“Godfather of the left edge”: Bears make huge signing

The Perth Bears have signed Penrith veteran Scott Sorensen, adding another experienced player to their inaugural roster.

Sorensen has reportedly inked a multi-year deal with the Bears, and at 32 adds a crucial piece of leadership to the fledgling squad.

The Kiwi international becomes the second Panther to join the Bears after Liam Henry, having spent six years with the side, featuring in all four of their premiership wins.

Despite a slow start to signing players, the Bears' list has slowly gathered momentum in the new year, having signed Storm duo Nick Meaney and Tyran Wishart, alongside Bulldogs forward Josh Curran, amongst other names.

Sorensen will re-link with former Panthers' assistant Ben Gardiner, who is Mal Meninga's assistant at the Bears.

The Samoa coach and second rower worked together at Penrith, which saw them win the 2023 and 2024 premierships.

When asked about the possibility of Sorensen joining the club last week, Gardiner was complimentary of his experiences, believing he would be an asset to any club.  

“I had a great relationship with him at Penrith,” Gardiner said on SEN’s Front Office with Vossy.

“I learnt a lot about him. He’s a great talker; he’s a great person to have around the club. A real leader for young guys. We used to call him the 'Godfather of the left edge'.

“He’s a guy that any club would want to have in and around (it).

“Hopefully, along the way, Perth are lucky enough to have a conversation with Scott to make that happen.”

The Bears currently have 13 players signed to their list. They’ll enter the competition in 2027.