NRL 2023: Inside Ryan Papenhuyzen’s return from knee injury ahead of Melbourne Storm comeback

Ahead of one of the most remarkable comebacks in NRL history, Ryan Papenhuyzen has opened up on the devastating lows of his incredible journey, and his regrets over not reaching out for help.

Ryan Papenhuyzen is feeling the love. Lashings and lashings of it. He feels it when he goes shopping for groceries. He feels it as he walks from Melbourne’s training ground to the Storm offices at AAMI Park.

He feels it on social media, where he has become an inspiration to young and old alike with the way he has fought back from horrific injury to become the ace up Melbourne’s sleeve in their quest for the premiership.

There were days over the past year when he struggled to climb out of bed because there was seemingly no end in sight. For a time, the size of the task in front of him seemed insurmountable.

As he sits in the Storm boardroom and talks about his impending comeback, he chastises himself for not reaching out for help. Yet here he is, on the verge of one of the most remarkable comebacks in recent NRL history, having overcome a shattered kneecap and nagging doubt following a collision with Canberra star Jack Wighton more than a year ago.

Storm star Ryan Papenhuyzen says he’s feeling the love, as he prepares to make one of the most remarkable NRL comebacks in recent history. Picture: NRL Photos.

At the time of the incident, Papenhuyzen was flying, spoken about as one of the premier fullbacks in the game and knocking on the door of State of Origin. Afterwards, there were days when he struggled to comprehend what he was going through.

“There were some dark days for sure,” Papenhuyzen said ahead of Saturday’s comeback game against Gold Coast at AAMI Park.

“It is probably not until now that you look back on it and go there were days when you just didn’t want to get out of bed.

“I could have handled that a little bit better, there is a few days when I should have messaged and said I don’t feel like coming in today.

“But you get through them and look back and say it is crazy how low you can get, but it is all worth it when the highs come.

“You just notice yourself doing things that aren’t you. I love getting out of bed in the morning, I love going to do stuff, I love being busy.

“But there were just days where you don’t feel like doing anything at all, don’t want to talk to anyone about it. I am a big advocate for mental health so it is funny that it got me into that sort of state, when I was quite aware of it.

“I just had to stick it out – we had a really good psych at the club in Jacqui Louder. In those dark days she is always there to give a call and just reassure you it is just part of the process.”

Papenhuyzen suffered a shattered patella after a knee-on-knee collision with Jack Wighton, in Round 18 2022. Picture: NRL Imagery.

Louder wasn’t the only one to come to Papenhuyzen’s aid. There are too many to mention, but a special shout-out is reserved for Storm legend Billy Slater and renowned sports trainer Bill Knowles, who Papenhuyzen spent time with in America last year.

Slater and his wife Nicole became surrogate parents to Papenhuyzen given his own family still live in Sydney. Slater was also acutely attuned to what Papenhuyzen was going through given he himself overcame career-threatening shoulder problems at the height of his career – a life-size image of the Storm champion along with former players Slade Griffin and Matt Dufty take pride of place in the Melbourne physio room celebrating their comebacks from injury.

Papenhuyzen’s image will no doubt join them on the wall some day and Slater can take some credit for that.

Ryan Papenhuyzen’s patellar fracture pre-surgery! One of the most brutal NRL injuries we’ve seen in years pic.twitter.com/3dNdPSxdIM

— NRL PHYSIO (@nrlphysio) July 22, 2022

“I would stay over at his (place) once a fortnight for a little bit there,” Papenhuyzen said.

“Him and (Slater’s wife) Nic and the kids, I was really grateful for that because it would take your mind off things.

“He was one of those ones who said it is all worth it, keep hanging in there. He was telling me when he ran out on the field (for his comeback) – I think it was halfway through a game he got subbed on – it is one of the greatest feelings he has had on a rugby league field.

“To hear that from him was really special. He has helped me on the footy field but definitely through this period he has helped me mentally as well.

“They have the big farm out there, we did some stuff with horses. I was scared of horses before I went there. Then we would go kick the footy with the kids, play basketball.

“Away from family is tough but you create your own family down here. Mum and dad were good during that period.

“They knew I didn’t need to be nurtured and loved but they knew to check in every now and then. You have people like Bill and Nic, I guess they were my mum and dad for a little bit there and helped me through those tough times.

“It is good to have that culture they talk about at the Storm. Not once did I feel homesick. Not once did I feel like I had to go home at all. You feel loved and if you feel love, you’re generally going to work harder at what you do.”

Papenhuyzen went to visit renowned sports trainer Bill Knowles in the United States to help with his rehabilitation.

The trip to see Knowles arrived at a pivotal time in his rehabilitation. Papenhuyzen had endured frustration after frustration but he and Knowles connected and he returned from America a changed man.

