Wests Tigers have written to the NRL to ask for clarity on Melbourne’s deal to sign their rising front-row star Stefano Utoikamanu.
The Tigers have disclosed their offer to the governing body: five years, $4 million and a vehicle. In total, the deal was worth about $825,000 a year. But that wasn’t enough to keep Utoikamanu.
Stefano Utoikamanu is Melbourne bound, but rival NRL clubs are asking questions about how the deal was done.Credit: NRL Photos
As a result, the Tigers have written to the NRL so they can learn about the Storm deal to ensure it is within the salary cap guidelines regarding offers.
The Tigers made the best offer of the three clubs chasing Utoikamanu’s signature, so it is understandable they want clarity. They want to understand how they lost him to the Storm.
There is no suggestion the Storm have done anything untoward, but the Tigers want clarity. In the background to all of this is anger and suspicion from rival clubs who can’t understand how the NRL approved Storm players investing in a company part-owned by Storm chairman Matt Tripp.
There are a number of clubs who are becoming increasingly frustrated with that situation and how the NRL approved it. The clubs believe it has helped the Storm sign Utoikamanu.
Storm star Harry Grant.Credit: Getty
In 2022, NRL salary cap auditors approved a controversial arrangement where a number of Melbourne players were allowed to invest in start-up betting company BetR, which was part-owned by Tripp. Those players are believed to include superstar trio Harry Grant, Ryan Papenhuyzen and Jahrome Hughes.
I have been told by sources with knowledge of the situation, who did not want to be named due to the sensitive nature of the issue, that some players invested six-figure sums in the business, which at the time was part-owned by News Corp.
BetR struggled to gain traction in a tough market has since merged with BlueBet. Tripp declined to comment when contacted.
Rival clubs are asking questions about the financial arrangements.
This masthead isn’t suggesting the players were given any guarantees over their investment or that the Storm did anything wrong, but rival clubs are fuming that the NRL’s approval of the arrangement helped keep players at the Storm below market value with the lure of a healthy return on their investment in BetR. In turn, some clubs feel this gave the Storm the salary cap space to sign someone like Utoikamanu.
Several NRL club officials raised concerns with the NRL at the time of the initial investment. Allowing players to invest in a business part-owned by the chairman of a club was always asking for trouble.
Mitch-information
Mitchell Moses a target for the Roosters? That was the case about eight years ago, but not any more.
Moses met with coach Trent Robinson and was offered $600,000 a year to join the Tricolours. Moses turned it down, and without knowing it, he did his dash with the club forever.
Fast-forward to today and the Roosters are wondering why they are being linked to Moses. Moses is now in the conversation as the best halfback in the game. His State of Origin series was better than any other Blues half since Andrew Johns 20 years ago.
The Roosters say they are not interested in signing Mitchell Moses.Credit: Getty Images
However, Roosters chairman Nick Politis has already put a line through Moses’ name.
Firstly, because the club sees Sam Walker as its long-term No.7. Secondly, because he has vowed to never again deal with Moses’ agent, Isaac Moses. And then there was that rejection all those years back.
Mitchell Moses is unhappy with Eels management but, as it stands, he has been in positive discussions with incoming coach Jason Ryles.
The loss of Moses would be a hammer blow for the Eels after young gun Blaize Talagi knocked them back to join Penrith.
And there may be more pain to come, as Isaac Moses – who manages Talagi – also has a significant number of Parramatta’s best juniors on his books as well.
Help to ease Hayne’s money pain
Even the fiercest supporters of Jarryd Hayne know talk of him returning to the NRL is fantasy-land stuff.
Hayne at his best was as good as any back-line player of the past two decades. His peak, though, was probably 15 years ago, when he won the Dally M Medal and took the Eels to the grand final in 2009.
I have clear memories of watching Hayne train with Roger Fabri in 2018 as a part of a running group because he no longer had an NRL contract. It was around the time Hayne was charged with sexual assault. At one of his final training sessions I interviewed Hayne and he was discussing his hope of returning to the NRL, at that point with the Dragons.
