Their relative lack of finals pedigree compounded the task for the Panthers. This was their first tilt at the finals since Matthew Elliott took them to the play-offs four years ago and, before that, their last September appearance was in 2004. They didn't have many players used to such big occasions but it didn't show early on.
Ivan Cleary's team were the better side in the first 30 minutes, and the Roosters struggled to find their rhythm. The minor premiers pushed passes, made uncharacteristic errors and completed only one of their first seven sets.
In a scrappy first half, that at time resembled a pre-season hit-out with the amount of mistakes from both teams, Penrith opened the scoring in the 25th minute.
Young fullback Matthew Moylan made a clean break from an errant Roosters kick, sprinting deep into the opposition half. Two plays later, Soward sent Josh Mansour across in the corner for a surprise lead.
It was inevitable the minor premiers would respond and Michael Jennings, a Penrith junior who was shown the door by Cleary, scored a determined individual try five minutes later.
The Roosters regained their spark in the second half, as Mitchell Pearce and James Maloney began to orchestrate proceedings. Shaun Kenny-Dowall - who tends to score tries in big games - deceived three Penrith defenders with an outrageous dummy to slide over after a short-side raid in the 44th minute and things looked ominous for Penrith. Mitchell Pearce came close to scoring and gaps were appearing across the Penrith defensive line.
A key turning point came minutes later. Penrith repelled a series of Roosters attacks with some desperate last-ditch defending - twice the Premiers looked certain to score and take a probable match-winning lead but they were stopped inches away.
With renewed belief, Penrith found their way back and Whare showed great evasiveness to touch down in the 52nd minute after a audacious Moylan no-look pass.
At times the Roosters - wearing red, white and blue - looked like the Harlem Globetrotters as they lost shape in a frenetic finale but a late Pearce try looked to be enough before Soward's heroics on the hooter.
Roosters 18 (M. Pearce, M. Jennings, S. Kenny-Dowall tries, J. Maloney 3 goals)
Panthers 19 (J. Mansour, D. Whare 2 tries, J. Soward 3 goals, field goal).
Halftime: 6-4.
