After making the shock decision to retire after the 2025 season, Ryan Papenhuyzen has reflected on his first year outside of rugby league, with some surprising admissions revealed and a clear stance on if we'd ever see him play rugby league again.
Papenhuyzen played 113 games for the Melbourne Storm, scoring 77 tries and leading the club to a premiership in 2020 on the back of his Clive Churchill Medal winning performance.
Rumours circulated last year that Papenhuyzen would leave the Storm to be be a marquee signing for the breakaway rebel rugby union franchise 'R360' before it's start got delayed, with optimism growing that he would end up at a different NRL side if he were to leave the Victorian club.
When talking on Nine's Freddy and The Eighth he revealed that he is "content" with the decision he made noting that his first year away from the game has "been a different year."
Papenhuyzen described the year off as if he had "finished school again and in that period of deciding if you want to study or want to go on a gap year."
The former fullback spoke on the transition away from rugby league, stating that he wanted to "get away from it completely," something that at he beginning he found very hard to do.
Whilst taking up his new career as a golf caddie, Papenhuyzen was in New Zealand when the Storm played their opening game of the year, the star admitted "as much as i wanted to go to bed and not see the result, I stayed up and watched the first half and pretty soon after that game I realised they didn't need me"
New fullback sensation Sua Fa'alogo hit the ground running with two tries, a try assist, five line break assists and 197 running metres in Melbourne's 52-4 thrashing of Parramatta.
This immediate burst onto the seen made Papenhuyzen brutally question if "I was the problem" after coming off back to back grand final losses to his own admission, with his "ego taking a hit" wishing that he was out there on the field.
The shock decision to retire was heavily influenced by a torrid run of severe injuries and concussions.
“I think the head knock in the last round against Brisbane, that was sort of like, ‘what are you doing?', and that encouraged the decision in the end. Papenhuyzen said.
The try scoring machine spoke on the way he handled telling the club and his teammates about his decision, acknowledging that he "Probably didn't go about it the best way...if I could have my time back would do it a little bit better."
Papenhuyzen waited til after the season had finished to reveal his retirement call as he didn't want it to be a distraction or shock to the playing group as they were fighting for a premiership, but now reflecting wishes he didn't just message the group to break the news.
When questioned about a potential return to rugby league one day, Papenhuyzen remained firm and upfront on his stance, yet conceding he does miss the game.
"Nah the drive has gone into different areas now...it's served its purpose for footy," he said.
"I got a lot out of it, meet some great people and had some good opportunities.
"I've watched games here and there, the finals weeks been one where I've missed playing when I watch the finals because you know what comes with it."
The former Melbourne Storm fullback will return to the rugby league scene for the first time as he takes up a position on Channel 7's commentary panel for the Rugby League World Cup kicking off in October.
