Few things generate more discussion and excitement in rugby league world than rookie with more size than a lot of seasoned professionals.
At 191cm and 115kg, he's Parramatta's second largest player behind Junior Paulo. But at just 20 years of age, that size is unbelievable.
A Cabramatta junior, Utoikamanu has long been earmarked for bigger and better things.
At the age of 18 he made his NSW Cup debut for Wentworthville and at the age of 19 he moved into that squad full time.
He also represented NSW at Under 18s and Under 20s level, featuring as a dominant force in both those games and scoring a match winning try for the 18s.
He played 17 games in the reserve grade competition in 2019, racking up an impressive 604.8 post contact metres, 35 tackle busts and 455 tackles.
Utoikamanu was a dominant force in the lower grades due to his size, but his reserve grade performances were impressive given he faced grown men, some of whom played at NRL level.
Although signed for the Wests Tigers from 2021 onwards, Brad Arthur and the Eels did the right thing in refusing an early release, allowing them to upgrade him to the full time NRL squad and unleash him on the Knights this weekend.
If he is nervous about his NRL debut this week, he needn't look any further than the man who is currently the form prop in the competition and who fills out the Blue and Gold number 10 in Junior Paulo. The Eels wrecking ball himself debuted at the age of 19 way back in 2013.
Paulo has become one of Parramatta's biggest weapons and a key cog in the side's assault on the 2020 Premiership.
Utoikamanu is the latest in a growing list of Eels juniors that have come through to first grade under Brad Arthur including Marata Niukore, Oregon Kaufusi, Ray Stone, Dylan Brown and Reed Mahoney.
Stats:
Height: 191cm
Weight: 115kg
Eels number: 807
Born: Otahuhu, NZ
Reps: NSW Under 18s, NSW Under 20s
Contract: Full time 2020, Wests Tigers 2021 onwards
Replies
So that's three just in the current team.
Matto's stats say otherwise. He's thrown more offloads on 8 games for us than he ever managed in a single season at the Roosters/Tigers, he's averaging more running metres and more fantasy points per game than at any other point in his career. I think if you asked Brad Fittler, Matto would be in his Origin team right now.
You may also think he threw more passes at the Roosters because he did play in the halves for them on some occasions.
If only we could have offloaded Alvaro n peni and kept Utoki. Oh well
I think something happened with the club and his younger brother who injured his neck in our juniours and his parent disliked the way the club treated him is another reason my he signed with Tigers by memory. But contracts mean nothing these days would love if he back flipped.
Keep watching this space. I have info on some great news for all stuck on Parra fans.
It's actually an older brother. Don't know the rest of the story though
Is Kaufusi better? He seems to get the nod ahead of Stefano week in week out. This goes back to last year as well before he signed with the Tigers.
Just who's opinion really.
Both have their good points and faults.
Mine is Kafusi is ahead because of FG experience.
We will see how he goes i think in the end it was a decision between him and Kaufasi.
He got a offer to good to refuse so he went parra were not going to get into a bidding war over a player yet to debut and can't argue with that.
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