Stefano Utoikamanu: The Next Big Thing

NRL 2020: Stefano Utoikamanu contract, Parramatta Eels, Wests ...

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

You need to be a member of 1Eyed Eel to add comments!

Join 1Eyed Eel

Votes: 0
Email me when people reply –

Replies

  • Enjoy the Tigers. Hope the extra few dollars are worth it.

    • Imagine leaving this side because of money when, if he'd been sensible, he'd have a bench spot next year at a side that will, in all likelihood, be Premiership contenders. Let's not forget that Harry Grant heads back to Melbourne next season and right now, he's basically keeping them in games. 

      Hope he likes finishing 9th.

  • This reply was deleted.
    • and Matterson too.  He has plenty to learn and plenty of time ahead of him.  Eels now are a totally different joint to Wests and hopefully we have turned ourselves into a professional club for the long term.  Astute players and player managers will understand that and work out that top dollar doesnt always mean long term success.  If he develops to fulfil his promise he'll be welcomed back on appropriate terms.

  • He is already a "Big thing" - but can he cut it in FG?

    Must be a lot of disatisfied women hooked up with Eels supporters.

    • That's a woefull pun.

       

  • He'll be back before long. Most good Parra juniors eventually return.

    • You think so Finny, care to name the past returned successes please.

      Matto - who I don't think is playing as well as he did at the Rorters - at the Cocks he knew how to pass the ball once he opened space for his outside men, something he is sadly lacking lately.

      Junior - OK will definitely give you that one.

      Who else?

      • Michael Buettner, Jason Bell, David Penna, Ian Hindmarsh, Peter Johnstone, PJ Marsh just to name a few

        • Mitchell Moses can be added to that list

This reply was deleted.

More stuff to read

Marty replied to Cʜɪᴇғ -'s discussion Big News On Lomax
"We'll just been watching Matty John's Late, Hindy n Fletch interviewing Dragons - Lawrie, Lomax n Coach son, gotta say Lawrie n Lomax complete fuckwits. Coach son was pretty cool but other two prime nobs
Dragons can keep Lomax cause we have a No…"
28 minutes ago
Nightmare Off-Season replied to Cʜɪᴇғ -'s discussion Big News On Lomax
"Which is why I asked what you consider expensive? Would you say 500k? 600k?
If these players at up to 600k are classy & not expensive, it's a pretty small window reliant on what's available?
Which brings us back to the development angle, and that…"
36 minutes ago
AlShaw replied to Cʜɪᴇғ -'s discussion Big News On Lomax
"Yep winger or fullback"
45 minutes ago
Nightmare Off-Season replied to Cʜɪᴇғ -'s discussion Big News On Lomax
"For sure, as mentioned, 800k & there's no way the Eels will look at him. 600-650k, is possibly a different story. As you mentioned with salary cap, those centres might've been 600k but that was decent coin also.
100% agree though that it all depends…"
57 minutes ago
More…