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
I do not see the hype with this bloke. Doesnt bother me him moving on and Tigers paying overs for him. Kafusi better player and I think we have few young Props in lower grades to make their way up.
Having said that - I support Parra and will be cheering for him on the weekend and hope he makes some impact off the bench.
Best wishes for the fella. Hope he proves me wrong, but I don't see him, at present as a do or die keeper. From what I have seen thus far, he has been an over rated plodder. Good luck to the Tigers. Hope the money spent pans out.
You'd have to think that the new faster game would work against his body type. Very few with his weight can punch out longer minutes. His value would have dropped after the rule changes took place
From the training reports I'm sure I remember he was putting in the effort. Maybe he's young and fit enough to keep up.Hopefully we can get to a good lead early so he's not thrown in at some crucial time.
No guarantees he'll be a star and can't keep em all. Who knows he might play his best 10 games of his career off the bench for us and contribute to a premiership. These days you aren't guaranteed to keep players longer than 2 or 3 years anyway.
How's his fitness?
Can he back out of his deal and stay with us? I don't see the hype in the games iv watched but he is only a young fella
Why would he back out? The Tigers have offered crazy money on untested potential. I would wonder about the soundness of our recruitment and retainment if they offered 800K over 3 years to kid who's not played a single minute of NRL football. He could have all the potential in the world and good luck to him but this is a risky purchase any given day.
There are literally hundred's of potential superstars that turned out duds.
I'd rather spend the extra coin on Sivo, Reed and Dylbags. Sivo is already the best winger in the game and Reed and Dylbags are stars and on course to become superstars and poster boys of the game.
Eels have grabbed players from other clubs why would you begrudge Tigers this signing? Matterson walked out of his contract for more money. Lane also and was probably Manly's best. Panthers released Api for same reason. Now he is back where he belongs, happy and reflecting in his game.
Manly released Lane because they had Sironen and Thompson.
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