MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 14: Ryan Papenhuyzen of the Storm passes the ball during the NRL Qualifying Final match between the Melbourne Storm and the Canberra Raiders at AAMI Park on September 14, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Melbourne Storm sensation Ryan Papenhuyzen is hoping to put in a blistering performance when he meets the Parramatta Eels on Saturday night. 

The 22-year-old fullback who has scored 16 tries for the Storm revealed that the Eels overlooked signing him due to his size, despite representing the Australian touch football team at the age of 17. 

"That is what happened at Parra early on,” he told The Australian

“I remember I was in a touch footy side and playing for Parra. One of the dads was friends with the (Parramatta) recruitment guy and he wanted them to pick me up, but their thing was that I was always too small.

“Although I made a couple of rep sides when I was a kid, there was still that doubt in my mind, when people tell you that you are too small.

“You’ve just got to keep adding to your skill-set and give it a crack and that’s something I’d like to show to all those little blokes out there that get told they are too small, that it’s not over and to just play tough.

“If you play tough there is no reason that they can’t pick you. Generally if you do that then you can make any side.”

Thankfully the Storm saw what he could do on a rugby pitch and signed up the fullback, who has made 39 appearances and has represented Australia in the World Nines tournament.