Larrikin Roosters hooker Brandon Smith has reportedly rankled his former club with comments made about the worth of Storm fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen.
Smith, now 28, played the first six seasons of his NRL career with Melbourne, winning the 2020 premiership with the club.
He was let go at the end of 2022 and moved to Sydney’s eastern suburbs to don the Tricolours.
And while he’s maintained strong relationships with several former teammates, comments made recently on a podcast have reportedly got some of them offside.
Nine’s Danny Weidler in his Sydney Morning Herald column revealed the Storm aren’t impressed with their former player after he suggested Papenhuyzen isn’t worth the lucrative contract he’s currently on.
Melbourne has told injury-prone Papenhuyzen he can leave at the end of 2025 as the club looks to free up salary cap space.
Papenhuyzen is reportedly earning $1.1 million next year, although $200,000 of that is through endorsements.
Speaking on his Cheese And Jam podcast with former NRL player James Graham, Smith appeared to take a strange dig at his friend Papenhuyzen.
“I don’t think they [the Storm] undervalued him,” he said.
“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.”
While Smith’s comments may be in line with what the Storm hierarchy are thinking, Weidler reports many at the club aren’t happy with him, writing “it caused eyebrows to be raised”.
While he’s been one of the best fullbacks in the league at his peak, several serious injuries have limited his on-field appearances in recent years.
