Bellamy’s quandary with Storm’s Mr. Fix It as the star fullback approaches his NRL comeback
Storm coach Craig Bellamy will soon have to make a significant pick after Ryan Papenhuyzen’s outstanding performance in reserve grade over the weekend.
After sustaining a major knee injury in the previous season, Papenhuyzen was out for a full year. The outstanding fullback rejoined the Storm’s Queensland Cup feeder team, Sunshine Coast Falcons, a fortnight ago.
Although he just played the first half as part of his return to play plan, he was good in his first hitout and didn’t receive many opportunities.
However, he put on a far more Papenhuyzen-like performance for the Falcons over the weekend, scoring a try and setting up tw
o in addition to recording six tackle busts, 127 running meters, a linebreak, and two linebreak assists. In the 40-18 victory, he also kicked five goals from seven tries and made a try-saving tackle.
Papenhuyzen’s comeback to first grade is nearly guaranteed to occur this season, although Bellamy has stated that there is no specific timetable for it. It may even occur in the final two rounds prior to finals.
This implies that Nick Meaney’s position in the starting lineup will need to be decided by the coach.
Meaney has been a reliable performer for the Storm, standing in for Papenhuyzen at fullback. In 20 games, he’s racked up 10 tries, 9 try assists, and leads the squad in tackle busts and average run meters per game.
Cooper Cronk, a Fox League expert commentator and storm icon, thinks that Papenhuyzen will return to the NRL by starting on the bench, but only after playing a little bit more Queensland Cup.
He stated, “I think he can potentially come on and do the utility role off the bench to start with and then see where he’s at. I probably want to see a little bit more from him in reserve grade.”
“But he needs to perform at a certain level; it’s not enough to just put on your boots and play for 80 minutes; I need to see something from you.”
“You should get him back immediately if he hits those markers.”
As his first grade career began there back in 2019, the bench is familiar ground for Papenhuyzen.
At the beginning of 2019, Jahrome Hughes, who is currently the halfback for the Storm, was the first-choice fullback. Before settling into the No. 1 jersey, Papenhuyzen was utilized as a utility player off the bench and was forced to play in the center.
In 2021, following a painful concussion that kept him out of the game for two months, he was likewise gradually brought back into the game via the bench.
