Tigers urged to be 'careful' over prop's $900k pay day
Stefano Utoikamanu could be set for a big pay day as negotiations continue with the Wests Tigers.
The prop has a get out clause in his contract that will allow him to leave the club if they don’t make the top eight or he fails to play at least two Origin matches for NSW.
With a lack of middle forwards on the market, Utoikamanu could be in high demand if he becomes a free agent.
9news reporter Danny Weidler revealed negotiations with the Tigers could result in Utoikamanu signing a five-year deal for close to $5 million.
Stefano Utoikamanu celebrates with his Tigers teammates.
“Right now they’re working through an offer,” he said on Nine’s 100% Footy.
“I know there was a meeting in the last week and Shane Richardson, the boss of that club, won’t give away everything from that meeting but I believe there’ll be a significant offer tabled to him and hopefully for the Tigers they’ll get to keep their man.”
With Utoikamanu set to be offered around $900,000-a-season, the big money deal has reportedly led to clubs baulking at a potential bidding war.
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League legend Paul Gallen believes that price tag is too high for the prop.
“He’s a great young front-rower but as far as being up around a million dollars a year, I don’t think there’ll be a club in the game … that pays that for him,” he said.
“The Tigers probably have to pay that for him to stay. Can you imagine him getting that at the Roosters or Panthers?
“I can probably understand they’re (clubs) baulking at that, that’s big money, that’s an elite Australian front-rower.
“He’s young and he could (reach that) but I think at this point in time I think clubs could be hesitant paying that sort of money for him but the Tigers at the moment where they’re at probably have to.”
Canterbury Bulldogs general manager Phil Gould, whose club is actively looking for front-rowers, said that price tag will come with intense scrutiny.
“That’s a big dollar value on a kid like that,” he said.
“Whether that’ll be good for him, I don’t know. Whether that will raise the expectation on him at this stage of his career, he’s got to be able to handle that.
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“You’ve got to be very careful with offering kids that sort of money and putting that sort of responsibility on them.
“He’s a talented young man, he’s a very nice young man. I actually flew home with him a couple of years ago when the Origin was in Adelaide … lovely boy, loves his football and is obviously a player of the future and has been in those Origin camps and around the Origin side for a couple of years.
“He’s got great talent, I’m sure the Wests Tigers don’t want to lose him but the player market at the moment is extraordinary.”