“We will miss seeing it if he hangs the boots up.”
Papenhuyzen’s raw confession – in which he said he was “rattled” and left wondering at “what cost” does he continue to play – comes at a time when the NRL is desperate to crack down on concussion issues, particularly following the horrific incident involving Eliesa Katoa.
The Storm forward will miss the entire 2026 season, having suffered a brain bleed from multiple head knocks before and during a clash for Tonga against New Zealand in the Pacific Championships.
Felise Kaufusi (left) has paid tribute to Ryan Papenhuyzen (right), and called for players to consider concerns around head trauma more seriously.
Intervention from independent doctors throughout contests has polarised pundits, with some arguing there was too much interference – particularly in cases where players are found to not be concussed after assessment.
“We’ve seen the stuff that went on with Eli Katoa as well which is really extreme. It definitely opened my mind a bit more, even me growing up I was like ‘what’s a head knock? I’ll be right, just let me get back on’.
“I think that’s just the adrenaline in the footy sense, and it needs to come from a source outside to just take it out of our own hands.
“You think it’s just a little knock, you want to be there out playing and don’t want to miss games for it, but in the long run – especially when you start to have families – you’ve got to think outside.
“Footy only lasts 10 years if you’re lucky, and then you’ve got the rest of your life to live. It’s the brain, you can’t study that until you’re a carcass, so definitely a lot of importance needs to go into it.”
Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.
