Cooper Cronk's move with wife called out as similarities drawn to Ryan Papenhuyzen drama at Storm

League great Matty Johns has questioned whether Ryan Papenhuyzen has a strong relationship with the Melbourne Storm, comparing his potential exit to when Cooper Cronk left to join the Roosters in 2018. Papenhuyzen is officially a free agent and can negotiate with rival NRL clubs about a deal for the 2026 season.

The Storm had reportedly expected Papenhuyzen to accept a contract extension at the club worth $750,000 per season, but that would mark a significant pay cut from the $950,000 he's currently earning. The gun fullback will now test his value on the open market, and it's likely a number of Sydney clubs will offer him much more than $750,000 per year.

Discussing the situation on SEN radio on Friday, Johns questioned whether Papenhuyzen has a somewhat fractured relationship with the Storm due to how they perceived him in the past. Back in 2018 when Papenhuyzen was making his way through the ranks to the Storm, he was so far down the pecking order that Melbourne tried to shop him to any club that would take him.

With Billy Slater still the No.1 fullback and the club seeing Scott Drinkwater or Nicho Hynes as his successor, Papenhuyzen was even viewed as being behind Jahrome Hughes (who started his career as a fullback) in the club's pecking order. "This is only a sense but it seems like Paps and the Storm have had an interesting relationship," Johns said.

"Quite a number of years ago, they saw him as surplus to requirements. They were fullback-heavy. They viewed Paps at the bottom of that list. They offered him around to every club and no-one would take him, even though the Storm were going to kick in a certain amount of money.

"I get the feeling he hasn't forgotten that. There's certain players you know would never leave the Melbourne Storm, but with Paps I'm not so sure."

Ryan Papenhuyzen situation compared to Cooper Cronk's exit

Fellow host Denan Kemp asked Johns if it was "history repeating itself" after Cronk parted ways with fellow legends Slater and Cameron Smith to join the Roosters in 2018. At the time, Cronk said he wanted to be closer to wife Tara Rushton - who worked in Sydney - and his exit sparked an ugly falling out between himself and Smith.

Kemp asked on Friday: "There was a perspective when the 'Big 3' were at the Storm that one of them (Cronk) wasn't on the same level as the other two. Would Paps be feeling the same way to a degree that, 'I'm liked by the club, but I'm not treated the same way as Harry Grant or a Cameron Munster?"

Johns, who is close mates with Cronk, replied: "What really caused a lot of problems at the Melbourne Storm at the time was when the salary cap scandal happened, all the (players' salary) figures were made public amongst the playing ranks. And I know for a fact there were a couple of top-tier players there who weren't getting anywhere near as much as the others.

"There wasn't any outward or public jealousy, but I think behind the scenes it may have caused a few problems with some of the relationships. So it could be (similar with Papenhuyzen)."

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The Eels, Bulldogs and Roosters have all been tipped to make a play for Papenhuyzen, and on Friday the Roosters told Terrell May he's free to look for a new club for 2025. That would free up about $900,000 in the Roosters' salary cap, which could be designed around making a play for Papenhuyzen or Ben Hunt. The Roosters still have James Tedesco at fullback, but the 31-year-old is unsigned past 2025.