Ryan Papenhuyzen rules out NRL return and 'can't imagine' playing professionally again
Ryan Papenhuyzen has ruled out returning to the NRL next year and says he can't imagine playing professional sport again after walking out on his Storm contract.
Ryan Papenhuyzen says he can’t imagine strapping on a boot to play professional sport again and has shut down any chance of returning to the NRL next year as the rebel R360 competition fights to get off the ground.
Speaking after dramatically walking out on the final year of his Melbourne Storm contract, a candid Papenhuyzen said he will take a gap year from his athletic career in 2026, and has turned to mentoring young athletes about the psychology of sport.
The 27-year-old, who was in talks about joining the global rugby union concept before organisers announced it would be shelved until after the 2027 World Cup, said he still supported the idea of R360, which he insisted would “only be a positive”.
But Papenhuyzen is not convinced he wants to play sport professionally again, and has no idea if the desire will return if R360 starts in 2028.
“I want to do something a bit different and throw myself into something I’m a bit uncomfortable with, and see if I enjoy that,” Papenhuyzen said after playing in the Pro-Am of the Australian Open at Royal Melbourne Golf Club.
“Life’s only short.
“If I’m my 80-year-old self right looking back right now, what’s something I would regret not doing? It’s probably taking a chance and not doing something else. That’s been the decision making process.
“Once (the R360 postponement) came out, everyone said, ‘what are you going to do now?’ The plan was to have a year off and try a few different things. The plan doesn’t change for me, maybe more for (Zac) Lomax.”
Australian and NSW star Zac Lomax is in limbo after the Eels agreed to mutually release him from the remainder of his NRL contract. He’s already met with Western Force officials about a permanent switch to the 15-man code.
A rugby union stint is the furthest thing from Papenhuyzen’s mind now, with it looking increasingly likely he might have played his last game in the NRL during the Storm’s grand final heartbreak against the Broncos.
Brisbane fullback Reece Walsh collared Papenhuyzen in one of the last plays of the game as the Melbourne No.1 backed up an Eli Katoa break.
Papenhuyzen called the speculation about his future a “circus” and will make good on his promise to devote more time to golf when he caddies for Australian tour pro Daniel Gale at the Cathedral Invitational next week.
“All my mates and family think I’ve signed something somewhere,” Papenhuyzen said. “I’m like, ‘I’m just not playing’.
“I’ve been up in Sydney, I had a wedding in Wollongong the other day so everyone thought I’d signed with the Dragons. Until next year rolls around and I’m not at a team, that’s when everyone will probably believe me.
“I know I’ll miss it at some point, but I’m really enjoying this stuff now. I’ll use (next) year as a blank canvas and I might find another interest, and that could be the new career.
“Why not try something different? I’ve been in rugby league for 10 years now, sport for 10 years … why not try something else and pivot? There’s always an option to come back. I’ve done it on my own terms and I’m healthy.
“You never know what’s going to happen.”
Papenhuyzen has proven to be one of the NRL’s most resilient athletes, fighting back from extended breaks for serious concussion, knee and leg issues.
But after his scintillating start to the 2025 season, it seemed almost unimaginable he would be clubless heading into next season. But his passion for psychology and helping other athletes has led him to other interests.
When pressed on whether he could see himself pulling on a boot again in three or five years time, Papenhuyzen said: “Right now, no. I’d love to play touch footy in Sydney or Melbourne and have that social side of it back. But not anything too professionally.
“When you look within, once you understand yourself you understand what you want to do. For me at this time of my life, it’s not footy. It’s something else. It gets a bit repetitive. I feel like I’m at a point where I’ve really progressed as a human and athletically, but there are more things I want to achieve in life.
“I want to have a punt at that now.”
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