Stephen Crichton put himself in the State of Origin conversation by underpinning Penrith’s seventh straight win of 2022 with a hat-trick as the Panthers scored a 36-6 victory over the Canberra Raiders.

After Crichton was awarded his third – a penalty try after interference from Raiders centre Matt Timoko – the 20,000-plus Penrith fans began a mock Viking clap to add a little more salt into the wounds of Raiders fans. 

They did it again 10 minutes from fulltime when the result was inevitable.

Penrith remain blemish-free for the year winning seven on the trot, the only unbeaten team in the NRL.

Crichton’s performance – that’s now six tries in seven games – was played out in front of NSW Blues coach Brad Fittler who was sideline commentator for Channel Nine.

Fittler is likely to have a vacancy in his centre ranks for the opening Origin game in Sydney on June 8 with both incumbents Latrell Mitchell (hamstring) and Tom Trbojevic (knee) still several weeks from returning. 

The Origin team will be named after round 12.

Crichton did his chances no harm after Cronulla centre Siosifa Talakai pushed his name into the ring with a swashbuckling two tries, three try assists and three line-breaks in Thursday’s win over Manly. 

For Canberra there is more disappointment with club now sitting in 15th spot on the ladder after four straight losses.  

They hung in for a large chunk of the game but caved in during the final 18 minutes as the Panthers dominated proceedings.

Penrith are renowned for suffocating sides, the 14-6 halftime scoreline ballooning out to a 30-point win.

Something had to give after the opening 13 minutes with the Raiders camped on their line and Crichton finally crossed for the Panthers in the right-side corner.

But anyone who thought the Raiders would be fatigued from all that defending had to think again. Prop Joe Tapine ran hard onto the ball and over the Panthers line four minutes later to help level things up 6-6.

Perhaps some tiredness did finally arrive close to halftime, when Isaah Yeo skipped through a yawning gap with Nathan Cleary kicking the conversion and then a penalty for a 14-6 lead at the break.

The second half mirrored the first in the opening minutes. Once again the Raiders were pinned in their own 20-metre zone, only this time they rarely escaped. 

And once again it was Crichton, who burrowed through a few Raiders bodies to reward the Panthers’ perseverance. His third came three minutes later and then the floodgates were opened.

Tries to Taylan May and Viliame Kikau finished off another merciless showing by the defending premiers.