Sorensen's tackle could be season-defining: Panthers
Penrith players believe Scott Sorensen's match-saving tackle against Wests Tigers could prove season-defining, with their bid for an NRL five-peat still alive.
Sorensen provided a hero's play late in the Panthers' win over the Tigers on Sunday, rushing from the other side of the field to stop Jahream Bula inches from the line.
Prop Lindsay Smith then provided a similar effort on the next set, getting back to help deny Bula again with the Panthers leading 18-14.
The Panthers' win meant they finished the round in 13th spot but just one point out of the top eight, after a horror start to the season had them sitting last after 12 rounds.
Penrith players saw similarities between Sorensen's effort, and Viliame Kikau's famed effort to hold Melbourne's Justin Olam up after the siren in the Panthers' 2021 grand-final rematch.
Kikau's desperate play has for years helped Penrith set the standards for success, and teammates believe Sorensen's effort on Sunday can have a similar effect.
"We'll look back on that as a pretty defining moment. It was huge," fellow second-rower Liam Martin told AAP.
"I remember the (Kikau) one, where he slid and held (Olam) up over the line.
"It's just those little plays that you just value ... They're just little plays that probably not a lot of people notice, but they get so valued in our team.
"It gives you so much confidence when you see stuff like that happening, your teammates doing that, and you just build energy off it."
Penrith face a tough run ahead to keep their season revival on track, with a trip to Auckland without State of Origin players after the bye.
They then face Canterbury off a five-day turnaround, before having the Bulldogs again, Melbourne and Canberra on their run home.
Martin admitted the Panthers may have lacked that kind of desperation in their game as they went 2-6 to start the season, a point Nathan Cleary agreed with.
"That's probably been the difference between winning and losing games," Cleary, who was involved in both tackles on Bula with Sorensen and Smith, said.
"At the start of the year we weren't doing that at all and it was biting us in the butt a fair bit.
"That's what we want our DNA and identity to be like. And we definitely applaud plays like that.
"Then it starts to become something that happens just by DNA ... there were even a few of those last week (against Parramatta) as well."
Sorensen, for his part, dodged the praise after Sunday's win.
"It's no different to anyone else in this team," he said.
"It's just doing your job, and tonight was my time to do my job. It's as simple as that."
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Daily Telegraph
5 hours ago
- Daily Telegraph
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The Advertiser
9 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Mayday, Mayday: Wests Tigers answer Taylan's call
Wests Tigers CEO Shane Richardson believes Taylan May deserves a second chance in the NRL, after signing the outside back on a train-and-trial deal. The Tigers on Tuesday formally won the race for May's signature, with the Samoan international agreeing to a deal for the rest of this season. The contract is May's first since he was released from Penrith last season, after the Panthers attempted to rip up his contract over a number of off-field indiscretions. May played 30 games for the Panthers between 2021 and 2024 but never featured in any of their grand finals because of injury. The 23-year-old also had domestic violence charges against him dropped in March, after his wife who had accused him of punching did not show up in court. May had pleaded not guilty to the charges and has since spent time in a mental health facility undergoing treatment. The former Panther will not be able to immediately return to the field, with the NRL only conditionally approving his comeback. In a statement on Tuesday, the Tigers said training and off-field standards needed to be met before May could play again. "Taylan, like all our players, will be joining a club which has a culture of putting healthy relationships first," CEO Shane Richardson said. "Taylan has made enormous strides since we first met with him 10 weeks ago through voluntarily attending education and counselling sessions. "All players deserve a second chance and we think this is the environment which gives him the best chance of success both on and off the field." May's move to the Tigers came after he had met with South Sydney coach Wayne Bennett and toured the club's Heffron Park facilities. But the Tigers signing will allow him to play alongside his brother Terrell, with the duo and older brother Tyrone May all keen to one day play together. "Clearly, Taylan is a quality player who will further strengthen our squad in the back end of the competition," Richardson said. "But we also believe his best chance of success on and off the field is if he is around family and friends. "He will now have the chance to not only return to a team environment but also to play alongside his brother Terrell – which is important to him." Wests Tigers CEO Shane Richardson believes Taylan May deserves a second chance in the NRL, after signing the outside back on a train-and-trial deal. The Tigers on Tuesday formally won the race for May's signature, with the Samoan international agreeing to a deal for the rest of this season. The contract is May's first since he was released from Penrith last season, after the Panthers attempted to rip up his contract over a number of off-field indiscretions. May played 30 games for the Panthers between 2021 and 2024 but never featured in any of their grand finals because of injury. The 23-year-old