Ryan Papenhuyzen plans to return to Philadelphia to see renowned rehabilitation specialist Bill Knowles as the Melbourne star eyes a remarkable round-one NRL comeback from his broken ankle.
Papenhuyzen remains on crutches after doing extensive damage to his leg and ankle last month, just three NRL games back from a 15-month lay off due to a fractured kneecap.
The Storm fullback had immediately feared he was facing another 12 months on the sideline, after looking down and seeing his foot facing the wrong way when the weight of teammate Nelson Asofa-Solomona landed on him in week one of the finals.
He had immediate surgery, with a broken fibula, damage to his tibia, a ruptured deltoid and ruptured syndesmosis.
But Papenhuyzen insists his current predicament is far brighter than this point last year, hopeful he will back at his peak performance by the time next season kicks off.
The Storm No.1 will learn in the next few weeks whether his trip to Philadelphia will go ahead, as he maps out his plan to be back running by January and playing in March.
Knowles worked with Papenhuyzen in January after the American previously helped both Latrell Mitchell and Tom Trbojevic back from injury.
"It was the best thing I've ever done for my career, visiting him," Papenhuyzen told AAP at the launch of the finals for Greyhounds NSW's October 13 Million Dollar Chase at Wentworth Park.
"The way he approaches things and the way he made me feel about coming back, there's not many other people who would be able to do that.
"He'll probably look at me and say the same thing as last time. We're not going to put a date on it.
"But I guess we'll probably do more progressive stuff.
"It probably will be a little bit different, but at the same time it's good opportunity to check in with the knee too and to and see if I'm going alright or what I need to do."
Papenhuyzen and the Storm had taken an extra cautious approach last year with the knee, and had always believed he would not hit his straps until the start of 2024.
And he is confident the latest injury will not change that.
"(Bill) was talking about probably 18 months from when I first did it, which is probably leading into round one," Papenhuyzen said.
"All the stars are aligning, I think.
"I knew I was going to be good and be able to perform, but I think it was just more the mental model of being.
"You need to fix that dimmer switch between your brain and legs to start getting back on that same level. And that usually takes 18 months.
"With the knee there was always talking me by round six to eight, but I was always like, 'it's not going to be that'.
"Whereas this now just feels really good.The feeling of it mentally just makes me go: 'OK I'm in touch with it still. I'm good'."