There was an offer ready to go worth about $500,000 a season, but even back then it was being debated if it was a good idea to play with the Dragons.
Move forward six years and there is no way an NRL club would consider Hayne for so many reasons, let alone his best football days being more than a decade ago.
Hayne walked out of a Sydney prison in June after the state’s top court quashed his sexual assault convictions. Hayne, 36, was found guilty at a third trial last year of two counts of sexual intercourse without consent of a 26-year-old woman in her Newcastle home on the night of the 2018 NRL grand final. On June 28, prosecutors said they would not pursue a fourth trial over the allegations.
Hayne has been seen training with Fabri, who is a close mate of the former Eels star and has stuck by him. Fabri is a marketing machine and the images of Hayne training have been everywhere.
What Hayne is really seeking is a big media deal, as we revealed some weeks ago. He wants to tell his story, but only for a significant price to recoup some of the money he spent on lawyers – believed to be about $3 million – to clear his name.
While Hayne has his freedom, his image and reputation are not what they were. Hayne is learning the hard way the media’s desire to pay for stories is not what it was either.
His fall from grace is a stunning story, but it may be difficult to sell because of the series of trials he went through, and what he was accused of. It would be a risky deal for a TV network, and while it may bring ratings, there would be considerable criticism as well.
At the heart of the matter is the wellbeing of a young woman who has been through six years of court battles. That is most important.
Raiders drummer fears a beat-up, says witness
The man who filmed the incident involving Raiders drummer Simon Tayoun at Belmore last Sunday has revealed he gave the cult figure a chance to avoid the situation and offered him help when he came face-to-face with Bulldogs fans. Both offers were knocked back.
Fifita Hala has given a different account of what took place in Belmore to that provided by Tayoun, who has been in the media saying he felt threatened. Hala, a respected player scout for the Bulldogs, wrote a lengthy email detailing what he says took place.
Simon Tayoun is surrounded by Bulldogs fans after Sunday’s game.
“After observing the considerable backlash on social media and the myriad of interpretations circulating regarding the incident, I feel compelled to express my distaste for how Simon is portraying himself as a victim,” Hala wrote.
Tayoun said he was struck in the head and abused by Canterbury fans and feared he could have been seriously injured had the Bulldogs lost to Canberra. Canterbury won 22-18. Video footage emerged online of Tayoun, 59, being surrounded by fans wearing Bulldogs colours on Burwood Road.
Hala said he made Tayoun aware he could be walking towards trouble.
“Jokingly, I called out to him from behind, asking if it was wise to be walking through the area dressed as he was [in Raiders gear],” Hala wrote.
“In response, Simon turned around and assertively stated that he hailed from Bass Hill and had lived in the area for a long time, asserting his right to do as he pleased. Concerned for his safety, I followed him to ensure nothing would escalate.
“At this point, Simon was approached by a group of Canterbury supporters. One fan asked if they could surround him with their drums, to which another supporter playfully pushed down on his knees from behind, as if to bow in jest. This interaction seemed to fuel Simon’s agitation, as he began pointing at them, passionately declaring his long-standing presence in the area — implying that he had every right to be there.
“The supporter who had jokingly pushed his knees down quickly apologised and backed off, but the other fans began to cheer him on, creating an atmosphere of tension.
“Recognising that the situation was spiralling, I intervened, attempting to guide Simon away from further confrontation. I offered to walk him back to his car, but he shrugged me off and continued to engage with the fans.
“I find it concerning this incident has been blown out of proportion. It risks exacerbating tensions, as Simon appears to be enabled by those now supporting him.
“While I do not condone bullying, the clearer it becomes that Simon was fully aware of his actions when he chose to walk through Terry Lamb Reserve towards the main road. His confrontational approach suggested he was indeed seeking an encounter with the Canterbury supporters.”
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