BREAKING: Tigers hold talks with star forward about future.
The Wests Tigers have discussed Stefano Utoikamanu’s future with his manager, Daniel O’Loughlin. While Utoikamanu is still under contract with the joint-venture until the end of 2025, a clause in his contract allows him to leave the club at the end of this year if the team fails to make the final.
While the Tigers have shown improvement during the early exchanges of the 2024 campaign under new coach Benji Marshall, there is no guarantee they will be in contention for the finals at the back-end of the season.
Utoikamanu, who is expected to receive a significant salary increase for his next contract, would likely have plenty of suitors from around the competition if he were to look elsewhere; however, News Corp reports that the club is looking to finalize a long-term deal with the star prop as soon as possible.
Wests Tigers chief executive Shane Richardson, who is said to have met with Utoikamanu’s manager, has previously stated that the club will do all possible to keep the forward.
Those comments came after the prop was connected with three-time defending premiers the Penrith Panthers, who decided to release James Fisher-Harris to the New Zealand Warriors at the end of the season.
Utoikmanau too had indicated his preference to remain with the club, although it’s clear the Origin hopeful wants success and an environment which won’t leak to the media – something the Tigers appear to have well and truly cleaned up since the last board led by Justin Pascoe was removed.
The Tigers view Utoikamanu as their long-term forward pack leader, with the former junior Blue beginning to make good on his enormous potential at NRL level.
There is no clear time frame for the forward to make a call on his future.
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