He had been heavily linked to rebel rugby union competition R360, but the fullback declared he was taking a year away from professional football, with his future in the game up in the air.<\/p>\n
Speaking this week on the 167 podcast he hosts with former teammates Cameron Munster and Jahrome Hughes, Papenhuyzen said a concussion in Melbourne\u2019s Round 27 clash against Brisbane made him consider his future.<\/p>\n
With a minute left in the game at Suncorp Stadium, Papenhuyzen was taken for a head injury assessment when he was crunched in a bruising tackle by Reece Walsh and Josiah Karapani. <\/p>\n
Watch Ryan Papenhuyzen discuss his decision to quit the NRL in the video above<\/p>\n
Papenhuzen missed Melbourne\u2019s first finals game due to concussion but returned to play in the Storm\u2019s 26-22 grand final loss to the Broncos. <\/p>\n
\u201cI will set the record straight \u2026 I don\u2019t even know where to start, but I\u2019ll start from the Brisbane game in the last round,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo that game, pretty much I had that head knock in the last minutes and obviously went off the field and was in the sheds, pretty emotional \u2026 I was rattled. I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve ever really cried in front of you boys, but I was in the sheds trying to hide it.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn 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.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was the catalyst for the conversations that went in place for the next few weeks. The plan was always, after that, whatever happens I\u2019m having a year off.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was always a bit of me that thought if we lose, I\u2019d want to come back and play again and if we won, it would be good to just go off and do it.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt didn\u2019t change my feeling of it at all. I\u2019ve done all I can, I\u2019ve tried hard and put in everything I can \u2026 if I keep playing this game, at what cost?\u201d<\/p>\n
Papenhuyzen said the lure of a lucrative NRL contract was strong but he was determined to step away from the game to pursue other interests.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat else in life do I want to achieve? That was helping people. In what capacity? I love psychology and I guess I love new experiences so what can I channel that into?,\u201d he continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know I said a year [not playing] but at this stage, I don\u2019t actually feel like I would play at all. I think I\u2019m enjoying what I\u2019m doing now and I\u2019m going to give that my all.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know R360 [was there] and that was definitely in the talks and definitely something I was keen on, but I think that incident in Brisbane in the last round was just sort of like, everything happens for a reason, the universe puts you in situations.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was nearly like \u2018no, you need to make this decision, be strong with it, stick with it\u2019 \u2026 so now I think I\u2019m retired.\u201d<\/p>\n
Papenhuyzen played 113 games for the Melbourne Storm, winning a premiership in 2020 and scoring 77 tries. He won the Clive Churchill Medal for his performance in the 2020 NRL Grand Final. <\/p>\n
Sualauvi Fa\u2019alogo is expected to replace Papenhuyzen in the Storm\u2019s No. 1 jersey in the 2026 season.<\/p>\n
It will be a new look Melbourne Storm outfit this year following the departures of Papenhuyzen, Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Jonah Pezet and Grant Anderson, while Tyran Wishart and Nick Meaney are set to join the Perth Bears in 2027. <\/p>\n
Star second-rower Eli Katoa will also miss the 2026 season following a horror concussion ordeal with Tonga in the Pacific Championships.<\/p>\n