Penrith Panthers 22–24 Canberra Raiders — Qualifying Final, 2010 NRL Finals Series
11 Sep 2010 · CUA Stadium, Penrith, NSW · Attendance: 16,668
Data last verified: 11 August 2026.
Qualifying Final, 2010 NRL finals series: Penrith Panthers 22–24 Canberra Raiders, at CUA Stadium, Penrith, NSW on 11 Sep 2010.
Sourcing caveat: Exact try-scoring minutes are not confirmed by primary sources; a secondary AI-generated source suggested a running order and additional statistics (running metres, tackle completion), but these could not be independently verified and are not included as fact.
Scorers
| Penrith Panthers | Tries: Sandor Earl; Sandor Earl; Michael Gordon; Michael Gordon Goals: Michael Gordon (3/4 conversions) |
| Canberra Raiders | Tries: Terry Campese; Dane Tilse; Bronson Harrison; Reece Robinson Goals: Jarrod Croker (4/4 conversions) |
Team sheets
| Penrith Panthers | Canberra Raiders | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael Gordon | Fullback | Josh Dugan | 1 |
| 2 | Sandor Earl | Wing | Reece Robinson | 2 |
| 3 | Michael Jennings | Centre | Jarrod Croker | 3 |
| 4 | Brad Tighe | Centre | Joel Monaghan | 4 |
| 5 | Adrian Purtell | Wing | Daniel Vidot | 5 |
| 6 | Travis Burns | Five-Eighth | Terry Campese (c) | 6 |
| 7 | Luke Walsh | Halfback | Josh McCrone | 7 |
| 8 | Sam McKendry | Prop | Tom Learoyd-Lahrs | 8 |
| 9 | Kevin Kingston | Hooker | Glen Buttriss | 9 |
| 10 | Tim Grant | Prop | David Shillington | 10 |
| 11 | Trent Waterhouse | Second Row | Joe Picker | 11 |
| 12 | Frank Pritchard | Second Row | Bronson Harrison | 12 |
| 13 | Luke Lewis (c) | Lock | Shaun Fensom | 13 |
| Substitutes | ||||
| 15 | Matthew Bell | Travis Waddell | 14 | |
| 16 | Nathan Smith | Dane Tilse | 16 | |
| 17 | Gavin Cooper | Scott Logan | 17 | |
| 23 | Masada Iosefa | Trevor Thurling | 18 | |
| Matthew Elliott | Coach | David Furner | ||
Match officials
| Referee | Steve Lyons and Ben Cummins (two-referee system) |
Match report
Second-placed Penrith hosted seventh-placed Canberra in the opening week of the 2010 NRL finals, with the Panthers holding home advantage and a double chance after a strong regular season. The Raiders, however, arrived form-hot on the back of a five-game winning streak and delivered one of the finals series' bigger upsets. Canberra's forwards and spine, led by playmaker Terry Campese, gradually took control, with tries from Dane Tilse and Bronson Harrison pushing the Raiders to an 18-12 halftime lead, and Reece Robinson's try soon after the break stretching the margin to 24-12. Sandor Earl scored twice late to drag the Panthers back within two points, and the home crowd sensed a grandstand finish, but Canberra's defence held firm through the closing minutes. The 24-22 win, capped by four successful Jarrod Croker conversions against three from Michael Gordon, gave Canberra its first finals victory in a decade and eliminated Penrith to the lower-tier elimination path in the finals series.