Stefano Utoikamanu #241

[magpies forever]

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.

I would imagine the demise of the Melbourne Rebels put a dent in his (NAS) desire to remain in Melbourne / VIC and play RU if ousted from the Storm.

 

[Aceshigh]

Hard withte cattle, but I would employ a strategy tha keeps the opposition guessing, a Diamond run

Mate we would need Benny to be playing to employ those tactics , even his team mates were clueless to what he would do 😂

 

[Snidest 0]

FYP

Droll...

Good luck with the aspirations champ- as mentioned Cheika has signed with Leicester Tigers so no barriers in your way to build up your resume for the Lebanon job for the 2026 World Cup!

 

[Greek tiger]

for some reason, I have a feeling he goes to dogs which I would absolutely hate

 

[TYGA]

for some reason, I have a feeling he goes to dogs which I would absolutely hate

⛈️

 

[Tucker]

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.

He is selling a lemon. Feel sorry for him.

 

[liltiger]

The article states he has a soft spot for Parra who helped developed his game. Lol. How or when did they do that exactly. I'm just guessing here but his manager wouldn't be that piece of 💩Isaac Moses would it. And if he stays Richo better bloody make sure it is for more than only 1 year. If he only wants 1 year he can bugger off and take this circus with him.

 

[Tucker]

The article states he has a soft spot for Parra who helped developed his game. Lol. How or when did they do that exactly. I'm just guessing here but his manager wouldn't be that piece of 💩Isaac Moses would it. And if he stays Richo better bloody make sure it is for more than only 1 year. If he only wants 1 year he can bugger off and take this circus with him.

If he goes to Parra, his narrative of winning games is exposed.
I’d suspect Storm will lowball him, aware of his want to be a part of a winning culture.
Then we’ll see exactly how full of shit he is.

 

[Needaname]

for some reason, I have a feeling he goes to dogs which I would absolutely hate

I think Gus can see past the value of having a big bodied front rower without aggression and would prefer his mobile utilities.
Sam Hughes is shaping up to be a really good prop and Max King is just a real hustler.

 

[Snidest 0]

The article states he has a soft spot for Parra who helped developed his game. Lol. How or when did they do that exactly. I'm just guessing here but his manager wouldn't be that piece of 💩Isaac Moses would it. And if he stays Richo better bloody make sure it is for more than only 1 year. If he only wants 1 year he can bugger off and take this circus with him.

The same club that he desperately wanted to get away from because how they failed to provide adequate support to his older brother broke his kneck????

‘My brother would be proud’: The horrific accident driving Utoikamanu’s Origin debut

Stefano Utoikamanu will fulfil a life-long ambition when he runs out for the Blues in Origin II. It was a dream shared by his brother, until a shocking on-field injury ended his career.

www.smh.com.au

This big boofhead has zero integrity if he re-invents the narrative and returns to Parra regardless of who the coach is!!

Can't believe the pathetic scabs who scurry back to the same club that treated them like shit or didn't rate them as juniors - Moses & Matterson being the parasitic poster boys!

And if Galvin ever considers Parra - he is also a similar level of pathetic douchebag!

 

[Enmore_Tiger]

So much Player Agent manipulation and misinformation going on. Maybe best to see how it plays out before jumping to heavy conclusions about the bloke.

 

[innsaneink]

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.

I imagine it would, be very difficult to perform at yiur best when the team is getting lapped.
He still is very immature I think and I think the " if you guys aren't gonna do it then neither am I" attitude is still there with him
I think a great mentor to show him what it really means to be a leader would benefit him. (Farah, what are yiu doing)
Or maybe he just doesn't have leadership qualities in him.

He's guilty imo of reading his own positive press... Getting ahead of himself and thinking he's further than where he really should be.
Whoever selected him for NSW really didn't help in that regard... Totally unready for that leave and then the subsequent ridiculous contract clauses on top of a shocking rep debut.. Just terrible.

Hope we can keep him

 

[balmain boy]

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.

There's not a chance in hell that Stef, or his family, went acting to do with Parra. Pure spin

 

[cktiger]

The same club that he desperately wanted to get away from because how they failed to provide adequate support to his older brother broke his kneck????

‘My brother would be proud’: The horrific accident driving Utoikamanu’s Origin debut

Stefano Utoikamanu will fulfil a life-long ambition when he runs out for the Blues in Origin II. It was a dream shared by his brother, until a shocking on-field injury ended his career.

www.smh.com.au

This big boofhead has zero integrity if he re-invents the narrative and returns to Parra regardless of who the coach is!!

Can't believe the pathetic scabs who scurry back to the same club that treated them like shit or didn't rate them as juniors - Moses & Matterson being the parasitic poster boys!

And if Galvin ever considers Parra - he is also a similar level of pathetic douchebag!

