Utai signs new deal with the Tigers

ON the back of an impressive return to the NRL, Wests Tigers centre Matt Utai has received an additional one year deal which will tie him to the club until the end of 2012.

After leaving the NRL for one season, the former New Zealand International joined the Tigers in 2011 on a one year deal in hopes of resurrecting his career.

Playing 18 games during that time in the absence of Test stars Chris Lawrence and Lote Tuqiri, Utai has been more than deserving of another year according to Tigers CEO Stephen Humphries.

Like the 2011 pre-season, Utai rejoined the side ahead of 2012 without a deal however his comitment at training combined with performances on the field made him more than worthy of another deal.

“He had returned to training and now we’ve signed him on a new one year deal,” Humphries told Sportsnewsfirst.com.au.

“Matt exceeded everyone’s expectations last year.

“He quickly became a popular member of the squad and really committed himself to training with the squad last year and he has already started his 2012 preparation in the same vein.

“Another one year contract is a reward for his efforts last year.”

The 30-year-old received a career lifeline after spending 2010 playing park football for the Auburn Warriors.

The Tigers attempted to sign Utai last year after he reneged on a deal to play in England with Celtic Crusaders however it fell through when the Super League side demanded a transfer fee which resulted in his stint at park football.

The former Canterbury Bulldog debut in 2002 where he won the Dally M rookie of the year before going on to winning a premiership with the club in 2004.

Utai filled in at wing and centre for the Concord based club his versatility proved invaluable prompting an additional season.

“He broke his arm (in late May) and still managed to play 18 games,” Humphries said of Utai.

“He contributed in a fairly significant way to our success last year.”
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http://www.sportsnewsfirst.com.au/articles/2011/11/30/utai-signs-new-deal-with-the-tigers/
 
Difficult to see how he gets much of a run in 2012 as you'd have to expect both Brown and Reddy to be ahead of him as the backup back/number 14 and that's without even considering the first grade chances of Humble, Grant, Tedesco and any other juniors we might have floating about the fringes. That said, I wasn't expecting him to get many games in 2011 either and he ended up pretty much playing whenever fit.

On the assumption that he's not getting paid much I think another deal's probably fair enough reward for his efforts in 2011 and his value as a backup. I sincerely hope he hasn't lost any pace, though - if he has he'll pretty much be going backwards. The try he scored against the Titans on the Monday night game at the back end of the season was hilarious - 30 metres clear run to the line and I swear Luke Bailey was hauling him in.
 
@2041 said:
Difficult to see how he gets much of a run in 2012 as you'd have to expect both Brown and Reddy to be ahead of him as the backup back/number 14 and that's without even considering the first grade chances of Humble, Grant, Tedesco and any other juniors we might have floating about the fringes. That said, I wasn't expecting him to get many games in 2011 either and he ended up pretty much playing whenever fit.

On the assumption that he's not getting paid much I think another deal's probably fair enough reward for his efforts in 2011 and his value as a backup. I sincerely hope he hasn't lost any pace, though - if he has he'll pretty much be going backwards. The try he scored against the Titans on the Monday night game at the back end of the season was hilarious - 30 metres clear run to the line and I swear Luke Bailey was hauling him in.
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Brown will not be ahead of him, as evidenced by Sheens' selection of Utai over Brown in the #14 in the Warriors final.
 
@Cultured Bogan said:
@2041 said:
Difficult to see how he gets much of a run in 2012 as you'd have to expect both Brown and Reddy to be ahead of him as the backup back/number 14 and that's without even considering the first grade chances of Humble, Grant, Tedesco and any other juniors we might have floating about the fringes. That said, I wasn't expecting him to get many games in 2011 either and he ended up pretty much playing whenever fit.

On the assumption that he's not getting paid much I think another deal's probably fair enough reward for his efforts in 2011 and his value as a backup. I sincerely hope he hasn't lost any pace, though - if he has he'll pretty much be going backwards. The try he scored against the Titans on the Monday night game at the back end of the season was hilarious - 30 metres clear run to the line and I swear Luke Bailey was hauling him in.

Brown will not be ahead of him, as evidenced by Sheens' selection of Utai over Brown in the #14 in the Warriors final.
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Fair point. I wonder if that will still be the case if we have a fully-fit Tuqiri to do the hard carries out of defence that Utai came on to do in the Warriors game. But yeah, amend my view appropriately.
 
