The NRL career of Ryan Papenhuyzen is over, or at least according to him.
Speaking on his podcast, One Six Seven, Papenhuyzen shockingly revealed that he believes himself to be retired after securing an immediate release from the final year of his Melbourne Storm contract.
Fans have speculated for months why 'Papi' chose to walk away from rugby league, with some attributing it to R360, which was eventually delayed.
However, on the same podcast episode, the 27-year-old revealed what influenced his decision.
"So that game (NRL Grand Final), pretty much I had that head knock in the last minutes and obviously went off the field and was in the sheds, pretty emotional... I was rattled. I don't think I've ever really cried in front of you boys, but I was in the sheds trying to hide it," Papenhuyzen said.
"In that moment it was kind of like, what am I doing? At what cost do you play footy for? I just had one of those moments, it was fleeting and over the weekend, I processed it.
"That was the catalyst for the conversations that went in place for the next few weeks. The plan was always, after that, whatever happens I'm having a year off.
"There was always a bit of me that thought if we lose, I'd want to come back and play again and if we won, it would be good to just go off and do it.
"It didn't change my feeling of it at all. I've done all I can, I've tried hard and put in everything I can... if I keep playing this game, at what cost?"
With Papenhuyzen gone, Sua Fa'alogo is viewed as the club's long-term fullback, contracted until the end of the 2028 season.
