Ryan Papenhuyzen said spending time with Billy Slater while on his long road to recovery made a huge impact – but not in the way rugby league fans might think.
Although the former Storm, Queensland and Kangaroos great is widely considered to be the one of the best fullbacks of all time, it was the conversations away from football that had the biggest impact on Papenhuyzen.
“He has been awesome. He went through such a long-term injury himself and understands how tough it is, but him and Nic (Slater’s wife Nicole) would invite me over to their place and we would just have a day out where we would not talk about footy,” Papenhuyzen said.
“I think he understood the mental side of rehab and how you need to switch off sometimes and enjoy the company of others.
“I am just really grateful to them. They would invite me out to their farm. We’d go out and have dinner and chill out. (Slater’s children) Tyla and Jake would chill out and we’d go play some tennis.
“I had to do a lot of hard work, but it is important to reset the mind. They did that for me.”
This article contains content that is only available on NRL.com
Of course, the two also talked shop and helped keep him engaged with the Storm while he spent 384 days on the sideline recovering from his knee injury.
“A big credit to Slats. He is unbelievable and the amount of times he has come in and spoken about footy as well. To have such a great career and give back so much after, I am forever in debt to him," Papenhuyzen said.
“He has helped me through the whole ordeal. He reached out about how important it is to have someone else while you are not playing to keep your mind simulated.
“It is just special to have someone like him at the club who wants to give back so much. I am just appreciative he took time to do that. I guess I am where I am now because of him.”
Papenhuyzen returned to the NRL in Round 26 and backed that up by playing 77 minutes last week as the Storm’s young guns shone to claim the club’s 14th win in a row against Brisbane.
Following the match, Storm coach Craig Bellamy said he was “not quite sure” where he’d play Papenhuyzen during the finals, with Nick Meaney having been one of the Storm’s best filling in at fullback all season.
Ryan Papenhuyzen Try
Named this week in 17 to again come off the bench, Papenhuyzen started at fullback last week and played in the halves and in the ruck during the game.
“He probably gives you a little bit of x-factor (as a) player. He is an experienced player too. It is not as if he is a young kid that has only played two years of first grade,” Bellamy said.
“He has been a Clive Churchill Medallist and we know he is going to add something to us.”
Knowing that getting back out into the field in the NRL was an achievement already, Papenhuyzen himself said he was simply happy to be considered to feature in the finals again.
“I don’t mind where I am put in this side. I know Means (Nick Meaney) has been doing a really good job, so it might not be fullback, but if it is, I am ready to go. If it is somewhere else, then put me in,” Papenhuyzen said.
“I am getting more confident, but (tonight) was a different feeling.
“I felt really proud of the boys ... I just want to be in the 17 because I know it is a special team.
“You have your days where you don’t think it is possible and even coming back, you don’t know if you are going to make the 17.
“It is daunting. It is scary, but I am just happy I put in all the hard work. All those days where you don’t want to do things, but you just have to do them. I am reaping the rewards now.
“I am just grateful to be back and in the side. To be playing finals footy again is exciting. You want to do it as a kid and that is no different now.
“This is my third finals and I am really looking forward to it. I hope we can do something special.”