Wests Tigers offer $4 million deal to young gun
The Wests Tigers have moved to keep Stefano Utoikamanu away from circling clubs, offering the prop forward a five-year, $4 million contract extension until the end of 2029.
The club hopes the long-term extension deal will prevent one of the NRL’s most in-demand players from hitting the open market.
Utoikamanu has a clause in his contract that means he will become a free agent unless he plays two games in this year’s State of Origin series. It can be negated if the Tigers finish in the top eight. The option for next year is worth between $600,000-$700,000.
With the Tigers near the bottom of the ladder after eight straight losses, and due to miss another finals series, Utoikamanu’s future will largely hinge on whether
Blues coach Michael Maguire picks him in the NSW team for game two in three weeks.
The $4 million Tigers offer came days after he missed out on Maguire’s team for game one in Sydney on Wednesday.
This masthead has previously reported that there is an undertaking between Tigers chief Shane Richardson and Utoikamanu’s agent Daniel O’Loughlin to avoid waiting until the club is no longer a mathematical chance of playing finals football before deciding his future.
Stefano Utoikamanu in action for the Tigers.CREDIT:GETTY
It’s not in the Tigers’ interests for Utoikamanu to decide late in the season that he wants to leave, which would restrict their replacement options and place uncertainty around their salary cap management.
Sources with knowledge of the situation, talking under the condition of anonymity in order to speak freely, said Utoikamanu’s agent was preparing to ask for permission to negotiate with rival clubs if the 24-year-old misses out on selection in Origin II.
The Tigers want to seal a deal before then, and have presented an offer to keep Utoikamanu at the club for the same length of time as incoming marquee man
Jarome Luai.
Several rival clubs, who are monitoring the situation closely, are aware of the Tigers’ attempts to retain Utoikamanu.
Stefano Utoikamanu made his one and only Origin appearance last year.CREDIT:GETTY
Their offer, which averages out about $800,000 per year, is less than the $900,000 figure previous chief executive Justin Pascoe indicated the club would be willing to spend to retain the young front-rower.
His successor Richardson is trying to overhaul the Tigers roster and wants Utoikamanu to join Luai as the centrepieces of the club’s rebuild under Benji Marshall.
The Tigers have already allowed Isaiah Papali’i to be released from the final year of his deal to take up an offer at Penrith from next season. Richardson has also been busy trying to offload players like Jayden Sullivan and Brent Naden in England over the past fortnight.
The Tigers are also close to parting ways with hooker Jake Simpkin. The 22-year-old is on a deal worth about $400,000 this year but the Tigers are in discussions with the Manly Sea Eagles about an immediate exit.
The sticking point remains how many years Manly are willing to offer beyond the end of this season.
His manager, Isaac Moses, is in discussion with Manly about a move as early as this week. He could be included in the Sea Eagles team to play against the Panthers at BlueBet Stadium on Sunday.
Simpkin was brought to the Tigers from Queensland under the Maguire regime but has fallen out of favour.
The talented dummy half will provide cover for Lachlan Croker (head/neck injury) at the Sea Eagles. Croker hasn’t played since round nine against the Canberra Raiders.
