Fans were stunned by the impressive move from the older Watene-Zelezniak brother.
It was a great way to bring up the side's first win of the season and under the returned tenure of Ivan Cleary.
The Fox League commentators were stunned by the effort.
"A great example of why you should never give up, I think he defied gravity," Yvonne Sampson said.
Former Origin star Braith Anasta called the play "unbelievable".
"It's a huge play, Connor Watson could have easily tapped this over the dead ball line, but played patient, too patient and couldn't believe Watene-Zelezniak would get to the ball," he said.
Queensland Origin coach Kevin Walters couldn't believe the skills the wingers have now days.
"That was a horror bounce for him too wasn't it, he just wanted it to trickle on there, it was a great little kick from Cleary there," he said. "We see so many tries like that these days, the ball is never dead. It would have been 3-4m over the deadball line but the smarts of the wingers these days to leap from the field of play and hit it back in was excellent work."
Panthers five-eighth James Maloney also lived up to his reputation as a pest — at least to the Newcastle Knights.
The Panthers' five-eighth pulled off a stunning tackle on a rampaging Edrick Lee, dispossessing the winger over the line.
"Wow, what a play," Fox League commentator Matt Russell said. "If Penrith go on to win this game, the defence — not the attack or organisation — the defence of Jimmy Maloney will be a key reason behind it."
"His defence has come under scrutiny from time to time," Gasnier said. "This afternoon, he has been inspirational. What desperation."
It set up a grandstand finish after Mitch Barnett try in the 72nd minute made it a two point game but the Panthers held on for the victory.
Isaah Yeo put the Panthers up 16-8 early in the half with a huge run to score next to the post.
Earlier, Kalyn Ponga's development into an NRL five-eighth continued with a perfect cutout pass to hit Edrick Lee on the sideline to open the Knights' scoring.
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After criticism of his move to the playmaking role, this was a perfect response.
"It's beyond perfect, it's brilliant," Gasnier said. "It is absolutely brilliant, Kalyn Ponga at his best, where he received the football, skips out off the right foot, the realisation the defenders are up and in. It's just pretty to watch, I could watch this all day."
"There was plenty of talk where Ponga was going to play and when he was named in the five-eighth role, plenty of people had opinions on it," Corey Parker added. "That's the reason why — the vision, the class, the execution to come up with those plays under pressure."
