Melbourne have hit back at claims they engaged a third party to shop Ryan Papenhuyzen to a rival NRL club amid a selection battle with young gun Sua Faalogo.
In Faalogo and Papenhuyzen, the Storm have two talented fullback options for 2024, with the former announcing himself in stunning NRL and international debuts over the past two months.
Papenhuyzen is contracted through to 2025 on big money but has had little chance to affirm his status as one of the game's top fullbacks in recent times.
Injuries have kept the 2020 Clive Churchill Medallist to only 30 appearances in three seasons.
Papenhuyzen was the subject of a Nine Newspapers report last week that suggested a rival club had been contacted about their interest in signing the fullback if he were to become available.
Papenhuyzen told AAP on Wednesday he was motivated to make the third party "eat their words" by impressing the Storm coaching staff in the pre-season and keeping his spot.
"There's people within (the club) that are thinking ahead and thinking of the next move. Someone at the club obviously doesn't think that I'm that person anymore," he said.
But on Thursday, the Storm denied ever testing the market for a possible suitor.
"At no stage has any Storm official made contact with another club directly or via a third party regarding an early release of Papenhuyzen from his contract," a statement from the Storm read.
"Papenhuyzen is a Melbourne Storm person, he is loved by his teammates, coaches and staff and adored by Storm members and fans across the country and we look forward to seeing him on the track when he resumes training in December."
Papenhuyzen looked forward to jostling with Faalogo at the selection table once he recovered from his fractured ankle and returned to training.
"I'm sort of expecting that's the sort of environment I'm going to come back into when I'm back fully training," he said.
"I'm up for that challenge, I've been in that position before. Hopefully I can do it again and see what happens."
