Canterbury Bulldogs secure dramatic golden-point win over Manly Sea Eagles

Canterbury have snatched their sixth win of the NRL season to keep their finals hopes alive with skipper Stephen Crichton landing a golden-point field goal for a 13-12 victory over Manly.

Crichton had earlier on Saturday night scored his side's first try at Stadium Australia, but his 82nd-minute effort gave the Bulldogs their third win from the last four games.

That puts some oxygen into their September finals hopes after it was starting to look out of reach after losing five on the trot in April.

The Dogs and Sea Eagles gave their fans plenty of anxiety attacks in the final stages of regulation.

Manly halfback Jamal Fogarty missed two field goal attempts, while Crichton missed his first and then baulked on the second as the defence rushed up in his face.

It had been a wrestle for most of the second half after the away side raced to an 8-0 lead, before Crichton's converted try had Canterbury trailing by two at the break.

Lachlan Galvin's sixth four-pointer of the season got the Bulldogs ahead for the first time in the match on 60 minutes, while Sea Eagles winger Lehi Hopoate's second of the night seven minutes later locked up the scoreboard at 12-12.

Kieran Foran's side had to dig deep after losing prop Kobe Hetherington (concussion) in the 10th minute and then hooker Brandon Wakeham (calf) just after halftime.

If Crichton was trying to push for a return to the NSW Origin team, playing his first game at five-eighth for Canterbury seemed a strange way to do it.

Manly back-rower Haumole Olakau'atu was up to his usual bullocking best, even though he nursed a left shoulder injury in the second half.

He still pulled off a try-saving tackle on Leo Thompson to underline his credentials for a return to the Blues' side for the July 8 decider at Suncorp Stadium — he was on the extended bench for game two at the MCG.

Sea Eagles fullback Tom Trbojevic gave his left hamstring a good workout in his return after nine weeks on the sidelines, running for 196 metres off 27 runs.

Trbojevic too was on audition for a possible NSW recall. He did little wrong and next week plays Melbourne to further his chances.

Earlier, Gold Coast shocked competition leaders Penrith 19-18 in one of the best and bravest wins in their history as rising half Zane Harrison announced himself as a star.

The 20-year-old's winning field goal at Skilled Park on Saturday night, with 19 seconds left on the clock, was a composed cracker after he set up two second-half tries.

Harrison, playing just his sixth NRL game, was part of a starting side where all 13 players have only played for the Titans.

"He's the real deal that kid," delighted coach Josh Hannay said of Harrison.

"It is a special night for him. That will go in the scrap book for sure, but he is going to have a lot of those moments.

"We see that kid every day train and prepare with composure. It is one thing to do it at training, another to do it in front of 20,000 against the Panthers."

More than 70 old boys of the Titans and former Gold Coast franchises formed a guard of honour as the players ran on the field.

The club celebrated their own retro round with iconic mascot Captain Charger making an appearance for the first time in 19 years.

It was fitting that the players should step up and give coach Josh Hannay and their long-suffering fans a win for the ages in their first home match in 49 days.

The Panthers' eight-game winning streak came to an end after they led 12-0 after 14 minutes, but the Titans rallied with defensive grit after losing star lock Cooper Bai early due to a head knock.

Penrith, who led 12-6 at halftime, had 32 tackles inside Gold Coast's 20m line before the hosts got down in the opposite danger zone.

"We did start well but we just lost the killer punch or killer instinct," Panthers coach Ivan Cleary said.

The second half started in the same vein but the Titans, to a man, repelled set after set. Five-eighth Jayden Campbell, one of the smallest players on the field, came up with massive defensive hits and plays.

Earlier, the Dolphins beat the Tigers 36-22 despite missing halfback Isaiya Katoa and Maroons players Selwyn Cobbo, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Max Plath and Tom Flegler.

AAP