NRL 2021: Storm v Dragons, Ryan Papenhuyzen knock out can’t halt Melbourne

Three St George Illawarra Dragons face suspension as the Magic Round carnage continued at Suncorp Stadium.

Ryan Papenhuyzen of the Storm after being knocked out (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

Dragons centre Tyrell Fuimaono was sent off and teammates Josh McGuire and Mikaela Ravalawa put on report as the Magic Round carnage from the NRL’s foul play crackdown continued in the Melbourne Storm’s big 44-18 win.

Fuimaono was marched in the 13th minute for a swinging arm that collected Ryan Papenhuyzen flush on the chin.

The star Storm fullback was heavily concussed and taken from the field on a medicab, but sideline Fox Sports commentator Jake Duke reported soon afterwards that he was up and about and without serious injury.

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St George Illawarra firebrand Josh McGuire was sin-binned on review by The Bunker for a high shot on Melbourne centre Justin Olam, and then put on report for a dangerous tackle on Josh Addo-Carr that sent the Storm speed demon to the sideline with a leg injury.

Ravalawa was pinged for a shoulder charge on Olam in a fiery first half that saw a brave Dragons outfit trail just 14-10 at the break.

The Dragons, playing with 11 men at one stage, moved the ball around with fullback Matt Dufty at his creative best until he left the field early in the second half with a shoulder injury.

The Storm went into overdrive in the second stanza and scored six tries with Nicho Hynes and Jahrome Hughes taking control.

Ryan Papenhuyzen of the Storm after being knocked out (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

PAPENHUYZEN’S ABSENCE

Storm coach Craig Bellamy said Papenhuzyen, just back from a three-week hiatus with an injured shoulder, would likely not be playing next week against the Raiders and provided an update on his condition.

“I think he was (knocked) out for 10 seconds,” Bellamy said.

“He’s a bit ginger in the dressing room at the moment and I think part of that is disappointment. He’s missed three weeks and then he comes back and is on for four or five minutes. That will be a big check-up for our medical team.”

Bellamy said there was no suggestion that Papenhuyzen had suffered a broken jaw.

“I was just talking to him. He was badly concussed. With all due respect I can’t see how he would be playing next week.”

CARNAGE CONTINUES

There have been 13 players sin-binned and two sent off after just seven games of Magic Round as the ARL Commission’s edict to punish high shots continued apace.

Andrew Voss revealed in Fox Sports commentary that it was the first time since the Battle of Brookvale in 2011 that two players had been sent off in the one round and the first since 2008 since two players in different games in the same round had been marched.

McGuire’s sin-binning could have gone either way but Fuimaono was never going to stay on the field after laying out Papenhuyzen.

“It was late. It was high. It is the right call,” Braith Anasta said on Fox Sports.

“With the crackdown we have now, I think everyone got it right.”

Ryan Papenhuyzen taken from the ground after being knocked out (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

Dragons coach Anthony Griffin said Fuimaono’s send-off was no surprise but was bemused by McGuire being placed on report.

“I didn’t assume it was going to be a send-off but it didn’t surprise me when it was,” Griffin said.

“With the mood they’re in at the moment, that’s what’s happening.

“The McGuire one, on Addo-Carr, I don’t understand that one. We don’t coach him to do that. He doesn’t know what a hip drop is.

“You’ve got to be able to tackle someone and the legs will sometimes get tangled up. I want to get some clarification on that.”

Bellamy also said the Fuimaono incident probably was a send-off “in the climate that we are in” while weighing in on the enforcement changes.

“I can understand what the NRL is trying to do. There are some things that are a little bit inconsistent but we’ve got to jump on board with it and hopefully the growing pains will go away pretty quickly,” Bellamy said.

“You were still going to be penalised for hitting someone around the head before this weekend. It is just that they are making a bigger point of it and the penalties are more severe.

“There are sin-bins where there wasn’t before and send-offs when there was only 10 minutes in the bin.”

HEROIC HYNES

The market value of off-contract Hynes is headed up and up after another stellar display by the versatile fullback/five-eighth. The Storm want to hang onto the 24-year-old next year but clubs like the battling Broncos will surely have a red hot crack at securing one of the game’s most improved players.

Hynes was on fire against the Dragons despite leaving the field with an HIA earlier in the game. His five try assists, two line breaks and 201m were all class, and vitally needed with the Storm without injured duo Cameron Munster and Harry Grant, along with the suspended Brandon Smith.

DUFTY DEVASTATED

When Dufty left the field early in the second half with an AC joint injury it was a cruel blow for the pocket dynamo and the Dragons.

Dufty, the best player on the field in the first half, set up two tries for Ravalawa with superb passes and would have had a third try assist if Codey Ramsey had not put his foot into touch after collected a deft grubber by the diminutive custodian. St George Illawarra have been reluctant to re-sign Dufty but if they don’t there will be plenty of interest just for the creative spark that he so often provides.

STORM JUGGERNAUT

Melbourne clocked up their seventh win in a row to remain in third position on the NRL ladder and Craig Bellamy will be pleased that they were able to do it with such panache without three of their most influential players, compounded by losing Papenhuyzen so early against the Dragons.

Addo-Carr scored another hat-trick to make it nine tries in two weeks for the dazzling winger. Melbourne have now scored 336 points in 10 games this year, the most of any team, to showcase how the club has evolved with the new rules that reward expansive movement of the football.