The Bulldogs are firming as the favourites to sign Ryan Papenhuyzen with a reported $1.6 million worth of free space in their salary cap as Melbourne weigh-up their options. Last week, speculation grew that Papenhuyzen was reportedly attracting real interest from the Canterbury Bulldogs.

Papenhuyzen is yet to re-sign with the Melbourne Storm after a lower than expected offer from the club. The 26-year-old would have to accept a smaller contract if he was going to stay in Melbourne with his new deal dropping from $950,000 to $750,000 per season.

Papenhuyzen is now able to negotiate with other clubs with reports the fullback could potentially attract $1 million a season from the Dragons, Bulldogs and Eels. Reporter Brent Read originally claimed the Bulldogs were having a real crack at Papenhuyzen and wanted to sign the Storm superstar.

And on Saturday, Code Sports reported the Bulldogs are working with around $1.6 million in their salary cap, which could be enough to completely blow Melbourne’s offer away. Papenhuyzen was expected to stay in Melbourne and keep the spine of Harry Grant, Jahrome Hughes and Cameron Munster together.

Although the silence around re-signing for Melbourne has clearly worried the club. Storm officials are set to meet with Papenhuyzen this week in a bid to keep the fullback with the reports of the Bulldogs’ play clearly speeding up negotiations in Melbourne. While Papenhuyzen is clearly a priority for the Melbourne hierarchy , it appears they are attempting to juggle their own salary cap with a number of stars coming off contract at the end of 2026.

Stars such as Harry Grant, Xavier Coates, Jahrome Hughes, Tyran Wishart and Shawn Blore are all coming off contract with Melbourne seeking deals to keep a potential premiership winning team together. The Storm may not be able to offer Papenhuyzen more than the $750,000 per season deal. And with Sua Fa’alogo waiting in the wings for the Storm, Papenhuyzen could be enticed to take the money from the Bulldogs and make the move to Sydney.

Brandon Smith questions Ryan Papenhuyzen deal

While a number of clubs are expected to offer Papenhuyzen more than Melbourne’s current offer, former teammate Brandon Smith has questioned if the fullback is worth $1 million a season. Smith, who plays for the Roosters, claimed his injury record makes it hard to offer him more.

“I don’t think they [the Storm] undervalued him,” Smith said on the ‘Cheese and Jam’ podcast with James Graham. “I think if you look back in the last three years, he’s played 15-odd games.

“I think that would have been a part of the decision-making process. We can’t continue to pay this guy $1.1m when he’s playing 30 per cent of the season. He’s small and he’s fragile.”

Speaking on Smith’s comments, reporter Read also questioned what clubs will offer Papenhuyzen having confirmed the Bulldogs are interested. “The Bulldogs are the ones I keep hearing with Papenhuyzen that they’re having a red hot go at him. I haven’t been able to firm it up yet, that’s been doing the rounds strongly for a few weeks now,” he said on Triple M Radio.

“I think Melbourne is still confident they will keep him, but I think they have done the right thing. They are juggling the salary cap down there, they have Sua Fa’alogo waiting. If Papenhuyzen stays, Fa’alogo could potentially leave, so I understand why they have done it…but I would love to him stay.”

Read added the fullback could seek more money if he offered to other clubs but asked: “Is $1 million for Papenhuyzen a risk now given what he has been through? I sort of agree with Melbourne.”