No proof of any of this of Galvin or the Ute ., all ridiculous speculation

 

[Roar_Power]

‘Good fit’: Why Bellamy knows Utoikamanu would succeed at Storm​

ByChristian Nicolussi​

July 5, 2024 — 7.33pm


Craig Bellamy has admitted Stefano Utoikamanu would be a “good fit” for the Melbourne Storm as the young Wests Tigers prop prepares to do battle with his potential future club.
One of the game’s greatest coaches has enjoyed success with former Tiger Shawn Blore this season – and would love the chance to work with Utoikamanu.

As he touched down in Sydney with the competition table-toppers ahead of Saturday’s clash against the Tigers at Leichhardt Oval, Bellamy told this masthead: “I think Stefano would be a good fit for any team.
“He’s a talented kid, big and strong, he certainly has a lot of talent, and looks like he’s got a good work ethic as well.

“He’s played Origin, he’s only young as well, so he’s got a lot of improvement.
“I know we’re playing him this weekend, but that’s in ‘Bunny’s’ [recruitment boss Paul Bunn’s] hands with what happens next [in terms of meeting him].

“He’s a local kid at the Tigers. That will make it harder for him to move. I think every team would love to have him – and we’re no different.”
Utoikamanu had clauses in his Tigers deal that allowed him to test the open market if he failed to play two Origin games this season, or the joint venture failed to reach the finals.

After being overlooked by the Blues for the first two Origin games, Utoikamanu was given the Tigers’ blessing to gauge the interest of other clubs.
The Tigers tabled a five-year $4m deal, and remain hopeful Utoikamanu will stay.

The young Tigers’prop is expected to meet with Melbourne officials this weekend.CREDIT:RHETT WYMAN

St George Illawarra ruled themselves out of the race on Thursday, while Canberra confirmed they had followed suit on Friday.
Sources with knowledge of the situation not authorised to speak publicly told this masthead Utoikamanu could yet remain at the Tigers next year in the hope a better deal will open up at one of the heavyweight Sydney clubs, including the Panthers. The 24-year-old and his partner want to be close to family.

The last time he played at Leichhardt, Utoikamanu said about his future beyond this season: “I love the Tigers, but it’s hard when we are struggling.”
The Storm are a premiership threat, which has huge appeal for Utoikamanu, who was first linked to the club over the summer.

Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy.CREDIT:GETTY
There have since been several reports Melbourne’s Nelson Asofa-Solomona could join the Tigers to play under good friend Benji Marshall should Utoikamanu head south.
“At the end of the day, you want players to be happy,” said Bellamy, when asked about the Asofa-Solomona and Tigers’ speculation.

“Nelson hasn’t said anything to me. And I haven’t heard other people at our club come and say that Nelson has gone to see them. It hasn’t happened. I’m not sure where it comes from.”
Blore joined the Storm as part of an off-season swap deal with Justin Olam, and since become a regular starter in the back row.

Bellamy said one thing that surprised the club was how many minutes Blore was capable of playing.
Marshall confirmed Olam was due to return from a knee injury against the Storm.

Olam was named in the No. 22 jersey, still struggled to stretch out for most of Friday’s captain’s run, but expected to return to the centres with winger Luke Laulilii to drop out.
Meanwhile, Balmain junior Ryan Papenhuyzen is expected to return from a heel injury to play his first NRL game at Leichhardt.
Bellamy, however, said with the bye next weekend, he would take no chances with his No. 1 if he was sore.
“He’s been having injections [into the heel], but he ran today [Friday] as good as he’s run since he’s had this injury; but when that [painkiller] wears off, who knows – if he’s in any doubt or sore, we’ll pull him out,” Bellamy said.

 

[GCfan]

With all the suitors dropping like flies, I’m tipping Steph has a blinder this arvo to bring some clubs back to the table. If he doesn’t I reckon that’s probably a sign he’s staying

 

[bradexl]

Stef will muscle up today and put on a show in front of his future coach CB

 

[finnzo]

I think we need to Remember Stephano has not done a thing wrong. He hasn’t asked for a release. He’s current contract is up and he is negotiating a new 1 it’s in his best interest to see what the best deal he can get is

People need to lay off him once again he hasn’t done anything wrong

Don’t believe everything you read in the media it’s a bunch of crap

 

[Bellend]

This has dragged on to far to long at the end of the day West Tigers end up with the black eye, should have done a deal with Penrith or Melbourne and moved him on already. This is a joke that reflects badly on player and club.

 

[Spartan117]

I think we need to Remember Stephano has not done a thing wrong. He hasn’t asked for a release. He’s current contract is up and he is negotiating a new 1 it’s in his best interest to see what the best deal he can get is

People need to lay off him once again he hasn’t done anything wrong

Don’t believe everything you read in the media it’s a bunch of crap

I really hope he stays,

Absolutely pathetic contract clause by the incompetent previous management.

They're the real failures here.