Scans reveal SHOCKING extent of Storm star Ryan Papenhuyzen’s sickening season-ending knee injury

Ryan Papenhuyzen shattered his kneecap ‘in 10 different places’, as he suffered a serious injury that curtailed his season and looks to derail Melbourne’s premiership bid.

The Storm fullback was diagnosed with a fractured kneecap after colliding with Canberra star Jack Wighton on Sunday during Melbourne’s 20-16 loss against the Raiders at AAMI Park.

The 24-year-old has been ruled for the remainder of the campaign and Storm chief executive Justin Rodski revealed on Thursday just how serious the injury was. 

‘It’s really disappointing for him, he’s had a really tough run with injuries,’ he told SEN Breakfast.

‘He put his body on the line on Sunday afternoon and I think he broke his kneecap in 10 different places in the end, it was a pretty brutal injury.’

Rodski admitted the severity of the injury caused him to briefly doubt whether Papenhuyzen may ever completely recover, before he was reassured by the team’s medical staff. 

‘I asked our team doctor because I couldn’t get how you would piece it back together,’ Rodski said.

The 24-year-old shattered his kneecap in 10 places in the game against the Raiders 

The Storm star underwent surgery on Monday and is expected to be fit for pre-season 

‘They put pins and certain little clips in that stay inside your knee and inside your body.

‘Apparently, it can heal really quickly with the pins and the clips and he can make a full recovery which is fantastic.’

Papenhuyzen underwent surgery on Monday and the Storm are hopeful he will be fit in time to take part in pre-season ahead of the 2023 campaign. 

The fullback was arguably the standout player in the competition for the first nine rounds of the season, scoring 12 tries in the process before suffering a knee and hamstring injuries that ruled him out for six weeks.

He missed nine weeks with hamstring and knee injuries sustained in Round 9 (above)

Following a further delay due to contracting Covid-19, the star fullback scored two tries as he made his return to action in Round 16.

Rodski conceded the latest injury was a tough blow to take for the Storm gun, who missed out on State of Origin selection because of injuries. 

‘It certainly isn’t great, we were really feeling for him, he’s had such a tough run of injuries but whenever he gets back, he’s been in blistering form,’ he said.

Papenhuyzen had been one of the in-form players in the NRL, scoring 14 tries in 12 games

Papenhuyzen’s loss further exacerbates Melbourne’s injury crisis.  The Storm have already lost George Jennings, Reimis Smith and Christian Welch for the season to ACL, pectoral and Achilles injuries respectively.

Meanwhile Tepai Moeroa is expected to be out until next week at least with a shoulder injury and Xavier Coates should recover from his ankle injury in time to be fit for Round 22. 

The injury-hit Storm have lost their last three games and have slid to fifth on the ladder ahead their trip to Sydney to take on the Rabbitohs on Saturday.