Stefano Utoikamanu #241

Lebanese_Coach_aspiration said:
Being a member of this forum for only two years doesnt disqualify me from being the greatest tigers supporter on the forum, because I wasnt online, i was out supporting at games, training etc.
And I get PM's for coaching tips all the time, about 4 a week.
I maintain I am the greatest tigers supporter here by some distance.
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Well can you do something to improve our attack and defence, preferably in time for the game against the Storm ?
 
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finnzo said:
Yeah fair point but we need to ask our self’s how will Melbourne make sure he puts that amount of effort in every week and how come we cannot get that out of him is it cause ove the past 3 seasons our season has been done after 5 games pretty much. id say that would take a huge tole on a young man playing in the front row
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I reckon at clubs like Melbourne, it's the other players who put the pressure on for everyone to show up, do their role and perform at a high level every week. Not only during the game but at training. The coaches and the club environment set that tone, but it's the players who reinforce it. I wonder if Stef is just one of those players that needs that type of team around him. He's not the guy that will naturally set the standards for the team, but he's a gifted enough player to live up to standards that are established by the really successful teams. We need just one or two players like a Stephen Crighton, Boyd Cordner, Chief Harragon, Dale Finucan, even Robbie Farah type who set the standards for the team and hate losing, and I reckon Stef would thrive under that. Maybe Luai with Api are those guys for us next year?
 
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Rumours Salford's offer is set to be massive, more than 1 million per season. Under the super league salary cap rules they get an exemption for a marquee signing, and Nofo the ponce leaving frees up that spot.
 

NRL 2024: Dragons, Raiders out of race for Wests Tigers star Stefano Utoikamanu, Storm and Eels remain in pursuit​

The Raiders have joined the Dragons in withdrawing their interest in pursuing talented Wests Tigers prop Stefano Utoikamanu, limiting his options to a potential move interstate or back to his old stomping ground at Parramatta.
David Riccio, Brent Read and Michael Carayannis


The urgency for Parramatta to appoint a new head coach has gained further momentum with talented Wests Tigers prop Stefano Utoikamanu prepared to wait for the decision before deciding his own future.
The Eels chances of entering the race for Utoikamanu have taken a significant uplift with the revelation that the Raiders have joined St George Illawarra in withdrawing interest in the gun prop.
It leaves the Storm as the only major bidder for his signature, with the Wests Tigers suddenly a chance to retain his services for at least another 12-months.
The Bulldogs and Dolphins are also watching the negotiation process closely and have failed to rule out entering the race.
However, the Eels appointment of their new coach – potentially by the end of this weekend – is of interest to Utoikamanu, who maintains a soft spot for the club that helped develop his game.
Josh Hannay, Jason Ryles, Dean Young and Trent Barrett remain in contention for the Eels job.
Born in Auckland before moving to Sydney’s west, Utoikamanu played with the Cabramatta Two Blues as a junior before featuring in the Eels under-20s team in 2018 and 2019.
He moved to the Wests Tigers in 2021 and has failed to rule out a homecoming to the Eels as he weighs up his future.

The Storm and Raiders are prepared to table Stefano Utoikamanu handsome offers. Picture: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images
The omission of the Raiders and Dragons from the negotiation table will increase the hopes of rival club the Storm, who are planning to meet with the 24-year-old this weekend.
This masthead has learned that despite originally viewing Utoikamanu as a future replacement for veteran prop Josh Papalii, Raiders management have informed the talented prop that they have turned their recruitment focus in another direction.
As first revealed by this masthead, St George Illawarra made the strategic decision to withdraw their interest in pursuing Utoikamanu last Thursday.
After assessing the market and their own salary cap, St George Illawarra opted against tabling an offer or asking to meet the powerful prop.
“There’s no denying Stefano is a wonderful talent, but so that we don’t waste anyone’s time we’ve opted to turn our focus elsewhere both internally and externally,’’ Dragons coach Shane Flanagan told this masthead.
Utoikamanu has been given permission by the Tigers to explore his options on the open market as he contemplates a move away from the club at the end of the season.


