Storm coach Craig Bellamy warned before the game that Ryan Papenhuyzen wouldn’t just be battling the Bulldogs but some personal “demons” in his comeback match on Thursday night.
If he was, you couldn’t tell as the superstar fullback showed he’s still got it in what marked the 25-year-old’s first game back from a second horror leg injury in the space of two years.
“I didn’t expect him to start the season to be honest, but he’s kicked on better than I thought,” Bellamy said before kick-off.
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“There will be a couple little demons there because he’s had such a bad run… we probably want him to be a bit selfish tonight and look after himself and get through and grow in confidence.”
Grow in confidence, he did.
Papenhuyzen knew he was only playing the first 40 minutes and saved his best for last by scoring a sensational set piece trick-play try on the stroke of halftime.
After wording up his old housemate Jonah Pezet just before the scrum packed, the Melbourne halfback took the ball right before kicking back across his body for Papenhuyzen to come screaming through and score untouched.
“I’ll take a bit of credit for that one,” Papenhuyzen joked at full-time.
“I just looked at the clock, there wasn’t long left and there was a bit of confusion as to which way it was going but Pez put the ball on a dime and I just had to finish it off.
“The old roomie, Pez, he’s a very talented kid and there wasn’t long left on the clock so thought we might as well try our luck and I got the bounce of the ball.
“It was a nice little try… It’s good I’m off the nudie run now.”
Papenhuyzen confirmed he’ll play in Melbourne’s second trial against Newcastle in Fiji next Saturday and said he’s close to his career-best fitness levels.
“I feel really quick, my top speed I recorded in 2018, I’ve hit 94 per cent of that and back then I was 60 kilos and now I’m 83,” he said.
“Whether that’s my new top speed or not I don’t know but I feel really confident I can hit it now. It’s just nice.
“I got through really well. There was a period there where we were under the pump and defending our line a lot but we’ve done a lot of training on that so I was confident I could get through the reps.
Happy Papenhuyzen reflects on return | 02:00
“To be honest, at halftime, I wanted to go back out there but they had to put me on ice because we’ve got a game in Fiji next week. But really happy with how it went.”
The Bulldogs ran out impressive 24-12 victors but Papenhuyzen said there were still positive takeaways.
“Disappointing result but at the same time some guys got their opportunity and it’s always exciting to play in those games,” he said.
“Defensively I thought we were pretty resilient… to go in ahead at halftime I was really proud of that but just ball handling (in the second half), just those things that you really work on in pre-season but you can’t replicate it like a game speed so there’s a little take out there.”
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