The Wests Tigers have given star prop forward Stefano Utoikamanu permission to test his value on the open market, but the club “remains hopeful” they can convince their enforcer to extend his stay at the joint venture.
The second part of the equation is already out of the question after he missed out on selection for game two, while the Tigers are highly unlikely to finish in the top eight despite a couple of terrific wins in recent weeks. “We’ve sat down with Stefano, his partner Chiara, and his management, and we all want what’s best for him and his family,” Wests Tigers chief executive Shane Richardson said.
The Tigers have made it clear how much they want Utoikamanu to stay, with teammates praising him throughout the season, while rookie coach Benji Marshall described him as one of the top three props in the game.“We love Stef, and we’ve made it really clear with him that he’s a big part of our future,” Marshall said back in April.