The Melbourne Storm have been dealt yet another devastating injury blow, with fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen's season over.
Papenhuyzen has suffered a fractured kneecap during Sunday afternoon's game against the Raiders after a horrible collision with Canberra Raiders' star half Jack Wighton.
The Storm fullback had been sliding across on the left-hand Canberra attack in an attempt to stop a break, however, Wighton made sickening knee to knee contact on the Storm fullback, who was immediately left on the ground in a state of distress.
Troubling scenes at AAMI Park as Papenhuyzen hobbles from the field.
📺 Watch #NRLStormRaiders on Ch. 502 or stream on Kayo: https://t.co/B1ijnHf4i8
✍️ BLOG: https://t.co/TPXcTwKRal
🔢 MATCH CENTRE: https://t.co/bltSzO6RKH pic.twitter.com/I9d3Vs1DN4— Fox League (@FOXNRL) July 17, 2022
Unable to put any weight on the knee, he was carried from the field, with the Storm soon after confirming the extent of the suspected injury.
Papi update 🤕
He has a suspected fractured knee cap.
— Melbourne Storm (@storm) July 17, 2022
He was taken to hospital after the game and is reportedly set to have surgery tomorrow.
"It just seems to keep happening, these injuries, so that's obviously disappointing," Bellamy said.
"We're really short in the outside backs. It's disappointing for Paps, I thought he was looking fairly sharp earlier tonight. It looks like it's all over for the season for him."
No surgery to return from a fractured kneecap could have seen Papenhuyzen potentially return in six to ten weeks, ruling him out for virtually the remainder of the premiership's regular season with seven weeks to go before the finals series commences.
However, with surgery confirmed, the return time could now be up to six months, greatly hampering Papenhuyzen's next pre-season.
The game against Canberra was the first time Melbourne have had their first-choice spine on the field together in weeks.