Stefano Utoikamanu is poised to become Craig Bellamy’s latest success story after the highly-rated Wests Tigers prop signed with Melbourne for 2025.
One of the NRL season’s longest contract sagas drew to a close on Friday as Utoikamanu shunned interest from Canterbury to relocate to the Storm on a three-year deal.
The signing comes only days after the one-time NSW representative delivered a seismic blow to the struggling Tigers by rejecting their five-year contract offer.
Rated among the NRL’s most promising forwards, Utoikamanu had begun the season in excellent form and appeared a pillar around whom Benji Marshall’s side could continue to build.
Instead, he has become ladder-leading Melbourne’s most significant middle-forward signing since the club’s last premiership victory in 2020.
“Stefano is an exciting young forward and also an impressive young man,” said Storm general manager of football Frank Ponissi.
“I’m sure he’s going to come with a working hard attitude.”
Utoikamanu is the second Tiger to join the Storm in as many seasons after Shawn Blore signed in a player swap for Justin Olam this year.
Second-rower Blore has since become the latest player to soar under the tutelage of master coach Bellamy, the 24-year-old shining on the Storm’s left edge this season.
Utility back Nick Meaney and second-rower Eliesa Katoa have experienced similar upticks in form since arriving in Melbourne in recent seasons.
Utoikamanu hoped a fresh start could help further his own career as he addressed his future following the Tigers’ loss to North Queensland on Thursday night.
“Wherever I go next, I know that I’m going there as a fresh face,” he said prior to the Storm’s signing announcement.
“I think change is going to be good for me. Wherever I go next, I think I’m going to thrive.”
Utoikamanu’s future had been a hot topic all season, owing to both his strong potential and unusual contract clauses devised under the Tigers’ previous administration.
He had initially been tied to the joint venture through 2025, but had a clause that permitted him to leave at the end of this season if the side failed to make the finals and he did not play two State of Origin games.
Speculation intensified after it became clear the 17th-placed Tigers would again finish the season towards the foot of the ladder, and Utoikamanu was overlooked by new Blues coach Michael Maguire.
Penrith, Canberra and St George Illawarra had all been interested in securing him before a two-horse race emerged between the Storm and Bulldogs in recent weeks.
Utoikamanu said the ongoing scrutiny had contributed to a recent downturn in form.
“It’s not ideal that I had to make a decision on where I want to go during the season,” he said.
“I feel like that’s kind of stuffed up my season a bit.”
Melbourne sit four points clear atop the NRL ladder and are rated strong chances of running deep into the finals, especially now star five-eighth Cam Munster is back fit.
But Utoikamanu said the difficult decision to leave Wests was more about personal growth than the chance for premiership glory.
“It’s less about winning a comp and more about me getting to a new club and developing as a player,” Utoikamanu said.
“I thought it was just the best decision for me and my family to leave (the Tigers) now. It’s pretty upsetting but it is what it is.
“I love this club and everyone in it and I love all the boys and all the coaches, so it was probably the hardest decision I’ve had to make in my career so far.”
