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Cameron Munster has hinted that Ryan Papenhuyzen’s surprise decision to leave Melbourne Storm may relate to the repeated concussions the 27-year-old fullback has suffered during his career. Munster’s concerning revelation comes as speculation has been mounting that Papenhuyzen may be looking to switch codes to join the new rebel R360 rugby union competition. ‘For now I’ve decided to take a break and explore the next chapter of my life,’ Papenhuyzen told his followers on Instagram last week. ‘I'm well and healthy, but I've come to a point in my career where I'd like to explore life beyond the game I've dedicated myself to,’ he added, revealing he was unsure of what lies ahead. After suffering defeat by the Brisbane Broncos during this year’s NRL Grand Final, the 27-year-old was granted an early release from his Melbourne contract following a meeting with the club’s chairman Matt Tripp last Wednesday. It will bring an end to his six-year spell at the Victorian club, with Storm chief executive Justin Rodski revealing that the 2020 Clive Churchill Medallist was again uncertain on what his future would look like. Papenhuyzen missed the first week of this year’s NRL finals campaign after sustaining a concussion during his side’s 30-14 defeat by the Brisbane Broncos in September. He had failed a head injury assessment after suffering a head knock towards the end of that match. It was the second time in the space of a month that Papenhuyzen had entered the NRL’s concussion protocols, having previously missed his side’s Round 24 victory against Penrith in August. ‘I'm disappointed that we're losing him,' Munster said during an interview with Michael Chammas that was aired on Monday's episode of Triple M Rocks Footy. 'He's been a class player for us for a long time and I know he's had a long run of injuries. ‘He's had some interesting stuff with his head too, obviously the last one (concussion) he had was against the Broncos in Brissy. It got him a bit rattled and he's put his health before himself and taken a year off. ‘There's obviously been speculation about him going somewhere else and switching codes but knowing Paps, he's an honest man and if he says he needs a year off then he needs a year off. I don't know what lies ahead. ‘I know he's doing a lot of psychology and work with his brain and stuff around the mind. So he might even end up doing those things... I won't talk a whole heap more about it. It's his life, all the best with it and I won't be a stranger... we have a great relationship.’ Back in 2021, Papenhuyzen was forced to sit on the sidelines for an extended period after he suffered a severe concussion following a high tackle from Tyrell Fuimaono during a match against St George. The 27-year-old suffered lingering concussion symptoms as a result and would not return to the pitch for 10 weeks. ‘It started to emerge that perhaps Ryan was looking to take some time out from the game and professional sport so we worked closely with him on that over that period of time,’ Rodski said to SEN on Papenhuyzen’s surprise exit. Rodski added: ‘I actually don't think he knows [where he's going next].' The footy player, who was born in New South Wales, could have gone on to sign for the Wests Tigers, but instead put pen to paper on a deal to join Melbourne in 2019. He’d go on to score 77 tries across 113 appearances for the club, helping the Storm win the premiership in 2020. 'In the end, he came to the decision that his preference would be to seek a release from the club so he could take some time away from the game and professional sport and have a think about what he wants to do, not just sport but life,’ Rodski said. 'Ryan's someone that thinks a lot about the game and a lot about life. 'He is one of those people that sport, or the professional side of being an athlete, while that's important to him, it's not everything to his life and he wanted time to think about that.’
