Ryan Papenhuyzen in awkward girlfriend detail as NRL star linked with move to Sydney club
The Melbourne Storm are happy for the fullback to test his value on the open market.
Ryan Papenhuyzen's potential exit from the Storm comes just a few months after his new girlfriend moved from Sydney to Melbourne to be closer to him. The Storm have offered Papenhuyzen a 'low-ball' new deal, asking him to take a pay cut from $950,000 to $750,000 per season if he wants to stay.
The fullback is uncontracted past 2025, meaning he'll become a free agent from November 1 and can speak to rival clubs about moving in 2026. The Storm have conceded that Papenhuyzen will likely test his value on the open market, and the Dragons, Bulldogs and Eels would all be likely suitors.
If the 26-year-old was to sign with a Sydney club, it would spark more upheaval for girlfriend Emma MacDonald. Papenhuyzen and MacDonald started dating earlier this year, and she recently moved from Sydney to Melbourne to be closer to the Storm superstar.
"I'm moving out of home for the first time ever," the influencer told her followers earlier this year. "I'm getting a little apartment in Melbourne and it's going to be such an exciting new chapter. My boyfriend is actually the reason why I'm moving. I'm moving in by myself but I'm moving to be closer to him."
Papenhuyzen and MacDonald initially kept their relationship on the down-low, but have gone public in recent weeks. They stepped out together at the Melbourne Storm presentation night after the NRL grand final, and she's been spotted in the sheds after a number of games.
Whether or not Papenhuyzen ends up in Sydney remains to be seen, but it would likely mean MacDonald would have to pack up her life again just after moving down to Melbourne. Papenhuyzen has endured a wretched run of injuries over the last few seasons, suffering three separate leg fractures and missing a plethora of games.
Ryan Papenhuyzen or Sua Fa'alogo likely to leave Storm
The Storm are believed to be wary of his injury history and don't want to block Sua Fa'alogo's path to regular playing time. Fa'alogo has emerged as one of the most exciting prospects in the NRL, and recently signed a five-year extension at the Storm. His best position is fullback, but he's been forced to bide his time on the wing and bench due to the presence of Papenhuyzen.
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Leading reporter David Riccio said on SEN radio on Monday: “This will be a delicate scenario in how the Melbourne Storm manage to keep both fullbacks. Rival clubs are surprised about how well Papenhuyzen has come back from his injury and suddenly there is an appeal for him.
“His manager would know that and Melbourne will have to get their skates on to get a new deal for Papenhuyzen. He’s keen to stay there but the juggling act of keeping the two fullbacks and the increased appeal in rival clubs means he is likely to go to November 1.”
If Papenhuyzen ends up staying in Melbourne on less money, the Storm will likely have to part ways with Fa'alogo. Reporter Michael Chammas told Triple M radio over the weekend: "Matt Tripp, the Storm chairman, has a verbal undertaking with Sua Fa’alogo’s manager Liam Ayoub that if Ryan Papenhuyzen wants to extend his time, they will sit back down and look at his contract (about leaving). Now, that is not a clause in his contract. It’s not in writing, so it will come down to whether Melbourne keep their word, but there are clubs circling Sua Fa'alogo."
