LeagueNews.co | Jason Patrick
The Penrith Panthers are set to challenge Scott Sorensen's two-match suspension at the NRL judiciary, a key test of the league's crackdown on high contact.
Recently, NRL boss Andrew Abdo directed that the video bunker refrain from intervening to retrospectively sin-bin players.
Sorensen was sin-binned during a match for a shoulder charge that made contact with Manly's Nathan Brown's head, despite Brown not needing a head injury assessment post-game.
Following the match, Sorensen was handed a grade-two charge, warranting a two-game suspension with an early guilty plea.
The Panthers aim to contest this ruling, hoping to have the charge downgraded to a grade-one, which would only result in a $1500 fine and allow Sorensen to play against the Broncos during Magic Round.
Should they fail at the judiciary, he would be sidelined for three games, missing upcoming matches against the Cowboys and Knights.
This case comes amidst a wider crackdown on high contact, as evidenced by 18 players being sin-binned in Round 8, predominantly for high tackles.
The heightened enforcement led to multiple sin-bins for adjacent incidents during games.
Former player Andrew Johns emphasized the need for NRL officials to clarify expectations for players in similar situations to Sorensen's.
He pointed out that failing to brace for contact could lead to self-injury, as an attempt to tackle lower could jeopardize a player's shoulder or elbow due to proximity to teammates.
In summary, the Panthers are challenging the judiciary's decision, which could significantly impact the team and raise questions about the league's high contact policy.