NRL 2021: Injured Panthers forward Scott Sorensen vows to return for finals push
Speaking ahead of surgery for a wrist injury, Scott Sorensen refused to giv up on returning to the field during the finals series.
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Valuable Panthers forward Scott Sorensen is refusing to concede his NRL premiership dream is over despite requiring surgery to reposition his dislocated wrist.
An integral member of the Panthers pack, the 28-year-old suffered the excruciating injury during his side’s big win over Parramatta on Friday night.
Sorensen was taken to Gold Coast University hospital immediately after the match after club medical staff were unable to correct the dislocation.
Initial fears were that Sorensen’s season could be over.
However, Sorensen told The Daily Telegraph prior to surgery on Saturday afternoon that he wasn’t giving up on returning to the field during the finals series.
“All I know right now is I’m not done yet in 2021,’’ Sorensen said.
The race to the 2021 NRL Telstra Finals Series is on and every game matters. Watch Live & Ad-Break Free on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-days free >
“I will be doing absolutely everything I can to be back.
“I’ve been getting messages and I’ve seen statements saying that I will be back bigger and better next year ... I’m coming back bigger and better next week, that’s my mindset.’’
A hugely respected figure within the Panthers squad due to his attitude and work-ethic, Sorensen’s impact both from the bench and in the back row recently led coach Ivan Cleary to offer the valuable forward a new two-year deal.
Penrith’s grand final redemption starts now
By Martin Gabor
Panthers coach Ivan Cleary says it’s one thing knowing how to beat South Sydney and another thing actually doing it as he prepares for next week’s qualifying final against a Rabbitohs side that will be without Latrell Mitchell.
Penrith ended the regular season in second spot courtesy of a 40-6 thumping over the Eels that saw them finish as the only team to not concede 300 points.
They missed out on the minor premiership, but that’s old news as they look to go one better than their grand final heartbreak from 2020.
Their redemption starts next week against the third-placed Bunnies, with the winner set to earn a crucial break and safe passage into the preliminary final.
While the Panthers head into the game virtually full-strength, the Rabbitohs will be without their star fullback after Mitchell was suspended for six matches for an ugly tackle on Joseph Manu last week.
The race to the 2021 NRL Telstra Finals Series is on and every game matters. Watch Live & Ad-Break Free on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-days free >
It means Blake Taaffe will likely wear the No. 1 jersey in what could spark a new-look game plan in attack.
“They’ll be different,” Cleary predicted.
“Whenever you lose one of the best players in the game, you can’t necessarily replace them man for man. But whoever they bring in will have a different skill set and they might operate differently.
“One man never makes a team.
“He wasn’t playing this time last year either and they were pretty hard to beat so they’re going to be like that again for sure.”
Mitchell missed the finals last year due to a hamstring injury, and wasn’t on deck as the Panthers edged the Bunnies 20-16 to qualify for the grand final.
That’s part of an impressive stretch for Penrith that has seen them win five games in a row against the Rabbitohs, including a 56-12 thumping in Dubbo, as well as a come-from-behind win just last month.
“We’ve played Souths a few times over the last few years in big games, and it was only a few weeks ago (that we last met),” Cleary said.
“We know a bit about them, and they know a bit about us. They’re an incredibly dangerous team and they’ve been super consistent all year. They have so many threats and good players in their team, so it’s going to be a great challenge.
“We know how to beat them, but knowing and doing are two different things.”
While the Rabbitohs have lost Mitchell at the worst time possible, the Panthers welcomed back winger Brian To’o last week in a huge boost for the finals.
The Blues star suffered a serious ankle injury earlier in the year that required surgery, but he made a sensational return against the Tigers, finishing the game with nearly 300 metres.
He topped that performance on Friday night as he scored the first hat-trick of his career, set up Nathan Cleary for a try and ran for 205 metres in the big win.
“He’s just amazing,” said Cleary, who paid tribute to his winger’s infectious personality around camp.
“He said straight after he had the surgery this time that it felt better than last time, and we were always hoping that he might be able to beat the six-week mark and be back for this game based on how quickly he can recover.
“He ended up doing it a week earlier, and not just coming back, but looking like he’d never been out or injured. He’s remarkable, and I’m glad he’s on our team.”
It was an otherwise cruisy night at the office for Penrith who headed into the western derby knowing that they would play the Rabbitohs in the first week of the finals unless they somehow won by a record 144 points.
Their attack still isn’t humming as it was earlier in the season, but they were able to put on a couple of nice set plays from scrums to send Brian To’o over for the first hat-trick of his career as their left edge ran riot in the second half.
“I’m definitely happy with where we’re sitting and how we’re positioned heading into next week,” Cleary said.
ARTHUR’S GAMBLE
We won’t know whether Brad Arthur’s decision to rest his players was the right one until next week, but the Eels coach will be proud of what his ring-ins produced for the first 40 minutes against the premiership heavyweights.
The bulk of the squad has spent the past few seasons running around Ringrose Park in reserve grade, but they held their own until Penrith kicked clear after the break.
“It was always going to be the case that the class was going to get us,” Arthur said.
“But I’ve never walked into a dressing shed when we’ve had 40 points put on us before and say that I was proud, and I meant every word.
“I reckon our performance tonight beats half the competition.
“It hasn’t done anything to our confidence.”
With little to gain and nothing to lose, Arthur chose to rest all his stars for the local derby. What it means is he’ll have fresh forwards and well-rested playmakers who will still be riding high from last week’s stunning upset over the Storm.
The result also confirms the Knights as their opponents in next week’s elimination final, with Parramatta hoping to turn the tables on their grand final defeat to Newcastle 20 years ago.
FERGALICIOUS
Blake Ferguson has delivered some of the most memorable moments of the past few years, and he didn’t disappoint on Friday night with one of the worst challenges of 2021.
The veteran winger sent a kick-off sailing wide which Stephen Crichton smartly caught out of play. But Ferguson thought he spotted a foot in the air from 50 metres away and decided to challenge.
Unsurprisingly, the touch judge got it right from close range and the Panthers were able to march downfield for an Api Koroisau try.
It was a comical play on a night that saw Father’s Day come early for both coaches who had their respective sons start in the halves.
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