I wonder if we are the team in question....
Why mystery surrounds Papenhuyzen link to Storm’s rivals
October 22, 2023 — 5.30am (SMH)
Storm superstar
Ryan Papenhuyzen has been secretly floated to at least one rival club as a potential recruit, but Melbourne say he is going nowhere.
Papenhuyzen has been mentioned to a team to gauge interest in his services. The club has been approached by a third party on the quiet with the message being, if he were to become available, would they be interested and, if so, at what level.
New Zealand take on Samoa in the 2023 Pacific Championships at Eden Park, Auckland.
It is a conversation that is easy to deny and Melbourne general manager
Frank Ponissi laughed at the idea of an early departure for Papenhuyzen, who signed a three-year contract extension in 2021 for about $2 million, which runs until the end of the 2025 season.
Papenhuyzen was not fazed when contacted, saying he had no knowledge of any discussions.
It is a common practice for a third party with links to a team to broach sensitive contract moves because it allows the club to distance itself from any discussions. After Melbourne’s denial I went back to the NRL club that has been sounded out and it confirmed it had been asked about Papenhuyzen.
The level of intent behind the conversations is hard to gauge, and it is difficult to predict if it will lead to anything. Papenhuyzen is a fan favourite and beloved at the club, but the Storm have a star on the rise in
Ryan Papenhuyzen has been plagued by injuries in recent seasons.CREDIT:NRL PHOTOS
He may have played only one NRL game, but his performance left the league world stunned. Then he earned rave reviews after taking on Australia last weekend with Samoa. Faalogo’s
Benji Marshall-style “midair” step and pace have him marked as an emerging star. That is why a potential Papenhuyzen exit makes some sense.
Papenhuyzen is on big money and, through no fault of his own, he has been unable to deliver in recent years. The knee injury he suffered against Canberra in 2022 kept him out for more than a year. He broke his leg a couple of games into his comeback and also spent considerable time out following a serious concussion in 2021.
In his absence,
Nick Meaney has proven to be a more than capable fullback. The Storm need to bolster their forward roster, and any extra cash freed up by a Papenhuyzen deal would be useful.
Papenhuyzen has admitted to some dark times on the comeback trail but got through them by working hard on self-development. I had a long chat to him recently, before this information came to me, and it was clear he still has a strong desire to be the best fullback in the game. After his major knee injury, he got back to 93 per cent of his previous top speed.