It was the unexpected lifeline that allowed Scott Sorensen to haul himself off the rugby league scrapheap and live out his wildest dreams.

Five years ago, Sorensen was justifiably worried that his NRL career had run its course.

At the age of 27, and after 39 top-grade games over the course of seven seasons, the back-rower had been released by Cronulla and his phone was not exactly running hot.

“There were a few conversations about going overseas, but nothing was set in concrete,” Sorensen recalled on Tuesday.

With a young family to support, he was considering taking up an offer of a job on the wharves at Port Botany, before fielding an approach from Penrith coach Ivan Cleary.

Bereft of alternatives, he had no hesitation in agreeing to a sit-down, “just to have a chat”.

“They gave me

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