‘Blank canvas’: Pappy unsure he’ll ever return to pro sport after leaving Storm

Ryan Papenhyuzen has likely been lost to rugby league for good, with the footy superstar admitting he likely won’t ever return to the Melbourne Storm or even the NRL as he looks to find his “next chapter” in life.

It had been assumed “Pappy” was looking to join the breakaway R360 comp when he ended his deal with the Melbourne Storm one year early — with those plans to have taken a knock after the rebel league was delayed through to 2028 at earliest — but he’s since revealed it was all a simple plan for him to take a gap year away from professional sport.

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“I’ve always been pretty set on next year as a gap year for sport in general, so the only sport I’ll be playing is golf,” Papenhuyzen said while playing in the Australian Open pro-am at Royal Melbourne on Wednesday.

“The plan was to always have a year off and try a few different things… that hasn’t changed for me. Life’s only short, so if I’m my 80-year-old self looking back now, what’s something I regret not doing? It’s taking a chance and doing something else. I’ve been in rugby league for nearly 10 years now and sport for 10 years, so why not pivot and try something else?

“I feel like I’m at a point now where I’ve really progressed as a human and athletically as well, but there’s more things I want to achieve in life.

“Why not have a punt at that now?” he put forward, adding he hadn’t decided on anything yet.

The first sport he named that he may have a crack at in 2027 was touch football, though it wouldn’t be in any truly formal, professional setting. Instead, it would be “touch footy at a local park or something like that,” he said.

No NRL, though, that much is clear. “Honestly, right now, no [plans to play NRL again],” he declared.

“There’s always an option to come back, which is great.

“I’m sure I’d weigh all options up if I got to that feeling again, but right now I’m just looking at it as a blank canvas, and I get to write that next chapter.”

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The ex-NRL star said the only event that he’s got in his calendar, beyond any Aus Open responsibilities, was a caddying job at the invitational event at the Cathedral Lodge Golf Club in country Victoria next week. “I’m actually caddying for Daniel Gale next week at the Cathedral Invitational, so that could be the new career — we never know.”

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Papenhuyzen had left $900,000 on the table by not seeing out his final year at the Storm, but The Sporting Base understands he’s been very wise with his earnings throughout his rugby league career and is well established with investments.

“I know I’ll miss it at some point, but I’m really enjoying this stuff now,” Pappy added as a full stop.