Ryan Papenhuyzen is not playing because he is currently sidelined due to concussion protocols. He recently returned from a month-long absence caused by a calf injury but entered concussion protocols after an incident in a recent match, and has failed his head injury assessment. This is his second concussion in the past month, with the club taking a cautious approach to his recovery. His absence has forced the Melbourne Storm to adjust their backline and reassign positions in the team. The concussion has triggered the NRL's standard stand-down period, which is 11 days, similar to a prolonged injury absence he had in 2021.
In summary, Papenhuyzen is out currently due to concussion following his recent calf injury recovery, and the team is managing his health carefully to avoid further complications.