also had domestic violence charges against him dropped in March, after his wife who had accused him of punching did not show up in court. May had pleaded not guilty to the charges and has since spent time in a mental health facility undergoing treatment. The former Panther will not be able to immediately return to the field, with the NRL only conditionally approving his comeback. In a statement on Tuesday, the Tigers said training and off-field standards needed to be met before May could play again. "Taylan, like all our players, will be joining a club which has a culture of putting healthy relationships first," CEO Shane Richardson said. "Taylan has made enormous strides since we first met with him 10 weeks ago through voluntarily attending education and counselling sessions. "All players deserve a second chance and we think this is the environment which gives him the best chance of success both on and off the field." May's move to the Tigers came after he had met with South Sydney coach Wayne Bennett and toured the club's Heffron Park facilities. But the Tigers signing will allow him to play alongside his brother Terrell, with the duo and older brother Tyrone May all keen to one day play together. "Clearly, Taylan is a quality player who will further strengthen our squad in the back end of the competition," Richardson said. "But we also believe his best chance of success on and off the field is if he is around family and friends. "He will now have the chance to not only return to a team environment but also to play alongside his brother Terrell – which is important to him." Wests Tigers CEO Shane Richardson believes Taylan May deserves a second chance in the NRL, after signing the outside back on a train-and-trial deal. The Tigers on Tuesday formally won the race for May's signature, with the Samoan international agreeing to a deal for the rest of this season. The contract is May's first since he was released from Penrith last season, after the Panthers attempted to rip up his contract over a number of off-field indiscretions. May played 30 games for the Panthers between 2021 and 2024 but never featured in any of their grand finals because of injury. The 23-year-old also had domestic violence charges against him dropped in March, after his wife who had accused him of punching did not show up in court. May had pleaded not guilty to the charges and has since spent time in a mental health facility undergoing treatment. The former Panther will not be able to immediately return to the field, with the NRL only conditionally approving his comeback. In a statement on Tuesday, the Tigers said training and off-field standards needed to be met before May could play again. "Taylan, like all our players, will be joining a club which has a culture of putting healthy relationships first," CEO Shane Richardson said. "Taylan has made enormous strides since we first met with him 10 weeks ago through voluntarily attending education and counselling sessions. "All players deserve a second chance and we think this is the environment which gives him the best chance of success both on and off the field." May's move to the Tigers came after he had met with South Sydney coach Wayne Bennett and toured the club's Heffron Park facilities. But the Tigers signing will allow him to play alongside his brother Terrell, with the duo and older brother Tyrone May all keen to one day play together. "Clearly, Taylan is a quality player who will further strengthen our squad in the back end of the competition," Richardson said. "But we also believe his best chance of success on and off the field is if he is around family and friends. "He will now have the chance to not only return to a team environment but also to play alongside his brother Terrell – which is important to him."
News.com.au
11 hours ago
- News.com.au
Former Penrith young gun Taylan May has been signed by Wests Tigers after domestic violence charges were dropped
Wests Tigers CEO Shane Richardson says 'all players deserve a second chance' after the club officially gave former Penrith flyer Taylan May an NRL lifeline and reunited him with his brother Terrell. Taylan has been in NRL limbo since he was axed by the Panthers last year after being charged over domestic violence allegations and he was subject to the league's stand down policy. He pleaded not guilty and those charges were withdrawn three months ago leaving May, 22, to eye off an NRL return while also recently undergoing treatment in a mental health facility. The Tigers resumed talks once he checked out and South Sydney coach Wayne Bennett had also shown interest in May, which included a tour of the club's headquarters. But May has signed a train-and-trial contract for the rest of the 2025 season, and could yet take the park with his brother. He has been approved to commence training immediately and his paying return would be guided by meeting of training and off-field standards. 'Clearly, Taylan is a quality player who will further strengthen our squad in the back end of the competition,' Wests Tigers CEO Shane Richardson said. 'But we also believe his best chance of success on and off the field is if he is around family and friends. 'He will now have the chance to not only return to a team environment but also to play alongside his brother Terrell – which is important to him.' 'Taylan has made enormous strides since we first met with him 10 weeks ago through voluntarily attending education and counselling sessions. 'All players deserve a second chance and we think this is the environment which gives him the best chance of success both on and off the field.' Richardson said May's contract would be reviewed at the end of the year.