“I was at a low point before I left,” Papenhuyzen said.

“You just start looking for answers. Being an athlete you know there is always something – I think the trip to the states was that for me.

“Not once on that trip did he make me feel like I was behind. We would do things that would take your mind off anything to do with your knee, or we would do things that would put pressure on it.

“As soon as I was disappointed that I couldn’t do something he would change it up to something I could do. Everything he did had a purpose.

“He made you feel like a king while you were over there. It was one of those relationships – it takes a bit of time to get on with someone straight away but he was straight from the bat, I could talk shit to him and he could talk shit back.”

He and Knowles remain in touch.

Papenhuyzen made his rugby league return in July, playing for the Sunshine Coast Falcons in the Queensland Cup. Picture: Supplied.

“A broken cap, it is more like a car accident – a dashboard injury from a car accident than it is an athletic injury,” Knowles said.

“I think he understood it when I said it will take time, there is no clock, there is no calendar. He was a professional, he was dedicated to the process, most importantly he was able to give me a bit of stick …. and he could take it.

“The reality is that when he left, the thing I respected most was that he understood my advice, recommendations and respected my experience.

“Once they get back on the plane and go back to Australia, that is on them.”

Rugby league fans and the footy media are desperate for dates. They yearn for information. Even the slightest morsel can become gospel. To the frustration of many, including some at the Storm, Knowles encouraged Papenhuyzen not to put a date on his return.

So Papenhuyzen pushed the club not to give out a time frame and he took to correcting media on his own social accounts, so determined was he to control the narrative.

“It was genuinely we don’t know,” he said.

“He was big on that. You can’t really tell how long that is going to take. I could come on day one and be sharp as, and by day four be rubbish again.”

As he fought the good fight, Papenhuyzen made sure he stayed connected with the team. The team did likewise with him. Papenhuyzen took to presenting at video sessions and sat in the coaches box with Craig Bellamy.

He even took over as coach of the office’s mixed basketball team.

Papenhuyzen was encouraged not to put a return date on himself, and has been vocal on social media with updates of his recovery.

“I wasn’t playing so I signed up to be the coach,” he said.

“On the down days when you didn’t feel like doing anything at all, it was something to keep me involved.

“Been a few of the boys come out to the game and watch it. I would still try to play golf, I would try to go shopping.”

Bellamy added: “He has a fair bit of input in our meeting. We had a little segment there for him at one stage where he would get up and present a couple of things about the game.

“He probably sees the game differently to most people.”

Inevitably, he was asked about his return and he learned to politely change the subject. He understood and appreciated the interest, but after a while it became draining.

“People care and they want to ask you about your knee every day,” Papenhuyzen said.

“I don’t talk at the best of times – when it is not going well it is hard to express how you feel without people wanting to make you feel better.

“It is probably only the last month or so when I became better at that and tried to change the conversation or ask them something about themselves.

“Over the last 12 months I have learnt a lot about rugby league. I think I have felt that in my three games back (in the Queensland Cup) – I feel like a smarter footy player.

“I feel like I can add a lot more and I feel like I can help the guys around me.”

Papenhuyzen says he will try and just enjoy the moment when when makes his NRL return in Round 26.

The opportunity to do that in the NRL has now arrived. Papenhuyzen will make his return after more than a year on the sidelines and you can guarantee there won’t be a dry eye in the house.

Rugby league will be hard pressed to find a more determined story this season, a fact that was reinforced when he turned out for the Sunshine Coast Falcons in the Queensland Cup a few weeks ago.

Among the crowd were many of his teammates, who jumped on a plane to watch him play. His parents Neil and Rachel surprised him as well.

He has been inundated with messages on social media – Sydney Roosters captain James Tedesco and Carlton star Charlie Curnow were among those to check in – and he knows the significance of what he has achieved and how he has become a bastion for others.

“I just have to enjoy the moment,” he said.

“Pressure heightens going into the finals but at the same time I have played footy for nearly 20 years. It is no different. You just have to play hard, run hard and tackle hard.

“I think you will see a lot more smiles on my face out on the field and just happy to be back. I know I am very focused on wanting to win and that is definitely still there, but at the same time if you are having a loss you just have to take lessons out of it.

“Don’t be filthy on yourself for so long, look forward to the next game and see what you can improve. While you are out on the field things aren’t always going to go right, but as long as you enjoy it and say you prepared hard all week, so be it.

“I was big when I was a kid that there were people I would look up to for inspiration. I want to be that person that if someone is going through a tough time, they can go to my profile and help them out a bit.

“I get great satisfaction out of it. Being out of the game for so long for people to still care, it is humbling. I am grateful. I do feel the love and it has definitely helped me throughout the last year.”