Opportunities to play with Nathan Cleary and be coached by Craig Bellamy were the simple reasons Blaize Talagi and Stefano Utoikamanu signed deals with Penrith and Melbourne respectively for next year.
It is fair to say Talagi and Utoikamanu will not have to worry about playing in any future Spoon Bowls, as they did on Friday night for Parramatta and Wests Tigers.
Both players broke their silence after the game about their decisions to switch clubs, and why the sustained success at their new employers was simply too difficult to ignore.
Talagi said wearing Jarome Luai’s No.6 jersey alongside Cleary was every young player’s dream. He added his younger brother, Ryda, an Australian Schoolboys prop and Eels junior, was still weighing up a possible move to Penrith.
“I think there are a lot of things to it, but it was hard to turn down an opportunity like that [to play with Cleary],” Talagi said.
“It was the hardest decision I have had to make of my life”: Blaize Talagi will join the Panthers next season.Credit: Getty
“The only time I spoke to him was after the Penrith game [a few weeks ago]. He had a few nice words.
“It was the hardest decision I have had to make of my life. But I feel like I made the right decision.
“The plan was to play No.6, but whatever happens, I am looking forward to it.
“He [Cleary] has been at the top of his game for the past few years now, so when you get the chance to play with someone like that, it is exciting.”
Tigers’ prop Utoikamanu had Canterbury and Melbourne chasing him before he opted for a three-year deal with the latter. It took just one meeting with Bellamy, Utoikamanu said, to convince him to head south.
“It was kind of a no-brainer when you meet a coach like that – you see he gets the best out of players,” Utoikamanu said.
Stefano Utoikamanu says one meeting with Storm coach Craig Bellamy was enough to convince him to head to Melbourne.Credit: Getty
“I feel like I still have a lot more to offer, and that is the thing I am most excited about – I want to get the best out of myself.
“I was up and down this year. It didn’t help having to talk about my contract during the year. I wanted to get it done at the start of the year.
“They already have a mad team there [Melbourne], and adding me, I’ll only become a better player going there.
“I probably haven’t trained the way they’ve trained. I think I’ll love it there, and I think I’ll be good.”
Utoikamanu was impressed by the Bulldogs’ sales pitch, knew a few players and liked coach Cameron Ciraldo, but he said the move to the Victorian capital would “get me out of my comfort zone”.
The 24-year-old is expected to opt out of playing end-of-season internationals for Samoa so he can report for day one of pre-season.
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