Storm star Ryan Papenhuyzen could be the first big name to make the leap from the NRL to the proposed R360 rebel rugby union competition.
The 27-year-old fullback met with officials from the breakaway organisation in Melbourne on the weekend to discuss the possibility of linking with the global rugby circuit when it kicks off in 2027.
Papenhuyzen is under contract with the Storm until the end of next year and after re-signing Jahrome Hughes earlier on Tuesday until the end of 2030, the club is facing a huge salary cap squeeze in trying to keep its star-studded roster together.
Young fullback Sua Fa’alogo could request a release if Papenhuyzen remains in the Victorian capital beyond the end of his current deal.
The Storm are already likely to lose playmaker prospect Jonah Pezet after Hughes locked in the halfback jersey long term while Queensland captain Cameron Munster could also be on the move with the Perth Bears identifying the veteran five-eighth as the ideal face of their expansion franchise when they enter the NRL in 2027.
According to a Sydney Morning Herald report, Papenhuyzen is giving “strong consideration” to switching codes.
Although injuries have hampered his chances of breaking into the representative ranks, the 2020 Clive Churchill Medal winner is one of the best fullbacks in the NRL and his skills would be transferrable to the 15-player code.
Papenhuyzen would command an annual salary of at least $1.5 million if he opted to sign with R360, which would be higher than any current player in the NRL.
R360 officials were in Melbourne over the weekend to coincide with the British & Irish Lions vs Wallabies Test.
Warriors veteran Roger Tuivasa-Sheck is also in R360’s sights – he is under contract with the NRL club until the end of next season on a deal reportedly worth a little more than half of what he could earn the following year, more than $1 million a year, if the breakaway union competition becomes a viable concern.
Ryan Papenhuyzen makes a break to score a try. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
R360 is set to be played in the northern hemisphere winters with franchises likely to be dotted around Europe.
Under the plans for the new competition, matches would be taken around the world in major cities across 16 rounds, similar to the Formula 1 Grand Prix circuit.
Elite players could earn as much as $3 million a season, which is more than double what the highest paid players in the NRL are earning, including Knights skipper Kalyn Ponga, who recently engaged the services of a New Zealand-based rugby agent to explore opportunities to hope codes to the Super Rugby competition with a view to potentially becoming an All Black.
Papenhuyzen has played 106 matches for the Storm since his debut in 2019 and he will return from a month out with a calf injury, along with Munster, for the clash with Parramatta on Thursday night in a boost to their top-two push.
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Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy named Tyran Wishart as Hughes’ replacement in the No.7 jersey after the Kiwi internaional dislocated his shoulder last week in the win over the Roosters.
