NRL round 10 2025: Melbourne Storm 64 d. Wests Tigers 0

Ryan Papenhuyzen scorched his way to the top of the NRL tryscoring list and burned his name in the brains of NSW selectors with a stunning four-try haul against the woeful Wests Tigers.

Russell Gould

@gouldynews

2 min read

May 11, 2025 - 5:29PM

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Ryan Papenhuyzen scorched his way to the top of the NRL try scoring list and burned his name in the brains of NSW selectors with a stunning four-try haul as Melbourne Storm flexed its considerable premiership muscle again in record-setting style.

A Magic Round spray from Storm coach Craig Bellamy stirred his troops into significant action with an 11-try demolition of the hapless Wests Tigers as Papenhuyzen gave Benji Marshall’s men a reality check.

The star Storm fullback had a double inside the opening 10 minutes and hat-trick before the 20 minute mark as part of a stunning six-try opening half and a 64-0 win on Mother’s Day in Melbourne.

Ryan Papenhuyzen had a cracker of a performance. Picture: Mike Owen/Getty Images

It equalled Storm’s biggest-ever winning margin and was the third time in his career Papenhuyzen scored four tries in a game, taking his 2025 total to 12.

His 36 points was also most ever by a Storm player in a game, eclipsing the record set by Mark Geyer in 1999.

“You never expect that in a game,” Papenhuyzen told Fox Sports as he headed to the sheds before scoring his fourth after the break.

“You come to games with no expectation, play footy and we’re playing really good. I feel like we’ve done some stuff at training this week to get us up”

Both teams had entered the contest on five wins for the season, the Tigers on the back of a stirring win and the Storm an ugly defeat.

Footage emerged of Bellamy giving his players a significant bake after their loss setting the scene for an almighty improvement and his was near faultless in the opening 40 minutes, not conceding a single penalty, while capitalising on every mistake the Tigers made.

There were plenty too, including a misplaced short line drop out, which was caught by Xavier Coates and resulted in Papenhuyzen’s third try.

An Adam Doueihi restart went dead and was marched all the way back up field for the Storm’s fifth try before Melbourne centre Nick Meaney scooped up a horror Tigers pass to run 70m to make the score 34-0 at the break.

It was the third time this season Storm has scored more than 30 points in the opening 40 minutes, going on to monster the stunned Tigers even more to end their premiership hopes.

No team in NRL history has conceded 50 points in a game and gone on to win the title.

The Storm outmuscled the Tigers early. Picture: Mike Owen/Getty Images

BAFFLING TO BRILLIANT

Melbourne’s opening try could have been played with a Benny Hill soundtrack.

What looked a clunky end to a set, including a right-foot kick from Cameron Munster, couldn’t be killed by the Tigers as Storm went backwards and sideways, the ball even hitting the ground 15m behind where it started.

But that’s where Papenhuyzen grabbed it, and after two kicks, including one off the ground, outsprinted his rivals to begin a stunning surge.

THE NELSON EFFECT

Cult hero Nelson Asofa-Solomona returned with a bang. Picture: Mike Owen/Getty Images

Playing his first game since round 3, the local crowd gave giant prop Nelson Asofa-Solomona a rousing reception when he came on, which reached fever-pitch when he stormed to his team’s eighth try.

With every carry he sent Tigers tacklers backwards, and his inclusion was a significant boost for a team which once again flexed its premiership muscle.