Ryan Papenhuyzen
Ryan Papenhuyzen | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 10, 1998 Sydney, Australia |
| Occupation | Professional rugby league player |
| Years active | 2019–present |
| Known for | Playing for Melbourne Storm in the NRL, Clive Churchill Medal winner (2020) |
Ryan Papenhuyzen (born 10 June 1998) is a professional Australian rugby league player who serves as a for the Melbourne Storm in the National Rugby League competition.
He played a key role in Melbourne's triumph in the 2020 NRL Grand Final, where he was awarded the prestigious Clive Churchill Medal, and also featured in the 2024 NRL Grand Final. In 2019, Papenhuyzen represented Australia’s first-ever 9's team.
Early life
Papenhuyzen was born in Sydney, Australia, and has Dutch heritage.
Raised in Kellyville, New South Wales, he attended Oakhill College, Castle Hill, where he competed in rugby union for three seasons with the 1st XV from 2014 to 2016. Additionally, he was selected for the 2015 Australian Schoolboys rugby league squad. Following his secondary education, he pursued studies in Physical Activity, Health and Exercise Science at the Australian Catholic University.
During his youth, Papenhuyzen participated in touch football and junior rugby league with clubs including Kellyville Bushrangers, Dundas Shamrocks, and the Hills District Bulls, before ultimately signing with the Balmain Tigers.
Early career
Papenhuyzen competed in junior representative rugby league for Balmain within the S. G. Ball Cup and Harold Matthews Cup, later advancing to play for the Wests Tigers in the NRL Under-20s. After Wests Tigers released him to facilitate the re-signing of James Tedesco, he secured a contract with Melbourne.
In 2018, he featured for Melbourne’s under-20 side as well as their feeder club, the Sunshine Coast Falcons. His impressive form that year led to his selection for the New South Wales under-20s State of Origin team.
2019
At age 20, Papenhuyzen made his first-grade debut for Melbourne during round 4 of the 2019 NRL season against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. His playing jersey (cap number 194) was presented by former Melbourne star Billy Slater. He delivered a standout performance in round 9 against the Parramatta Eels, crossing for a try and creating several line breaks and assists in a dominant 64–10 victory.
On 8 October, Papenhuyzen was selected for Australia's squad at the 2019 Rugby League World Cup 9s and also chosen as fullback for the Under-23s Junior Kangaroos side, where he scored two tries in their commanding 62–4 win over France.
2020
During Round 8 against the Sydney Roosters, with Melbourne trailing by one point (25-24) and only 40 seconds remaining, Papenhuyzen kicked his inaugural NRL field goal to level the score.
In the 2020 NRL Grand Final, Melbourne secured a 26–20 victory, with Papenhuyzen honored as Man of the Match through receiving the Clive Churchill Medal.
Although named in the NSW Origin squad for the 2020 State of Origin series, Papenhuyzen withdrew from game one due to injury and was subsequently omitted from selections for games two and three.
2021
Commencing the 2021 season as Melbourne's fullback and primary goal kicker following the retirement of Cameron Smith, Papenhuyzen delivered an outstanding performance in Round 4 against the Brisbane Broncos, crossing for four tries within an 11-minute span. This feat matched the club record for the highest number of tries in a single match. Additionally, he successfully converted five goals, amassing a total of 26 points, which ranked him second on Melbourne Storm’s all-time single-game scoring list and positioned him as the league’s leading point scorer at that stage.
During Round 10 versus St. George Illawarra, Papenhuyzen sustained a serious concussion caused by a high tackle, which sidelined him for most of the season and prevented his selection for New South Wales’ State of Origin team. He made his comeback in Round 19 against North Queensland, contributing 33 minutes off the bench.
Over the course of the 2021 NRL season, Papenhuyzen appeared in 15 matches, crossing the try line 14 times and accumulating 157 points. Melbourne secured the Minor Premiership after an impressive streak of 19 consecutive victories. He participated in all three finals fixtures, including a narrow preliminary final defeat to eventual champions Penrith.
2022
In Round 4 of the 2022 NRL season, Papenhuyzen recorded a personal best by scoring 28 points against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, which included four tries and six successful goal kicks. However, in Round 9 he was forced to miss between four and six games due to hamstring and knee injuries. Upon his return in Round 16, he managed two tries despite Melbourne falling 36–30 to the Manly.
Round 18 saw Papenhuyzen sustain a suspected fractured kneecap during Melbourne’s 20-16 loss to the Canberra. On 19 July, it was officially announced that he would be sidelined for the remainder of the season.
During his rehabilitation period, Papenhuyzen claimed victory at the pro-am event of the 2022 Australian Open held at the Victoria Golf Club in November.
2023
Due to a shattered kneecap, Papenhuyzen was absent for the initial 22 rounds of the 2023 NRL season. He made his return on August 5 by playing for the Sunshine Coast Falcons in the Queensland Cup. Reinstated to first grade in round 26, he scored his first try of that season in round 27. Unfortunately, Papenhuyzen suffered a season-ending ankle fracture during a tackle in Melbourne’s 26-0 finals defeat to the Brisbane Broncos. Despite this being his second major leg injury, medical assessments projected he would be fit to compete at the start of the following season.
2024
Papenhuyzen resumed play in round 1 as Melbourne secured an 8-0 victory over the Penrith Panthers. The team dominated early in the season, winning seven out of their first eight games and leading the competition standings. In round 9’s tightly contested 22-20 win over the Gold Coast Titans, Papenhuyzen exited due to limping caused by a minor fracture in his previously repaired leg, resulting in an estimated absence of four to six weeks. Throughout the 2024 NRL season, he participated in 20 matches, including Melbourne’s grand final defeat against Penrith. On 12 December, Papenhuyzen committed to Melbourne with a one-year contract extension through to the end of 2026.
2025
In round 10 of the 2025 NRL season, Papenhuyzen delivered an impressive performance by scoring four tries during Melbourne’s commanding 64-0 victory over the Wests Tigers.
Honours
Melbourne Storm
Individual Achievements
- Recipient of the Clive Churchill Medal: 2020
- Awarded Melbourne Storm Rookie of the Year: 2019
- Melbourne Storm Back of the Year honours: 2020, 2021, 2022
Club
| † | Indicates seasons when Papenhuyzen secured an NRL Premiership |
| Season | Team | Appearances | Tries | Goals | Goal Kicking % | Field Goals | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Template:Leagueicon Melbourne | 22 | 9 | 2 | 66.67% | 0 | 40 |
| 2020† | 20 | 11 | 4 | 44.44% | 1 | 53 | |
| 2021 | 15 | 14 | 49 | 85.96% | 2[lower-alpha 1] | 157 | |
| 2022 | 12 | 14 | 41 | 78.85% | 1 | 139 | |
| 2023 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 66.67% | 0 | 12 | |
| 2024 | 20 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 53 | |
| 2025 | 7 | 7 | 23 | 88.46% | 0 | 74 | |
| Career Totals | 99 | 69 | 123 | 80.39% | 5 | 528 | |
Statistics current as of round 9 in the 2025 NRL season.
External links
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- Pages with script errors
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- 1998 births
- Living people
- Australian rugby league players
- Melbourne Storm players
- Rugby league fullbacks
- Rugby league players from Sydney
- Clive Churchill Medal winners
- 21st-century Australian sportsmen
- Pages with reference errors