Ryan Papenhuyzen spent six seasons as one of the NRL’s most electric fullbacks, lighting up the Melbourne Storm backline. At just 27, he walked away from professional rugby league and into a completely different arena: golf. Not as a player, but as a caddy and high‑performance coach. This page traces his decision to leave, what he’s doing now, and what the next chapter holds.

Former team: Melbourne Storm · Position: Fullback · Date of birth: 10 June 1998 · Retirement announced: October 2025 · New career: Golf caddy and high performance coach

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Whether he will ever return to rugby league
  • Exact nature of the injuries that ended his NRL career
  • Whether any NRL club will sign him in the future
  • How long he will remain a full‑time caddy
3Timeline signal
4What’s next

Six key facts capture the transition from NRL star to golf‑course regular. One pattern: every decision points away from the field and toward the fairway.

Label Value
Release date 30 October 2025 (Zero Tackle)
Retirement Early 2026 (Nine News)
New career Golf caddy and high‑performance coach (Golf Australia)
2026 plan Gap year from professional sport (Nine News)
Caddying for Australian golfer Daniel Gale (ESPN)
Planned destinations Tara Iti (NZ), Middle East, Europe (Yahoo News Australia)

Why is Ryan Papenhuyzen not playing?

The decision to step away

  • Released from Melbourne Storm on 30 October 2025 (Zero Tackle)
  • Announced he would not play in 2026 (Nine News)
  • Described 2026 as a “gap year” from professional sport (Nine News)

Papenhuyzen had one year left on his Storm contract when the club granted his release. In an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald (major Australian newspaper), he confirmed he would not play next year, calling the move a career change rather than a retirement driven by injury. “I felt it was time to change careers,” he told 3AW (Melbourne radio station).

The paradox

Papenhuyzen walked away at 27—typically a fullback’s prime. But rather than a forced exit, he framed it as a deliberate pivot, trading contact for clubs.

The implication: his departure was not a retirement due to physical breakdown, but a planned career shift toward a life off the field.

Is Ryan Papenhuyzen going to retire?

Official retirement announcement

  • He retired from the NRL in early 2026 (Nine News)

What did he say about his future?

  • The only sport he expects to play in 2026 is golf (ESPN)
  • He can “imagine caddying for Daniel Gale” as a new career path (ESPN)

Does he plan to return?

  • He is not ruling out a future move in R360 rugby but is taking time off first (Nine News)

The retirement, in his words, is a “blank canvas” (ESPN). He has not closed the door on rugby entirely, but 2026 is reserved for golf and coaching.

The catch: any NRL return would likely require a full season’s hiatus, making 2027 the earliest possible comeback.

What does Ryan Papenhuyzen do now?

Golf caddy work

  • Caddying for Daniel Gale on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia (Golf Australia)
  • Starting with a stint at Tara Iti in New Zealand to learn the craft (Yahoo News Australia)
  • Plans to join the Middle East leg of the DP World Tour secondary circuit, then Europe (Yahoo News Australia)

High‑performance coaching

  • His Instagram bio describes him as “High Performance Coach & Caddy” (Instagram (social media profile))
  • He is expected to blend coaching with caddying, leveraging his elite‑sport experience
What to watch

Papenhuyzen is effectively building a dual career: on‑bag support for Gale and off‑course coaching for amateur golfers. That versatility could outlast any single golf season.

Why this matters: Papenhuyzen is not simply playing golf—he is embedding himself in the sport’s professional ecosystem, a move that requires patience and a willingness to start from the bottom.

Where is Ryan Papenhuyzen going in 2026?

Moving to a new NRL club?

  • No NRL club has signed him (The Sydney Morning Herald)
  • He has stated he will not play any professional rugby league in 2026 (The Sydney Morning Herald)

What are his plans for 2027?

  • He is focusing on golf and coaching for the foreseeable future (Nine News)
  • A return to rugby is not ruled out but remains uncertain (Nine News)

The trade‑off: by taking a full year off, Papenhuyzen preserves his eligibility for a potential rugby comeback, but risks losing his match fitness and NRL standing.

Are Emma Mac and Ryan Papenhuyzen still together?

What does his social media say?

  • His Instagram bio and posts do not reference a partner (Instagram)
  • No major media outlet has reported on his current relationship status (The Sydney Morning Herald – no mention)

What have media reported?

  • Outlets covering his career pivot have focused exclusively on his professional plans, not his personal life
  • No official confirmation exists about his relationship with Emma MacRae

The pattern: Papenhuyzen keeps his private life out of the public domain. Any questions about his partner remain unanswered by the player himself.

Timeline

  • 2019–2025 – NRL career with Melbourne Storm
  • 30 October 2025 – Granted release from Storm contract (Zero Tackle)
  • Early 2026 – Announced retirement from rugby league (Nine News)
  • March 2026 – Golf Australia confirms caddying role with Daniel Gale (Golf Australia)

What we know – and what we don’t

Confirmed facts

  • Released from Storm on 30 October 2025 (Zero Tackle)
  • Retired from NRL in early 2026 (Nine News)
  • New career as caddy and high‑performance coach (Golf Australia)
  • Will caddy for Daniel Gale on PGA Tour of Australasia (ESPN)

What’s unclear

  • Whether he will return to rugby league
  • Exact injury history that led to retirement
  • Future NRL club signings
  • Long‑term duration of caddying career
  • Relationship status details

In his own words – and from those who know him

“I can imagine caddying for Daniel Gale as a possible new career path.”

— Ryan Papenhuyzen, to ESPN

“Most events in the Australian season would have Papenhuyzen on the bag.”

— Daniel Gale, speaking to Golf Australia

“He said he will spend 2026 away from professional rugby league and described it as a gap year from sport.”

— Nine News report

Ryan Papenhuyzen’s story is not a typical retirement. It’s a deliberate recalibration of priorities, moving from one demanding sport to another—but this time without the physical collisions. For Australian fans who loved watching him run, his next move is harder to follow: a caddy’s bag on a distant fairway. The choice is clear: embrace a new kind of game, or wait for a return that may never come.

Related reading: Tom Dearden: Bio, Injury, Contract & Personal Life | NRL 2026 · Jeremy Cameron: Career Stats, Injury News, Personal Life

Additional sources

dailymail.co.uk, reddit.com, zerotackle.com, espn.com, espn.com, sportingnews.com

Frequently asked questions

When did Ryan Papenhuyzen retire?

He announced his retirement from the NRL in early 2026 (Nine News).

What injury did Ryan Papenhuyzen have?

The exact nature of his career‑ending injuries has not been publicly detailed. No single injury was cited as the cause of his retirement (The Sydney Morning Herald).

Is Ryan Papenhuyzen playing golf professionally?

No. He is caddying for Daniel Gale, not playing professionally. His role is as a high‑performance coach and on‑bag assistant (ESPN).

Will Ryan Papenhuyzen return to the NRL?

He has not ruled out a future return, but he is taking at least the entire 2026 season off from professional rugby league (Nine News).

How tall is Ryan Papenhuyzen?

He is listed at 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) (ESPN player profile).

Does Ryan Papenhuyzen have a child?

No reports suggest he has children. He does not mention children on his social media profiles (Instagram).

Who is Ryan Papenhuyzen’s girlfriend?

He has not publicly confirmed a relationship. Media coverage of his personal life is minimal (The Sydney Morning Herald).