‘I think he’ll be OK’: Storm provides positive Ryan Papenhuyzen update ahead of trip to Sydney

Storm coach Craig Bellamy is optimistic that Ryan Papenhuyzen will be cleared to face the Wests Tigers on Saturday night despite fears the star fullback would miss another week due to a heel injury.

Papenhuyzen missed last week’s win over the Raiders but has been named for the trip to Sydney after getting through some work in Friday’s captain’s run in Melbourne.

It’s been a luckless few years for the electrifying fullback who missed a number of weeks earlier in the season after he suffered a lower-leg fracture.

“He didn’t train earlier in the week, but he’s done a little bit today and a little bit on Thursday,” Bellamy said, with young gun Sua Fa’alogo the obvious replacement if Papenhuyzen is ruled out.

“I think he’ll be OK, but it’ll be more of a matter of how he feels when he cools down.”

Papenhuyzen isn’t the only injury concern at the Storm, with Queensland star Harry Grant sitting out the second game in a row with a sternum injury.

Melbourne has already lost their other Maroons representative to injury, with Xavier Coates facing 6-8 weeks out with a serious hamstring injury, while Nick Meaney will miss the trip to Sydney with a calf issue.

The Coates injury is particularly disappointing given he’s been in career-best form this year and has come up with several clutch plays to win them games.

“He came in today so he seemed a bit better mentally,” Bellamy said.

“It was really disappointing for him, especially with the year that he’s had. He’s been outstanding for us and he’s been outstanding for Queensland so we’re both going to miss him.

“Hopefully, he’ll get back sooner rather than later. He’s feeling a bit better now, and hopefully that’s a good start on his road to recovery.”

While some clubs have used injuries as an excuse this year, the Storm has handled the loss of some of their biggest stars to sit two wins clear at the top of the table, even without Cameron Munster there to lead the attack.

That’s fallen to halfback Jahrome Hughes, who has been brilliant this season, with guys like Tyran Wishart, Grant Anderson, Bronson Garlick and Jack Howarth doing a terrific role filling in for the big guns.

“All of these guys have been training with us so they know what we’re trying to do and what we’re prepared to do each week,” Bellamy said.

“Our mentality is that when someone misses out, someone else gets a chance. We want those guys to come in, grab it with both hands and run with it.”