Our cool cardboard houses enjoy all the comforts of home

There is nothing better than sealing a victory and sleeping at home in your own bed.

Ryan Papenhuyzen did not know the feeling for 321 days until Thursday night – so long as most Storm fans are starving on foot.

Melbourne have played just seven games at AAMI in the last two years and the superstar fullback says that the opportunity to play a whole season worth of home games – and make the most of all the creative comfort that comes with it – could be the tonic are to knock Penrith off her pole in 2022.

“I think it will only help. I talked to someone the other day and out of my 57 or 58 games I played, I probably only played 12 or 13 here at AAMI Park (he played 16 of 58 games) , “said Papenhuyzen after making his ice cream. Page 15-14 Victory on Thursday night.

“You have a different energy, you know the people behind you and I think it’s just a good thing.”

Being able to go home after training, instead of living out of a suitcase, had the feeling of a novelty – let alone do it after a sweet victory.

“Oh man, those are the things you just take for granted,” Papenhuyzen said after spending over half an hour autographing for dozens of relieved supporters.

“Even just going back after training or waking up (Thursday) morning, knowing that I do not have to climb on a flight, I am quite grateful for that and at the same time playing foot in front of our fans again,”

“The AAMI Park crowd is different than anyone else. I do not know if they are louder, just everyone in the stadium cheering and running through the banner again, seeing the banner and seeing all the purple Storm fans outside, it’s an amazing feeling , it is.

“It’s unique and it’s just good to be back,” he said. “I think we have a few games together now, so it will be good to see a better participation next time, and Thursday night was difficult but I think we have a few weekend games to come and it will be good to have one again. to have a normal audience and hopefully get some wins in a row.

Papenhuyzen was placed more than he wanted in the pre-season due to a serious injury to his right ankle. Storm coach Craig Bellamy revealed after the game that his star fullback had not run for eight weeks – making his match-winning field goal hero all the more extraordinary.

“We basically knew he was going to take the kick. I have to say I did not like his kick to be completely honest. I thought it would go to the left of the post,” Bellamy said.

“It did not look as good as Latrell’s, I must say.

“(Papenhuyzen) did not kick at all with that ankle. It was a bad injury. I do not think he actually ran for eight weeks and he only did a little kick this week – and we did not want him to score a lot of goals. .

“Last week, Physio said, ‘We do not want him to shoot because there is a chance he will pick it up.'”

Luckily for Storm fans, the only thing that appealed to Papenhuyzen was the familiar feeling of success, despite the naked situation of being up to 12 men with the reigning grand finalists wanting to spoil Bellyache’s party.

“We’ve been lucky at the end of the day,” Bellamy said.

“But sometimes you deserve your luck.”