NRL 2020: Storm coach reveals plan behind last-gasp field goal
After the Storm and Roosters produced one of the best games ever on Thursday night, Storm coach Craig Bellamy said Ryan Papenhuyzen’s field goal that sent the game into extra time was no fluke.
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Storm fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen’s miracle first-ever field goal at Suncorp Stadium was no fluke.
The last-gasp hit from 35m out, with just seconds remaining in regular time on Thursday night, sent Storm’s epic clash with the Roosters into golden point.
Melbourne then prevailed thanks to a penalty goal in the dying seconds of the first period of extra time to win a game hailed by everyone who saw it as one of the best NRL matches ever.
Social media went into meltdown as former greats and current players, and even rival codes, went into a lather over the contest between the two powerhouses.
Even Storm coach Craig Bellamy said his heart was “fluttering” in the frantic last 10 minutes as the Storm came from 24-12 down to win 27-25.
But it was the kick from Papenhuyzen that came as the greatest shock, thrown the ball as the Roosters defenders all zoned in on Storm skipper Cameron Smith.
Bellamy said it was a plan hatched in haste, but Papenhuyzen was given the chance after a “whole heap” of practise.
“We basically thought without (Cameron) Munster there we thought most of the pressure would be on Cameron (Smith),” Bellamy said.
“Paps, since has been with us, practises it a lot, kicking field goals, so we thought give him a shot at it.
“For us to kick a field goal in that (final) 30 seconds was pretty special. All that practise he has been doing really counted. He’s a pretty happy boy.
“We didn’t really talk about what would happen if we went to extra time or it was even during the week. Some things weren’t discussed.
“But as soon as we got to 24-all, and then it was 25-24, the message was ‘let’s give Paps a go’. The kid practises a whole heap. We were real glad he had that practise.”
Papenhuyzen said he’d never kicked a field goal before.
“I don‘t think I’ve ever kicked a field goal before. I practise them all the time and it’s bloody good to get one finally,” he told ABC Grandstand.