Former rugby league star Braith Anasta believes the Wests Tigers “need to go above” and outbid their rivals in an attempt to keep wantaway forward Stefano Utoikamanu at the club.
Reports emerged on Tuesday Utoikamanu was expected to reject the club’s five-year, $4 million offer and test himself on the free agency market.
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The decision could also be taken out of the Tigers’ hands should a bizarre clause relating to Origin kick in, as missing Blues selection for Game II means the 24-year-old can leave the club at the end of the season.
Although rugby league pundit Paul Crawley questioned if Utoikamanu was worth the money, Anasta pointed out players in his position are few and far between in the competition.
“He has a lot of potential, he’s a great kid,” Anasta said on NRL 360.
“But he certainly hasn’t proven himself as a top line front rower.
“But the problem is there are limited front rowers in this competition on the market than there are clubs, and good clubs, that need them.
“So the reality is he’s going to get overs. He is going to get overs.”
Former England international James Graham made the point some of the league’s biggest teams are after front rowers, including the likes of South Sydney, Penrith and the Melbourne Storm.
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Crawley once again questioned if those clubs would be willing to fork out the coin Utoikamanu desired.
“Can those clubs offer overs? Over $800,000 for a player at this point in his career,” Crawley said.
“I believe if he knocks back that Tigers offer, it will be because he can see his dream somewhere else, the premiership dream.”
It prompted Anasta to state the Tigers won’t have any other choice other than placing even more money on the table.
“I reckon if he gets the same money somewhere else, he will go,” Anasta said.
“The Tigers need to go above (their rivals).”
Utoikamanu isn’t the only player linked with an exit, with recent speculation linking Jayden Sullivan to the Super League.
News Corp’s David Riccio detailed the rumours as the Tigers are once again locked in a familiar situation of needing to shift high-earning, underperforming players on.
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“There’s rumours that Shane Richardson, that we know has spent the last two weeks over in the Super League working to try and clean the Wests Tigers salary cap up, of which Jayden Sullivan is one of them,” Riccio said.
“Reports have emerged this morning that Jayden has been linked to a move to the UK. His management are saying, ‘No chance in the world that’s happening.’
“Again, it’s this situation at the Tigers. They’re constantly cleaning up their own mess.”
Crawley believed Sullivan was entitled to remain with the club, claiming the Tigers’ efforts to force him out as “unfair”.
“There’s a contract and the only way to break the contract is if both parties agree to it,” Crawley said.
“In the situation of this young guy, why should he move? The Tigers signed him on a four-year deal, it ends at the end of 2027, for five or six-hundred thousand dollars.
“We’re 14 rounds into the competition and there’s this talk that they’re potentially going to want to move him on. It’s just so unfair.”