Penrith Panthers impact forward Scott Sorensen has reportedly been earmarked by the Newcastle Knights as a key recruitment target for 2024 and beyond.
A bench forward at the Panthers, stuck behind James Fisher-Harris, Moses Leota and Isaah Yeo in the middle, as well as a host of second-rowers, including the now-departed Viliame Kikau and New South Wales State of Origin representative Liam Martin, there is little doubt that Sorensen would be a starter at most other clubs in the competition.
Part of the New Zealand 2022 Rugby League World Cup campaign, the forward's versatility and hard-running style has made him an important part of Penrith's back-to-back premiership campaigns.
Often forming a one-two punch with Spencer Leniu off the bench, Sorensen, who has spent time at the Sharks and Raiders before really breaking out at the Panthers, now has 82 NRL games to his name, but played 24 in 2022.
Of those games, he tackled at over 94 per cent efficiency, and made 99 metres per game off the bench - excellent numbers.
He is off-contract at the end of 2023 though and could, as with a number of Panthers' players who have left, look to find a bigger role elsewhere in the competition.
News Corp are reporting that the Newcastle Knights could be that club who come in with a big offer for the forward.
So keen are the Knights, it has been suggested that they have inquired with Penrith about taking him off their books for the 2023 season and sending Dominic Young the other way in return as an injury replacement for Taylan May.
That appears to have been shut down though, with the Panthers reportedly confident they can replace May - who has injured his ACL and will miss the season - from within their own ranks.
It's tipped that Sunia Turuva will come into the side, while young outside back Thomas Jenkins is also closing on a first-grade debut that will likely come at this point this year.
For their part, the Knights have also suggested an immediate move for Young, who has signed with the Sydney Roosters from 2024 on what is a yet to be officially announced four-year deal, is unlikely to happen.
"I've just about ruled it out, but haven't completely ruled it out. You never say never, but it would have to be something that is beneficial to us, and if that eventuated it could be a silver lining," Knights' director of football Peter Parr told the Newcastle Herald's Toohey's News Podcast during the week.
"The flipside of that is that we have planned for Dom to be in our team, planned for him to be on the right wing and it's very difficult for us to change those plans so close to the season starting.
"I wouldn't say that we have ruled it out completely, but nor would I say that it will happen."
Sorensen will likely receive an offer to stay at the Panthers for 2024 and beyond, and given their success, and just how much he has improved during his time at the foot of the mountains under the coaching of Nathan Cleary, it will leave him with a big decision to make.
It's unclear the financial value the Panthers will be able to represent to Sorensen to keep him at the club however, with the salary cap at the foot of the mountains understood to be stretched by a number of high-profile re-signings, although they have already lost Stephen Crichton to the Canterbury Bulldogs for 2024 and beyond, which will ease some pressure as youngsters are promoted internally to cover the departure.
The Knights have been desperate to up the ante in signing forwards after struggling at both ends of the park in 2022, and have added Adam Elliott and Jack Hetherington to their side for 2023.
