@weststigers said in [Wests Tigers snare teen tyro Utoikamanu\.\.\.](/post/1106618) said:
Can someone post this article?
parramatta eels resign young gun stefano utoikamanu to fend off wests tigers
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/teams/eels/parramatta-eels-resign-young-gun-stefano-utoikamanu-to-fend-off-wests-tigers/news-story/e2f2357bedb03c40c4db3db663a9fcec
its a nothing article - the usual rubbish from DT.
Wests Tigers have been dealt another recruitment blow with young gun Stefano Utoikamanu upgrading his contract with Parramatta Eels.
The Tigers had been hopeful of snaring Utoikamanu immediately after landing the Payne Hass-clone on a three-year deal worth about $800,000 from 2021.
However, the Eels refused to release the local product from his contract a year early, instead upgrading the 19-year-old prop from a development contract to a top 30 deal.
The contract allows Utoikamanu to fight for a first-grade spot in round one, with the Eels having high hopes he will make his NRL debut this year.
The Eels upgrade is just for the rest of the year, with Utoikamanu heading to the Tigers in 2021.
Parramatta general manager of football Mark O’Neill praised Utoikamanu’s dedication during the pre-season.
“Stefano is an exciting young prospect who has been training really well during the pre-season and has earnt this opportunity,” O’Neill said.
“He is held in such high regard from his peers and the broader Eels club.
“We are all looking forward to his contribution throughout this season as we strive to do better than what we achieved last year.”
Utoikamanu will continue his development at Parramatta.
Utoikamanu will continue his development at Parramatta.
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The Tigers had earmarked Utoikamanu to be a regular NRL player this season after the retirement of Ben Matulino. The Australian Schoolboys representative won man-of-the-match honours for NSW in their under-18 Origin match last year.
He will now compete for spots alongside a star-studded Eels forward pack that include off-season additions Ryan Matterson and Reagan Campbell-Gillard.
The Eels-Tigers clash in round five will have some extra attention given the way Matterson exited the Tigers last year and the Eels’ refusal to handover Utoikamanu this season.
Meanwhile, St George Illawarra have made a play for Parramatta winger George Jennings. Jennings, 26, played just two top-grade games last year.