@Cultured Bogan said:
@2041 said:
Difficult to see how he gets much of a run in 2012 as you'd have to expect both Brown and Reddy to be ahead of him as the backup back/number 14 and that's without even considering the first grade chances of Humble, Grant, Tedesco and any other juniors we might have floating about the fringes. That said, I wasn't expecting him to get many games in 2011 either and he ended up pretty much playing whenever fit.

On the assumption that he's not getting paid much I think another deal's probably fair enough reward for his efforts in 2011 and his value as a backup. I sincerely hope he hasn't lost any pace, though - if he has he'll pretty much be going backwards. The try he scored against the Titans on the Monday night game at the back end of the season was hilarious - 30 metres clear run to the line and I swear Luke Bailey was hauling him in.

Brown will not be ahead of him, as evidenced by Sheens' selection of Utai over Brown in the #14 in the Warriors final.
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Agreed, although begrudgingly… :frowning:
 
I like Utai. I think we have better wing options though.

Is it possible we just use him off the bench as a battering ram for 30-40 minutes a game? The issue I see with this is that I don't think he holds much defensive capability.
 
After his efforts with us last year I think he does deserve a contract this year ( I have no idea what he was on last year but I would believe it was much ) ….. Not once on that field he didn't give 110%.. :sign:
 
I've always had mixed feelings about Utai. I mean sure he looks good on paper, and I've seen him put some good efforts in, but at the same time I'm seen him pull of some shockers. He's slow and isn't the best at handling, not really sure why they keep putting him on the wing
 
Matt Utai's NRL revival will continue after Wests Tigers signed the veteran winger to a new one-year deal.
**<big>Tigers re-sign Utai for one NRL season</big>\
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AAP Wed, Nov 30, 2011 - 4:36 PM\
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http://www.nrl.com/tigers-re-sign-utai-for-one-nrl-season/tabid/10874/newsid/65541/default.aspx**

The 30-year-old former Bulldogs player resurrected his career with the Tigers last season after playing park football for Auburn Warriors in 2010.

And a solid return, in which he scored six tries in 20 games, has resulted in Utai securing another season at the joint venture club.

"His experience was invaluable in the run in to the finals series," Wests Tigers recruitment manager Warren McDonnell said.

"We are very pleased that Matt will be in the Wests Tigers jersey again in 2012."
 
@DJZ said:
After his efforts with us last year I think he does deserve a contract this year ( I have no idea what he was on last year but I would believe it was much ) ….. Not once on that field he didn't give 110%.. :sign:
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Watching him with a broken arm last year was one of the most courageous things I have seen in the game (bear in mind I'm only 26 and the modern game is really all I know!)
 
Youve gotta figure that having had many,many months to look around,Utai hasnt exactly been knocked over in the rush for his services ,& therefore weve got him at a very modest price.
His strengths & unfortunately his weaknesses have been well chronicled ,& despite that theres no doubt that as a Sheens favorite he'll play some 1st grade in 2012,but…just how many "fringe "1st grade backs do we need?We seem to have signed a truckload,but the only truly established & proven 1st grade backs are Benji,Lawrence & Ayshford .....& Lote if he can possibly put 2011 behing him & bounce back(not easy when yr 33)
We dont have a proven no 7(but have a zillion "maybe's"),and a fullback(Moltzen) and a winger(Ryan) who have only had half a season in their respective roles at the standard expected where they actually are a threat to oppostion defences...and yet we keep signing discards & maybes
 
Dont laugh…I reckon Utai would be a great PROP....used in the same mould as Gallen is in SOO and the Test side...great drive; hard to put down; and can offload!!
 
@alexaki said:
Dont laugh…I reckon Utai would be a great PROP....used in the same mould as Gallen is in SOO and the Test side...great drive; hard to put down; and can offload!!
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and thats exactly how Sheens plays him..as a wide running prop/back rower.
But on the end of a slick backline he's just too slow to convert opportunities,& is a total liability in defence (ask gasnier)or under the high/bouncing ball
If he's a surrogate prop,play him there & get him out of the backline
 
way too short to be a prop, hooker maybe. But I don't think our signings for next season are too bad. We've signed one marquee in Blair, we can't expect every signing to be him. Sheens already has one of the best run on squads in the league, too add to many more star players would put a lot of pressure on the cap.

But having said that I think they could have held off on putting Utai to paper until they know what their options are. I heard some talk of Nightingale moving on from the Dragons. I think he'd be a real boon for us
 
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