The Melbourne Storm have suffered a major injury scare during their Round 26 clash with the Cowboys, with Ryan Papenhuyzen leaving the field early in the first half.
Papenhuyzen sent shockwaves through the Storm camp when he was removed from the field early in his side’s clash with North Queensland.
However, it was later confirmed by Fox League’s Brent Tate that the fullback’s injury was not as bad as first feared.
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“Ryan Papenhuyzen has got a cork on his lower leg but he won’t return tonight,” he said.
Tate also confirmed Storm centre suffered a syndesmosis injury in his attempt to score a first half try, ending his night.
KPP’S RETURN DATE REVEALED AFTER HORROR LEG GASH
Newcastle’s Kai Pearce-Paul could be back as early as Round 27 despite sustaining a 15cm gash that required internal and external stitches.
The 23-year-old suffered the injury in Newcastle’s season-saving win against the Rabbitohs on Saturday with friendly fire from teammate Dylan Lucas’ boot resulting in a gaping wound to his shin.
Pearce-Paul has been ruled out of the Knights’ must-win clash with the Titans on Sunday but could return for their last-round match against the Dolphins with medical advisers weighing up whether he could strap a shin-pad to his leg to protect the wound.
The English representative detailed the moment he saw the gash which required emergency surgery.
“I’ll be honest, I didn’t know [at the time],” Pearce-Paul told the Sydney Morning Herald.
“I only really noticed a couple of plays later when there was a stoppage. I looked down and thought it was just like any old graze. Then I looked again and I’ve gone, ‘Oh’. It was open and it was like a hot dog bun with a bit of flesh hanging out.
“I’m next to [team-mate] Phoenix Crossland and I’m like, ‘Phoen, is that my bone?’ There was white through the middle. He swore when he saw it. I literally walked straight to the doctor. I don’t know whether it was the bone or the flesh that was a different colour, but it was that deep – and it wasn’t nice.”
Pearce-Paul was taken to hospital Saturday night and had the wound cleaned before surgery on Sunday morning.
Newcastle coach Adam O’Brien said Pearce-Paul’s teammates were taken aback by his calmness following the injury.
“I’m actually quite good with things like that,” he said. “I was more in disbelief than anything. I didn’t really understand how it happened. It was more shock and I was just thinking, ‘what the hell has happened here?’
“[But] I was quite interested when they were checking it out. I’m not too squeamish. The boys said I looked really casual when they were checking it out. It’s just a long chunk out of the leg. Surprisingly, it didn’t hurt as much as I thought.”
INJURED IN ROUND 26
Marion Seve (ankle, TBC)
Ryan Papenhuyzen (cork, TBC)
FULL CASUALTY WARD
BRONCOS
Payne Haas (foot, Round 26-27)
Reece Walsh (wrist, Round 26-27
Jack Gosiewski (arm, finals)
Ezra Mam (ankle, season)
Jock Madden (hamstring, indefinite)
RAIDERS
Pasami Saulo (back, 2025)
Zac Hosking (shoulder, 2025)
Corey Harawira-Naera (seizure/medical, indefinite)
BULLDOGS
Karl Oloapu (neck, indefinite)
Ryan Sutton (knee, 2025)
Kurt Mann (collarbone, 2025)
SHARKS
Nicho Hynes (ankle, Round 26)
Kade Dykes (knee, 2025)
DOLPHINS
Jeremy Marshall-King (foot, Round 26)
Tom Flegler (shoulder, 2025)
Tom Gilbert (knee, 2025)
Euain Aitken (pec, 2025)
TITANS
Harley Smith-Shields (hamstring, Round 25)
Tino Fa’asuamaleaui (knee, 2025)
SEA EAGLES
Jake Arthur (foot, 2025)
STORM
Xavier Coates (hamstring, Round 26)
Bronson Garlick (back, indefinite)
Jonah Pezet (knee, 2025)
KNIGHTS
Enari Tuala (calf, TBC)
Tyson Gamble (hand, TBC)
Kai Pearce-Paul (leg, TBC)
COWBOYS
Jake Granville (pectoral, TBC)
Jason Taumalolo (cheekbone, TBC)
Jamayne Taunoa-Brown (Achilles, TBC)
Coen Hess (knee, 2025)
Zac Laybutt (knee, 2025)
EELS
J’maine Hopgood (back, 2025)
Arthur Miller-Stephen (knee, 2025)
Bailey Simonsson (knee, 2025)
Junior Paulo (foot, 2025)
PANTHERS
Jesse McLean (collarbone, Round 26)
Nathan Cleary (shoulder, finals)
RABBITOHS
Lachlan Ilias (leg, 2025)
Latrell Mitchell (foot, 2025)
Campbell Graham (sternum, 2025)
Jai Arrow (shoulder, 2025)
Alex Johnston (Achilles, 2025)
Cameron Murray (suspension, 2025)
DRAGONS
Kyle Flanagan (suspension, finals week one)
Cody Ramsey (illness, indefinite)
Corey Allan (knee, 2025)
ROOSTERS
Joseph Sua’ali’i (shoulder, TBC)
Billy Smith (ankle, Round 25)
Egan Butcher (knee, 2025)
WARRIORS
Jackson Ford (knee, TBC)
Rocco Berry (shoulder, indefinite)
Tohu Harris (wrist, 2025)
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (concussion, 2025)
Adam Pompey (concussion, 2025)
TIGERS
Staford To’a (hamstring, TBC)
Aidan Sezer (shoulder, TBC)
Justin Olam (knee, 2025)
Jahream Bula (shoulder, 2025)
Source Agencies
