Despite having held a head coaching position for nigh on half a century, a second half penalty call during his side's 25-12 loss to the Panthers on Friday night acted as proof that the game could still surprise Wayne Bennett.

With the game in the balance at 12-12 midway through the second stanza of the Rabbitohs' clash against Penrith, Souths forward Mark Nicholls was ruled as being 'downtown' from Adam Reynolds' kick from his own 40-metre line.

Although Stephen Crichton eventually spilled the Steeden just shy of his own 30-metre marker, Nicholls was ruled ineligible to play at the ball after he was deemed to be in an offside position by referee Grant Atkins.

Despite the resulting penalty seeing Nathan Cleary slot the ball over from straight in front of the uprights to give his side the lead for the first time, it wasn't before Atkins had made his point clear to an irate Reynolds.

“Mark Nicholls is downtown from the kick and he can’t play an active part in the play,” a microphoned Atkins told the Souths sharpshooter on Fox League's coverage.

“He can’t take part in the play. Mark Nicholls has advanced downfield before the ball is kicked past him.

“We call downtown all the time but if he ends up playing a role in the play – which he did – that’s bad luck. He might as well wait downfield, that’s the law of the game, you’ve got to accept it.”

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - OCTOBER 10: Mark Nicholls and Liam Knight of the Rabbitohs waves to the crowd as they celebrate victory during the NRL Semi Final match between the Parramatta Eels and the South Sydney Rabbitohs at Bankwest Stadium on October 10, 2020 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

Having led the contest 12-0 during the first half, the ill-disciplined Bunnies capitulated to the Cleary led Panthers and conceded 25-consecutive points to drop yet another game to one of the competition's top-two teams.

Speaking after the loss, Bennett claimed he was "dumbfounded" by the bunker's intervention at such a crucial stage of the game.

“We’re all a bit dumbfounded by that one,” Bennett said.

“I think it might be [the rule] but as Mark said he’s done it all his career and so many others have.

“I don’t know where it came from.

“Nobody’s got any idea in that changing room.

“Nobody can believe it – because they’re all guilty of it. It was a big moment in the game no doubt about that.”

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MAY 30: Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett talks to media during a South Sydney Rabbitohs NRL training session at Redfern Oval on May 30, 2019 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

Irrespective of the fact that the call was correct by the letter of the law, Nicholls is certainly not the only name guilty of such a transgression.

With the officials proving they are willing to call out such offenses late in the season, all teams are now on notice for starting their chases in front of the kicker ahead of the finals series.

The Suncorp Stadium defeat saw the Rabbitohs' winning streak snapped at 10, however, they will almost certainly be afforded a shot at redemption against the boys from the feet of the Blue Mountains in the first week of the post-season action.