Melbourne Storm star Ryan Papenhuyzen is a big fan of North Melbourne defender Jasper Pittard.

Pittard joined the Kangaroos from Port Adelaide at the end of 2018 and his toughness and long-sleeved jumper is something Papenhuyzen admires.

When asked on SEN Breakfast who his favourite AFL player is, he replied: “I’m a big fan of Jasper Pittard."

“He’s just a bit different and I like that about him. Tough little bugger too and the long sleeves helps.”

Hailing from Sydney, the 21-year-old fullback detailed how he ended up supporting North Melbourne.

“When I was a little kid and the papers came out, there used to be a footy guide that was right in the middle, and that’s all I used to read,” Papenhuyzen said.

“Mum and dad would go buy the Herald just for me to read and I’d pull it out and one side was NRL and one side was AFL.

“I was a Canterbury Bulldogs supporter which in the NRL they are blue and white, so I flipped to the back and I went, ‘you know what, blue and white NRL, blue and white AFL’.

“And that’s how I went with North Melbourne.”

Papenhuyzen was rewarded for his sensational breakout 2019 season with a two-year contract extension.

He will remain at the Storm until at least the end of 2022.

Listen to Ryan Papenhuyzen’s chat on SEN Breakfast in the player below