Ryan Papenhuyzen will play up to 40 minutes in the Queensland Cup this weekend as the Storm fullback finally makes his return from a knee injury.
Such is the interest in Papenhuyzen’s appearance with the Sunshine Coast Falcons, organisers are expecting the usual Saturday evening attendance of 1500 people to “double and potentially triple”.
It will be Papenhuyzen’s first game in 384 days after suffering a gruesome kneecap fracture against the Raiders last July.
Storm officials want the No.1 to play no more than half the match against Ipswich, and will then gradually increase his minutes in the coming weeks before weighing up whether to rush him back for the NRL finals.
Just last month, Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy said it was likely Papenhuyzen would run out of time to play any form of competitive football this year.
But Falcons head coach Brad Henderson was delighted to welcome back Papenhuyzen, who played for the club a few years ago before he burst on to the NRL scene, ahead of schedule.
Look who is back: Ryan Papenhuyzen will return from knee injury via the Queensland Cup.
“It’s really exciting to have him back,” Henderson said. “We don’t know how many minutes he will play, but my understanding is he’ll start at fullback and we’ll throw him straight in.
“He’s been a Falcon in the past. By all reports, talking to some of the boys from the Storm who have played with us week in week out, Paps has been tearing it up at training and is itching to go. It sounds like the timing is right.
“We normally get a crowd of around 1500 people for a home game, but there’s a fair chance that will now double, or potentially triple.”
Sua Fa’alogo has been the regular No.1 at the Falcons, but will shift to the wing to accommodate the fleet-footed 25-year-old with the famous mullet.
“It hasn’t really sunk in yet, so I’m sort of just going through the training week and trying to prepare like it’s a normal game,” Papenhuyzen said.
“It’s just been a while between drinks. It’s had its ups and downs and setbacks, and it’s probably taken a little bit longer than expected, but at the same time I’m happy I did that.
“It’s a big step to be back after such a significant injury. I want to be playing NRL, so I have a little bit to go to achieve the goals I want – I’ve just got to keep doing the work.”
Bellamy will be in Sydney for Friday’s heavyweight clash with premiers Penrith, and will rely on development coach Todd Lowrie to head north the following day to keep tabs on Papenhuyzen.
Nicho Hynes is only an outside chance to play fullback on SaturdayCredit: Getty Images
While Papenhuyzen returns, the news was not so good for Cronulla’s own No. 1, with Will Kennedy expected to be sidelined for the remainder of the season with a grade-two hamstring strain.
The Sharks have named Connor Tracey to start at fullback for Saturday’s trip to Perth to take on South Sydney, but the club have not ruled out moving Matt Moylan or Nicho Hynes into the custodian role. Tracey trained at the back during a light session on Tuesday.
Skipper Wade Graham, who is weighing up whether to play on in 2024 or pursue a media career, said the club was lucky to have so many viable fullback options.
There has been talk of players delaying the start to games, but a Rugby League Players’ Association delegate, said: “We don’t want to keep pushing to have more action, we want to get back into the room with an independent industrial relations mediator, that’s what I’m focused on.”
Meanwhile, Jaeman Salmon has agreed to terms with the Bulldogs, joining fellow Panther Stephen Crichton at the club next year, a day after South Sydney’s Blake Taaffe confirmed he was bound for Belmore.
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