Lachlan Galvin has given Wests Tigers a hope of ditching the NRL wooden spoon for the first time in three years, leading his side to a heart-stopping 18-16 win over South Sydney.
In a dramatic finish at Campbelltown, the Tigers appeared to have the game wrapped up until Damien Cook scored with two minutes to play on Saturday night.
The Rabbitohs then crossed again through Davvy Moale with 35 seconds to play, only for a Cameron Murray pass to be called forward by referee Belinda Sharpe.
The last-minute pain capped a horror week for Souths, where the focus has been on Latrell Mitchell and his breach notice after a photo appeared to show him in a room with a white powder.
But for the Tigers, there was pure relief.
With a round-26 bye still to come, the Tigers are now two points behind the Eels at the bottom of the ladder.
It means that unless Parramatta upset Brisbane or St George Illawarra in the next fortnight, the final-round clash between the two sides will decide the spoon.
"They showed a lot of fight and spirit," Tigers coach Benji Marshall said.
"These guys care, we've been in the fight in a lot of the games and they've never given up to the death.Â
"With a little bit of sticking to the process and not putting ourselves under pressure, that helps.
"Whether you win by one or two, or by 20, at the moment we needed the win."
Galvin was again the star for the Tigers as they snapped a seven-match losing streak, again proving a shining light in a long season.
He hit fellow teenager Luke Laulilii on the chest with a long cut-out ball for one try, and provided a perfect pass for Adam Doueihi for another.
Galvin is ineligible for the Dally M Rookie of the Year award due to a ban for a hip-drop in March, but he would be close to a lock for it otherwise.
For now, though, Tigers fans can have reason to hope that this may be the last year they find themselves preparing for a "spoon-bowl".
Jarome Luai will come to the club next year and be reunited with Api Koroisau, who remains as smart as ever out of dummy-half and helped set up the first try when he changed the point of attack.
Wingers Sunia Turuva and Jeral Skelton are also incoming, but the Tigers look to have a good one of their own in 18-year-old Laulilii.
After scoring his try in the first half, Laulilii did well to hold up Jacob Gagai over the line and force an error in the second when the Rabbitohs winger looked certain to score.
Another teenager, Heath Mason, looked dangerous in his first game starting at fullback for the injured Jahream Bula.
As for the Rabbitohs, they have seemingly returned to the team that struggled for wins in the first half of the season.
They scored early when Taane Milne put on a late offload for Jai Gray close to the line, but were down 18-4 before Keaon Koloamatangi could score their next.
Captain Cody Walker also left the field late with a concussion, after copping an accidental knee.
"He's struggling, can't remember much. We've lost another one," interim coach Ben Hornby said.
