The man who played the biggest role in Ryan Papenhuyzen’s long-awaited comeback from injury is the man who used to wear his Storm No.1 jersey, Billy Slater.
Papenhuyzen returns to NRL action on Friday night for the first time since he broke his ankle in the middle of Suncorp Stadium late last season. It will only be his fourth NRL game in almost 20 months.
The 25-year-old told this masthead he was unsure if he would have coped with the past 18 months on the sideline had it not been for Slater, his wife Nicole and their two children.
Papenhuyzen has become known as “big brother” at the Slater family farm, where he has his own bedroom and stayed for hours after a Channel Nine crew finished filming a segment on the pair at the start of the week.
Reconditioning specialist Bill Knowles helped Papenhuyzen prepare physically for the clash with the Panthers, but Slater’s influence cannot be underestimated.
“That’s a tough question,” Papenhuyzen says, when you ask if he would have returned to Sydney had it not been for Slater being in his life.
Billy Slater and Ryan Papenhuyzen relax on Slater’s farm this week.Credit: Eddie Jim/The Age
“I would have been alright, I think. But that whole family time, it’s so important. The Slaters are the closest thing I have to a family down here.
“I’m like an older brother to their kids, and I even have my own bedroom now. Going to their farm, it’s an outlet. We’ll play [board game] Rummikub, cards, feed the horses, or his miniature donkeys, Monte and Carlo.
“When I first did my ankle last year, I headed out to the farm for a week, and Nic had me on a quadbike with my foot up, feeding the animals.
“Billy understands what I’m going through. It’s good just to talk. I only hope I can mentor someone like that one day.”
Ryan Papenhuyzen smiles during the first trial against CanterburyCredit: Getty Images
Slater was flattered when told about Papenhuyzen’s praise, but preferred to keep the spotlight on the current fullback. Slater rated Papenhuyzen’s physical condition as the “best I’ve seen in 18 months”.
Slater, a three-time premiership winner Slater went as far to label the Storm’s spine of Papenhuyzen, Jahrome Hughes, skipper Harry Grant and Cameron Munster “the best in the game”. Munster will miss the AAMI Park game because of a groin injury suffered in a hotel shower.
Papenhuyzen tuned up for his return with two trials, but knows it will not be easy first-up being tested at the back by Panthers golden boot Nathan Cleary.
The Storm turned to a former understudy to Cleary at Penrith to help Papenhuyzen prepare for the likely aerial assault.
“I’ve been out there trying to catch a few torpedoes and floaters in preparation for Nath, he’s a fair kicker but my job at fullback is to take those kicks,” Papenhuyzen said.
“Keagan Russell-Smith was a Penrith junior and is at our club, he tries to throw them up like ‘Clez’. He watched Cleary and was taking me through a lesson the other day about how he does it.
“He’s been really good staying behind at training and making sure I’m getting those reps. When he hits them right, he’s got one of the best floaters at the club.”
Storm coach Craig Bellamy said after watching Papenhuyzen train before Christmas he was unsure if hewould be right for round one.
Papenhuyzen said once he returned from working with Knowles in the US he had a clear plan, and was relieved knowing he could push his body harder without doing any damage.
“Bill said, ‘There might be an opportunity where you progress faster than you think’, and that happened,” Papenhuyzen said.
Storm v Panthers is live & free on Channel 9 & 9Now from 7.30pm Friday night.