game in Mudgee, and while he’s still chasing that elusive 100th career try, getting the win alongside family and teammates made it a memorable night regardless. Little moments like that are part of what makes country footy matches so special — they combine top-level competition with a genuine community atmosphere you don’t always get in the bigger metropolitan stadiums.
Ricky Stuart, coach of the Canberra team, was not diplomatic with regard to the effort of his players after the game, saying that it was not up to mark, while Joe Tapine, captain of the team, reiterated the same sentiments and said that it was a result of inability to put into practice their game plan. The team had been playing in superb fashion before entering into this match, and this defeat proves that there is a huge distance between their level and that of the benchmark team in the league on their day.
As for Penrith, the message from Mudgee was loud and clear: they’re not just the team to beat, they’re playing like a side determined to prove it every week. With the finals race heating up across the competition, this kind of statement win — delivered on the road, in tough conditions, against a form team — is precisely the sort of result that has rival clubs taking notice.