As Penrith rushed up to cut off his passing lanes,he brushed off the tackles of Kurt Capewell and Cleary to score a wonderful solo try and level the scores. It was a momentary reprieve as Penrith,lead through the middle by a relentless James Fisher-Harris and driving kick returns from Brian To’o and Dylan Edwards,regained control of proceedings.

A Cleary penalty gave Penrith an 8-6 lead at half-time and the buzzer was the best sound Souths could have heard. With 58 per cent of the ball,the Panthers were looking ominous,while Souths were yet to be tackled once in Penrith’s 20m zone.

The Bunnies had no choice but to bounce out of the blocks in the second half. They did just that and Reynolds helped himself to a penalty but the worm turned quickly. Arrow,having passed the earlier HIA,was ruled out after delayed symptoms at the very moment Jayden Su’A dropped it cold to gift Penrith the ball.

Kikau crossed but the ball from Cleary was ruled to be forward,although the Panthers had the benefit of a technical ruling when Spencer Leniu knocked the ball into touch as he clattered into the kicking Adam Reynolds. It’s a maddening rule but Souths clung to life,just,and were relieved by an error from Dylan Edwards.

The pressure was building like a Queensland storm. Something had to crack and it was Souths. Walker,their magic man,went wide but only created for the Panthers as Crichton pounced to race under the posts.

Souths could have folded. They kicked. Walker was back in the thick of things and Johnston was over in the corner,setting up Reynolds for the sideline conversion to level the scores with five to play. It sailed just to the right but the Rabbitohs were still alive in the final moments.

Murray was tireless and found space down the middle but no support. Reynolds had one final chance,a two-point field goal,but with its failure so went Souths’ season. The premiership was heading west.

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