This NRL season, Penrith experienced an emotion it has rarely felt across a glory-laden run to four straight premierships.

Humiliation.

Bu the embarrassment of a 25-6 loss to Newcastle in Bathurst in late May helped fuel the Panthers' rise out of what coach Ivan Cleary termed a "vortex of self-pity".

The Panthers are now preparing for a semifinal against Canterbury on Sunday as they chase a fifth title in a row.

Their predicament could have been vastly different had they thrown in the towel midway through the season.

They were on track to become the first side since the 1953 Western Suburbs Magpies to go from premiers to wooden-spooners in the space of 12 months.

Bulldogs roll dice on new spine for sudden-death semi against Panthers Photo shows Lachlan Galvin of the Bulldogs is ta

See Full Page