The Melbourne Storm have released full-back Ryan Papenhuyzen from the remainder of his contract with immediate effect, amid increasing links to breakaway rugby union competition R360.
Papenhuyzen is one of 10 NRL stars being targeted by the rebel 15-man league, with Zac Lomax, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Nelson Asofa-Solomona all rumoured to be of interest.
The full-back’s now-confirmed departure, however, is the first concrete sign that the competition is set to go ahead as planned, despite no official announcements from the organisers.
The 27-year-old has spent the entirety of his nine-year NRL career with the Storm, debuting for the side back in 2017. Since then, he has gone onto make a total of 113 appearances for the club and helped Melbourne win the 2020 Grand Final.
He also won the Clive Churchill Medal in that win over the Penrith Panthers.
‘I want to thank the Club for their understanding and support throughout this process’
Commenting on his release, Papenhuyzen said: “I’ve loved my time at Melbourne Storm. I’ve enjoyed close to a decade of incredible memories and experiences in the purple jersey. Playing in front of the Storm fans every week has made my time in Melbourne something I’ll never forget.
“I want to thank the Club for their understanding and support throughout this process. I also want to thank my teammates, coaches and staff for all their love and support. It’s been a privilege playing footy and working with you.”
Melbourne Storm chairman, Matt Tripp, added: “Ryan has shown great character and resilience throughout his time at our Club, and we’ve loved watching him develop into the player and person that he is today. We’re obviously disappointed that his time at Storm has come to an end, but we respect his decision to take some time away from professional sport.
“We thank Ryan for his enormous contribution to our Club. He departs Storm as a Premiership player and Clive Churchill Medallist with 113 games to his name. We wish Ryan the very best for the next chapter in his life and career.”
Should the full-back cross over to the breakaway R360 competition, it would bring an end to his NRL career, with the ARLC set to ban players for up to 10 years should they take up an offer to join.
“The Commission has a clear duty to act in the best interests of Rugby League and its fans,” ARLC chair Peter V’landys said. “We will take all necessary steps to protect the future of the game.
“Unfortunately, there will always be organisations that seek to pirate our game for potential financial gain. They don’t invest in pathways or the development of players — they simply exploit the hard work of others, putting players at risk of financial loss while profiting themselves. They are, in reality, counterfeiting a code.
“Accordingly, if it all goes wrong, it’s the players who suffer most. Every stakeholder must be accountable to the standards our fans expect. We’ve listened to our clubs, and we’ve acted decisively.”
NRL CEO, Andrew Abdo, added: “This policy reflects the united stance of the Commission and NRL clubs. We will not allow unrecognised competitions to undermine the integrity, professionalism, and future of rugby league.”
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