Ryan Papenhuyzen was back in action at Melbourne Storm training this week, allaying fears his latest horror injury would derail his career. The Storm fullback broke his ankle in September in what was just his third game back from a fractured kneecap that kept him sidelined for over 12 months.
The devastating development sparked initial fears that the 25-year-old might be forced to hang up the boots, and there were concerns about what another long stint on the sidelines might do to his mental health. But the injury didn't turn out to be as bad as first thought, and Storm general manager Frank Ponissi revealed they were expecting Papenguyzen at pre-season training in January.