The Tigers have tabled a five-year contract extension worth $4 million, but Utoikamanu has privately indicated his desire to test the market is less about money and more about being at a club that can offer him an opportunity to compete for a title.
Given their history of sustained success, it’s anticipated that the Melbourne Storm are arguably the greatest threat to the Wests Tigers’ hopes of keeping Utoikamanu.
The Storm, however, are one of the few legitimate competition heavyweights who have expressed an interest in Utoikamanu, having wasted no time reaching out to his management when they were informed he was up for grabs.
There is a belief in Melbourne that they are a middle forward short and while their cap is tight, the club believes it can move some pieces and make a play for Utoikamanu.
Their interest comes as a cloud remains over the future of powerful front rower Nelson Asofa-Solomona – the Tigers have explored his availability as a contingency plan if Utoikamanu decides he wants a change of scene.
Asofa-Solomona is believed to be reluctant to leave Melbourne for another NRL club, but he has a rugby union background and was close to switching codes before signing his latest deal with the Storm.
 
Le Tiger said:
What's the bet Raiders were never in the frame and the Parramatta interest is also made up by his manager?

Manager doing everything he can to get an article in the media every day.
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He’s not doing so great with the teams keep pulling out of the race. I still think the Dogs or Panthers will chime in late.
 
derekderekson said:
Didn’t Parra screw his brother over with injury rehab and that’s the main reason he wanted to leave that joint!
Very weird article and sounds like his manager making shit up to save face.
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Second hand info but apparently Stefano’s dad celebrated Arthur being sacked. He believes Arthur was to blame for mismanagement of his other boy. My wifes nephew works with Stefs dad. Like I said second hand info.
 
WestsEffTheRest said:
It depends. Canberras offer blows ours out of the water & most likely Melbourne too. I see Melbourne offering him 750k a season max. It's a strange one though. He wouldn't even be the best prop at Canberra yet he'd be getting paid the most Lol.
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What's Canberra's offer? I must have missed that.
 
Stef’s lack of consistency in effort is the disappointing thing about him. Watching his games, there seems to be times when he just wants the ball and runs hard and aggressively and other times where he looks totally disinterested and hides. How do you explain it?
Well the possibilities are: maybe he just struggles with confidence and when things aren’t working for him he retreats from the confrontation; maybe he’s simply a flat track bully who only puts in when he knows we are on top and he can dominate his opponents; or is it that he just isn’t invested enough in the team and doesn’t care; or he feels like he has to carry the burden and isn’t supported enough by others.
The fact that he comes across complaining about how hard it is to be in a losing time and how he wants to go to a team that wins regularly, sounds to me like he wants everybody around him to do the work so he can be dominant. Stef isn’t shaping up as someone who wants to roll their sleeves up and put in to make it happen.
I’m afraid he is showing himself to be devoid of team spirit or loyalty for the club.
If he does end up staying it seems it will not be because he really wants to be a Tiger.
 
TigerSJ said:
Stef’s lack of consistency in effort is the disappointing thing about him. Watching his games, there seems to be times when he just wants the ball and runs hard and aggressively and other times where he looks totally disinterested and hides. How do you explain it?
Well the possibilities are: maybe he just struggles with confidence and when things aren’t working for him he retreats from the confrontation; maybe he’s simply a flat track bully who only puts in when he knows we are on top and he can dominate his opponents; or is it that he just isn’t invested enough in the team and doesn’t care; or he feels like he has to carry the burden and isn’t supported enough by others.
The fact that he comes across complaining about how hard it is to be in a losing time and how he wants to go to a team that wins regularly, sounds to me like he wants everybody around him to do the work so he can be dominant. Stef isn’t shaping up as someone who wants to roll their sleeves up and put in to make it happen.
I’m afraid he is showing himself to be devoid of team spirit or loyalty for the club.
If he does end up staying it seems it will not be because he really wants to be a Tiger.
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Maybe it’s just symptomatic of the “island boy “ upbringing and the pressure exerted, especially by some fathers to succeed in a new land. I saw Collins father harassing him on his debut the other week about wearing a lei around his neck for a family photo. It seemed obvious he didn’t want to wear it but his old man won out.
I spent many years visiting the Pacific Islands inc, PNG,Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Cooks and others and have seen first hand the upbringing of many young men, and the family pressures they are under.
Stef has not fully matured yet and is caught between a rock and a hard place in terms of what the right decision for him will be. In one way if other clubs drop off it may make things a bit easier for him to simply stay and play.
 
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