Stefano Utoikamanu #241

[Kelce68]

He's contracted till the end of 2025, so we have another year.
He'll resign and we'll pay him what he's worth.... Offer him what we offered stefanie.

Pole doesn't need 800k for 5 yet.

That would be a ludicrous contract.

What would be more ludicrous though would be not resigning him. It'll get done. One thing I am pleased about is that, hopefully, Stef's spot can now be filled by Sione for next year.

I'd almost expect a resigning announcement for him pretty soon tbh.

 

[Hbom]

Whether this is a good decision or bad decision depends on what happens next.

 

[Aceshigh]

He’s a fkn pillow pussy.
There’s plenty of footy players I’d be worried about running at, and this pretender ain’t one of them.
For over ten years we’ve been waiting for some decent forwards, the search continues.

He needs to be named in reserve grade this week , he don’t deserve to be in the team with those young blokes who are having a dig , soft as a pensioners turd this bum

 

[Tcat]

He needs to be named in reserve grade this week , he don’t deserve to be in the team with those young blokes who are having a dig , soft as a pensioners turd this bum

Make him play the full 80 in first grade.

 

[Kaito]

He'll cop it badly on Thursday night at leicchardt
if benji plays him. Send him to KOE, he's been useless
anyway. I understand the optics surrounding this
as @Moh mentioned but I feel like this is a win in
the long term, he hasn't got the backbone or the
character to lead our pack moving forward that's it.

 

[cqtiger]

He’s part of our overall problem.

He said he would like to lead our team but when things didn’t improve he put both his hands up. I would have two Sione’s for any one Stefano type of player.

Players that want to stay and fight we need.

 

[jirskyr]

OK cool let's target 2 x 450K props in replacement please. Or maybe even 3 x 300K props; whatever fits the roster space.

 

[mtd#2]

Whether this is a good decision or bad decision depends on what happens next.

Probably the most accurate post here 🙂

 

[mtd#2]

He’s part of our overall problem.

He said he would like to lead our team but when things didn’t improve he put both his hands up. I would have two Sione’s for any one Stefano type of player.

Players that want to stay and fight we need.

the problem is Sione isnt punching the line, he's getting the ball standing still most of the time.

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

He'll cop it badly on Thursday night at leicchardt
if benji plays him. Send him to KOE, he's been useless
anyway. I understand the optics surrounding this
as @Moh mentioned but I feel like this is a win in
the long term, he hasn't got the backbone or the
character to lead our pack moving forward that's it.

Wouldn't surprise me if he's not named for Thursday with the reason given being the pressure of the contract negotations (much like Turuva was given a week off) but really club will know the reception he'll get and won't want the optics.

 

[The Fresh Oil]

Meh.

My only takeaway is the reason it was worth taking a punt on Benji being a rookie coach was the players would want to play for him. Loosing someone with Stef’s potential is a worrying sign. Either way. Meh.

 

[Yossarian]

I would have preferred he stayed but I can't help think that he wasn't worth 800k on current form and it would have been a gamble.

 

[Furious1]

Wouldn't surprise me if he's not named for Thursday with the reason given being the pressure of the contract negotations (much like Turuva was given a week off) but really club will know the reception he'll get and won't want the optics.

Sometimes it’s good for punters to get a vent out. Who could ever forget the “Tedesco a cock and Woods is a Dog” signs 😂

 

[mtd#2]

Meh.

My only takeaway is the reason it was worth taking a punt on Benji being a rookie coach was the players would want to play for him. Loosing someone with Stef’s potential is a worrying sign. Either way. Meh.

Well they signed Luai on the back of Benji becoming the coach...
So maybe it'll take till 2025 for the playing group to start taking that attitude.

Am I correct in saying that Bennet is Marshall's mentor?
He might help him bring Tevita Pangai this way (Souths wont be able to fork out as much as us).

 

[bptiger 0]

I blame all this on Richo , he came here as the big white hope and what have got bugger all . And here’s why we told blore he was free to leave because of his injured pass , SO what do we do trade him for a one legged centre , so who came out on top from that deal RICHO
We then tell papa he can go too , if I am stepho I would thinking things are going south .
Then we realise Bateman , for me that would be the straw which broke the camels back .
This part I have no idea if it happened, but if I was CEO , before letting everyone walk I would have called a meeting and invited our new half back to speak about how changes next year will bring a different outcome. I would have laid out who we were chasing to strengthen the side , little things came make a big difference.
But all Richo and benji have done is weaken the team , I think him leaving will tigger a landslide of players wanting out

 

[GNR4LIFE]

OK cool let's target 2 x 450K props in replacement please. Or maybe even 3 x 300K props; whatever fits the roster space.

Haha I love this argument. I remember there was a suggestion in the Luai that instead of paying 1.2 million, you could buy two or three players with that money. And yes, I know you are being facetious.

 

[mtd#2]

I blame all this on Richo , he came here as the big white hope and what have got bugger all . And here’s why we told blore he was free to leave because of his injured pass , SO what do we do trade him for a one legged centre , so who came out on top from that deal RICHO
We then tell papa he can go too , if I am stepho I would thinking things are going south .
Then we realise Bateman , for me that would be the straw which broke the camels back .
This part I have no idea if it happened, but if I was CEO , before letting everyone walk I would have called a meeting and invited our new half back to speak about how changes next year will bring a different outcome. I would have laid out who we were chasing to strengthen the side , little things came make a big difference.
But all Richo and benji have done is weaken the team , I think him leaving will tigger a landslide of players wanting out

I think the core of the side was already weak BPtiger...

What they have done is let people go who weren't going to buy in to the long term plan... So far, I can live with what;s happened.

As some one mentioned earlier, it's what happens next and who we sign.

 

[Moh]

I disagree.

If you go back and watch the Luai interview as to why he's coming here, there are QUALITY players who believe they can turn the club around.... and WILL.

Stef just had no interest in being part of it with his boys... happy to jump ship for the 2nd time in 3 years (I think?)..

Stef is within the four-walls.

Luai, while I love his attitude, has no idea what's to come.

 

[Kaito]

Wouldn't surprise me if he's not named for Thursday with the reason given being the pressure of the contract negotations (much like Turuva was given a week off) but really club will know the reception he'll get and won't want the optics.

Absolutely. Johannssen is a late bloomer, with Sione
& Pole upping their game and $2.5m in the till, fans
shouldn't be too upset — At him, yes, 4 dogging it but
not at the club for not resigning him. I pray he goes
to the dogs and flops next season with those shitbags.
They're having a good year but so did wahs last year

 

[tigermate]

In the words of Wayne Bennett "you can't keep em' all". Good luck to the bloke.

Personally I'm not all that disappointed that he's moving on. 2024 has been the year that almost every other club has figured out that he's a bit suspect in defence against more agile players.

lol. Wayne says that due to salary cap pressure not bc players want to leave to win a premiership …