LeagueNews.co | Nick Loken
Melbourne Storm has announced the immediate release of Ryan Papenhuyzen from his playing contract. Despite having one year left on his contract, Papenhuyzen has opted to take a break from rugby league to evaluate his future.
During his nine-year tenure at AAMI Park, Papenhuyzen played 113 games for the Melbourne Storm. He joined the club in 2017 and debuted in the NRL in Round 4 of 2019. Originating from the Dundas Shamrocks, Papenhuyzen celebrated premiership success in 2020, where he notably received the Clive Churchill Medal after Melbourne triumphed over the Panthers with a score of 26-20.
Throughout his career with the Storm, he amassed an impressive total of 635 points, which includes 77 tries and 160 goals, placing him sixth on the club's all-time leading points scorers list. His standout performance came in Round 10 of 2025 against the Wests Tigers, where he scored a remarkable 36 points, marking the highest tally for a Storm player in a single game.