Melbourne Storm star fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen has been linked with a shock move to yet another Sydney club as he prepares to test his worth on the open market come November 1.
At the moment, Papenhuyzen will run off-contract at the end of the 2025 NRL season and will become one of the competition's biggest free agents on November 1 if he doesn't decide to re-sign with the Storm beforehand.
Battling with injuries over the last 24 months, he is still one of the game's elite fullbacks and was even linked with a potential move to the Parramatta Eels this season before they signed Isaiah Iongi.
Now, he has caught the attention of another Sydney club.
Linked with the Parramatta Eels earlier in the season, it is now being reported that the Canterbury Bulldogs will show a keen interest in Papenhuyzen if he doesn't re-sign with the Storm, per The Sydney Morning Herald.
The Bulldogs' interest comes as it is understood that the Storm only aims to re-sign him on a new deal worth around $750,000 a season, which is $200,000 less than what he will be on for the 2025 NRL season.
Although Connor Tracey had a great season in the No.1 jersey, he is one of the most versatile players in the competition and can play anywhere in the backline including in the halves.
However, the potential signing of Papenhuyzen would elevate the club to new heights and could see Tracey take the vacant spot on the wing left by Josh Addo-Carr who is set to be released in the coming weeks.
This is the most recent update on Papenhuyzen's future after reports emerged in September that the Storm had tabled him a three-year contract extension after he helped the club reach the 2024 NRL Grand Final against the Penrith Panthers.
“It is his right if he wants to test the open market. So be it, that is fine," Melbourne Storm owner Matt Tripp told The Daily Telegraph.
“But I think he will acknowledge and realise that our offer, while it mightn't be able to match the other offers in terms of dollars, that consistency and continuity piece is going to be important to him.
“Off the field I am not sure there would be many guys out there with more third party deals as Paps. The whole world wants him to market their products.
“You have to be careful what you wish for. We have had a lot of blokes leaving the club chasing bigger dollars and all of a sudden they are missing Origin and they are missing rep footy. All of a sudden those dollars attributed to that add up.”
However, the new deal to retain Papenhuzen may have long-term ramifications for the club involving boom rookie Sua Fa'alogo.
The Melbourne Storm reportedly have a handshake agreement with Sua Fa'alogo's management to explore his contract if Ryan Papenhuyzen extends his time with the club.
"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," journalist Michael Chammas said on Triple M's The Saturday Scrum.
"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."
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From the outside, Fa'alaogo and Papenhuyzen can be seen as rivals contending for the No.1 jumper, with the newly debuted rookie trying to overtake the veteran fullback, but the reality is far from this.
"Playing with him, it's an honour," Fa'alaogo told Zero Tackle earlier this year.
"I'm always grateful to play besides Paps. He's a good leader for our team and I learn so much from him and try to learn from him.
"I always thank Paps for everything he's done for me. When he was injured he always messaged me before I went into a game (and) gives me that confidence to go out there and play."