X-ray images of Ryan Papenhuyzen’s shattered patellar show why the Melbourne Storm fullback’s knee cap fracture is “one of the most brutal NRL injuries seen in years”.
Papenhuyzen was carried off AAMI Park after suffering a broken knee cap during last weekend’s four-point loss to the Canberra Raiders.
The 24-year-old sustained the injury in the 18th minute of the Round 18 clash following a heavy head-on tackle with Raiders captain Jack Wighton at the 40-metre line.
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Papenhuyzen, who was unable to put any weight on his right leg, received treatment from team medics before retiring to the sheds in agony.
He was later taken to hospital before undergoing surgery on Monday.
Speaking to reporters in the post-match press conference, Storm coach Craig Bellamy confirmed Papenhuyzen’s season was over.
“He’s got a broken kneecap,” he explained.
“He wouldn’t be back I’d probably imagine.
“Yeah, it just seems to keep happening these injuries, it’s obviously disappointing.”
On Thursday, Melbourne Storm chief executive Justin Rodski confirmed that Papenhuyzen had effectively shattered his kneecap, with the bone broken in 10 different places.
“It certainly was one of those collision injuries that when he went down everyone stopped, you could feel the tension in the air,” Rodski told SEN Breakfast.
“Obviously, it’s really disappointing for him, he’s had a really tough run with injuries.
“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.
“I asked our team doctor because I couldn’t get how you would piece it back together.
“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.
“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’s had surgery now though and it was a success.
“His recovery time is around three months I think, we won’t see him again this year, unfortunately.
“He’s so important for our team and our structure as a fullback, it was heartbreaking as a club.
“Now we’ve got to move forward, find a replacement and get back on the winner’s list.
“We’ve got one more list spot which we can fill, we’ve got until August 1 to do that.
“We’re working through our options there, outside back is key to us moving forward with Papenhuyzen now out.”
Papenhuyzen had already missed a large chunk of the 2022 season after sustaining a PCL tear during Melbourne’s Round 9 victory over the Dragons, tearing his hamstring in the same incident.
Meanwhile, he only played 15 NRL games last year due to concussion.
Originally published as ‘Brutal’: Gruesome detail in X-ray image of Ryan Papenhuyzen’s fracture knee cap
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