Melbourne Storm‘s luckless fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen is set to miss the upcoming NRL clash against Canberra on Saturday night due to yet another injury setback. Papenhuyzen, who missed the Storm’s captain’s run at AAMI Park on Friday, has been sidelined with a heel issue that persisted throughout the week.
The talented fullback had just returned to the team after missing five NRL matches due to a right ankle fracture, which was a continuation of his injury woes from last season where he fractured the same ankle in the finals against Brisbane. Prior to that, Papenhuyzen endured a 13-month absence due to a shattered kneecap.
Coach Craig Bellamy expressed uncertainty about Papenhuyzen’s availability, noting that the final decision would be up to the player himself as Melbourne strives to maintain their position atop the NRL ladder.
“He hasn’t done a whole heap of training from last week, he’s been a bit sore as he hadn’t played for a while,” Bellamy explained. “He’s got a little bump on his heel but they (Storm medical staff) expected it to be no problem but there has been a bit of a problem, obviously, it’s not 100 per cent.”
Bellamy emphasized the cautious approach taken with Papenhuyzen’s injury, aiming to prevent any aggravation that could prolong his recovery.
“We didn’t want to stir it up again and it be sore again tomorrow so we will see how he is in the morning,” Bellamy added. “At the end of the day, it’ll be his decision on how sore it is.”
In Papenhuyzen’s likely absence, Sualauvi Faalogo is expected to step up, having previously filled in during the fullback’s absence.
Regarding other key players, Bellamy remained guarded about the availability of State of Origin representatives Harry Grant and Xavier Coates, both of whom have minor injuries. Despite uncertainties, Bellamy hinted at optimism regarding Coates’ readiness based on his training session.
“Hopefully they’ll both back up but at this stage we just need to check them and go from there,” Bellamy commented.
Meanwhile, Canberra, currently 10th on the ladder, poses a significant challenge for Melbourne with their strong record at AAMI Park. Coach Ricky Stuart’s side has historically performed well against the Storm, which Bellamy acknowledged.
“They’ve got some really good players and Rick’s brought in a couple of few young blokes who have added some real dash to their game so we know it’s going to be a real tough game tomorrow night,” Bellamy concluded.
As Melbourne prepares for a tough encounter against the Raiders, the focus remains on managing injuries and fielding a competitive lineup to secure another vital win in their NRL campaign.