Luke Sommerton will make just his third NRL appearance on Friday night when he lines up at hooker for the Penrith Panthers.
With regular dummy-half Mitch Kenny serving a ban after breaching the league's code of conduct with an Instagram post, Sommerton has been given the nod for the match against the Melbourne Storm.
Soni Luke – who can also play at hooker – is currently listed on the bench.
There were reports in the offseason that Sommerton had signed a new deal with Penrith, but as it stands, he is not officially part of the club's top 30 squad.
He is expected to earn a contract upgrade in the near future as the Panthers continue life without Api Koroisau.
MORE: NRL casualty ward – All the latest injury news
Who is Luke Sommerton? Bio, stats for Panthers hooker
Sommerton made his NRL debut for Penrith in Round 24 last year, becoming the club's 617th first grade player.
He has progressed through the lower grades over the past few years at the foot of the Mountains and is reaping the rewards.
The 23-year-old played SG Ball for the Roosters, before toiling away in Ron Massey Cup for St Mary's for a number of years before pushing his way into NSW Cup for the Panthers.
Sommerton starred in the No. 9 jumper in reserve grade last season.
A special moment as debutant Luke Sommerton shares the news with his Pop. #pantherpride 🐾 pic.twitter.com/KWs4YsOFFr
— Penrith Panthers 🏆🏆 (@PenrithPanthers) August 10, 2023
In a niche statistic that could offer an insight into his playing style, Sommerton ran for over 1,000 metres last season in the lower grades – more than any other player in his position.
Friday night's match in Melbourne will mark his third first grade appearance.
Luke Sommerton 2023 NSW Cup stats
| Games | 22 |
| Tries | 7 |
| Try Assists | 4 |
| Offloads | 9 |
| Avg. Run Metres | 74m |
| Avg. Tackles | 29.7 |
| Tackle Efficiency | 90% |
Penrith Panthers NRL injury, suspension list
| PLAYER | ISSUE | RETURN |
|---|---|---|
| Scott Sorensen | TBC | TBC |
| Sunia Turuva | Leg | Round 1 |
| Jarome Luai | Shoulder | Round 1 |
| Mitch Kenny | Suspension | Round 2 |
