Stephen Crichton put himself in the State of Origin conversation by underpinning the Panthers' seventh straight win of the season with a hat-trick in the 36-6 victory over Canberra in Penrith.
Earlier on Sunday, Parramatta enjoyed a 39-2 thrashing of the Knights in Newcastle.
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 supporters.
They did it again 10 minutes from full-time when the result was inevitable.
Penrith remains blemish-free for the year, having won seven on the trot to be the only unbeaten team in the NRL.
Crichton's performance was played out in front of NSW Blues coach Brad Fittler, who was a sideline commentator for Channel Nine.
Fittler is likely to have a vacancy in his centre ranks for the opening State of Origin match in Sydney on June 8, with both incumbents Latrell Mitchell (hamstring) and Tom Trbojevic (knee) still several weeks from returning.
The Blues squad 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.
The Raiders hung in relentlessly for a large chunk of the match but caved in during the final 18 minutes.
Penrith is renowned for suffocating sides, with the 14-6 half-time 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 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 half-time when Isaah Yeo skipped through a yawning gap for a try, 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.
Eels outclass Knights
Parramatta put on a clinic to condemn Newcastle to its worst loss at home under coach Adam O'Brien.
In the Eels' most dominant display of the year, hooker Reed Mahoney had a field day, while Dylan Brown starred playing at left centre.
Shaun Lane joined him as the Eels ran riot down the left edge, while Isaiah Papali'i also bagged a double on the right.
In a horror day for the hosts, Newcastle's tryline defence bordered on embarrassing at times.
The loss was the Knights' fifth straight and their wost in the Hunter since being beaten 48-10 by Cronulla in 2018.
And with the Melbourne Storm ahead next Sunday, their season is fast slipping away.
Parramatta, in comparison, had little to worry about.
Mahoney was able to pick off tired defenders and gaps at ease, with the Eels' first try through Lane setting the tone for the day.
The Parramatta back rower simply ran through a legs tackle of David Klemmer close to the line, with the Knights having little excuse for fatigue in the 12th minute.
Lane was again involved in the Eels' next try, offloading at the line to allow winger Hayze Perham to fall over the line.
And when Mahoney put Brown over with ease just after the break, the game was as good as done before Papali'i and Will Penisini also bagged late try and Mitch Moses booted a final-minute field goal.
Most pleasing for the Eels also would have been their defence, after Mahoney admitted during the week it was among the worst in the NRL.
In truth though, the Knights threw very little at the Eels.
They broke the Eels' line just twice, and barely had any attacking sets as they spent the majority of the game being forced to come out of their own end.
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