LeagueNews.co | Jess Malloy

Mudgee Miracle goes viral as finals race turned on its head

The event has been termed the "Miracle in Mudgee," as Canberra's remarkable 90m Golden Point try against Penrith captured global attention, significantly altering the NRL finals landscape.

With just 1:51 left in the first half of extra time, Nathan Cleary's long field goal attempt struck the left upright, bouncing back into play. Jed Stuart seized the opportunity, collecting the loose ball and launching Ethan Strange downfield, who then passed it to Kaeo Weekes for the try.

This breathtaking conclusion has been described as one of the most memorable finishes in recent history, drawing the largest audience for a Friday 6pm match since the NRL expanded to 17 teams in 2023.

Video replays of this extraordinary play have also gone viral, with Sky Sports in the UK sharing the footage to their 7 million followers on X.

The decisive try garnered over 1 million views on the NRL's Instagram account and attracted an additional 600,000 views on TikTok.

In its own right, Weekes' try stands out as one of the year's best, although some might argue it wasn't the top try of the round, marking an exceptionally dramatic conclusion to the match.