‘We’ll go back to Nick’: Storm set to make goalkicking change as questions remain over who should play halfback

While Craig Bellamy remains undecided about who should play halfback with Jahrome Hughes out injured, the Storm coach is set to make a major switch.

Storm coach Craig Bellamy concedes Nick Meaney will likely replace Ryan Papenhuyzen as the club’s first-choice goalkicker next week after the star fullback had an uncharacteristically off night from the tee in Thursday’s win over the Eels.

Papenhuyzen was in his first game back after missing four matches with a calf injury and missed three of his four shots at goals in the 16-10 victory, including a conversion attempt from next to the posts that hit both uprights.

He also missed a pair of penalty goals at crucial times in the tight contest, with Meaney replacing him at the end and nailing a tricky conversion from out wide to put the Storm up by six points.

Papenhuyzen has kicked at about 80 per cent throughout his career and had only missed 11 shots at goal this season before Thursday’s match.

Ryan Papenhuyzen returned from injury on Thursday but could give up goalkicking duties after three misses. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

“I think we’ll go back to Nick next week, to be quite honest,” Bellamy said, with Meaney doing plenty of the kicking in recent years.

“We’ll have a chat about it and go from there.”

Papenhuyzen had some nice touches in his return but also came up with a couple of errors.

“It was always going to be a little difficult,” his coach said.

“Paps hasn’t played for four weeks, so he was getting that combination back when we’ve had GA (Grant Anderson) playing in the centres and Nick Meaney has been playing fullback.

“When you take all that into consideration, it was a pretty brave performance from us, but we were just a bit undisciplined at times.”

The win moves the Storm into second spot, but they’ll need their attack to flow more smoothly if they are to seal a home final in the first week of the playoffs.

Jonah Pezet came on late but remains an option to start in the halves. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Cameron Munster set up two tries with kicks, while Tyran Wishart had some threatening runs but didn’t bring the creativity that we usually see from Hughes.

It’s why Bellamy could start Jonah Pezet at halfback against the Broncos next week, with the young star coming off the bench on Thursday and his future beyond 2025 now clouded given Hughes has re-signed.

“He could (start) but I thought ‘Wish’ (Wishart) did a really good job tonight,” Bellamy said.

“We will just use him how we see fit and what we think is best for the team. He mightn’t be in our 17 for a week or two, who knows. We’re just going to pick who we think is the best 17 this weekend against whatever opposition.

“We just wanted to put him on the bench and have some back-up there.”

The Eels have come a long way since they were thrashed in round 1 by the Storm. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

While the Eels didn’t win, coach Jason Ryles can see plenty of improvement from a team that conceded 56 points when they played in Melbourne in round 1.

They beat the Broncos away from home last week and their roster is starting to take shape as the Ryles revolution continues.

“We know how much we’ve improved as individuals and as a team, and I think that was more proof,” he said.

“The fight and the effort in the group at the moment are outstanding. Not for a second are they happy that we’ve been beaten and neither am I.

“But at the same time, the improvement we’ve been showing week on week is there.

“I honestly think we lost that game tonight, they didn’t beat us. That’s a really good thing for us going forward.”

Originally published as ‘We’ll go back to Nick’: Storm set to make goalkicking change as questions remain over who should play halfback