Recalled Blues enforcer Stefano Utoikamanu has waited two years for Origin redemption and won’t be letting anyone stop him, including Storm teammates Harry Grant and Cameron Munster.
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One of the key reasons Utoikamanu joined the Storm this season was to take his game to the level where he could get back to and thrive in the Origin arena.
The 25-year-old debuted for the Blues back in game two of the 2023 series, but played just 15 minutes in his Origin bow, before he was dropped by then coach Brad Fittler after the 32-6 loss at Suncorp Stadium.
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Utoikamanu doesn’t hold any grudges to Fittler or the coaching staff, but he has been driven ever since to prove that he can make it in the Origin cauldron.
“The last time I played I only played about 10 or 15 minutes or something like that,” Utoikamanu told foxsports.com.au from the Blues’ Blue Mountains camp.
“I’m just excited that I get to come back and get another opportunity to prove myself again.
“I felt like last time I didn’t really get an opportunity to do that and that’s on me as well.
“I felt like I didn’t play or do what I should have done to try to help the team. I felt like this time around I’ve learned that and I can definitely help the team.”
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One area where Utoikamanu would have had a jump on his teammates at their Blue Mountains base was with the cold conditions after coming from Melbourne, but you can take the boy out of Sydney, but you can’t take Sydney out of the boy.
“I feel like it’s even colder here than in Melbourne,” Utoikamanu said.
“As soon as I got here I was freezing.”
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The former Tigers star has taken his game to greater heights alongside Grant and Munster at the Storm in 2025.
However, the Blues giant has no qualms in running straight over the top of the two Queensland stars, if that’s what it takes for NSW to win the series in Perth.
“If that’s what’s best for the team, then that’s all it will do,” Utoikamanu said.
“If I see Harry or Munny in front of me then I won’t shy away. I’ll run straight at them.”
While excited to get his second chance in the Origin arena, Utoikamanu admits he wished it came under better circumstances after game one hero Mitch Barnett’s season ending injury.
“It was pretty shit that had to happen under these circumstances,” Utoikamanu said.
“But I’m just excited to be here again and to be actually playing means the world to me.
“I get another opportunity to go out there and wear this jersey again.”
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Despite playing just his second Origin game and first in two years, Utoikamanu believes the tumultuous build-up to game one will hold him in good stead, after Payne Haas was in doubt all week.
“In the first game, Payne pretty much didn’t train the whole time, so I had to pretty much replace him at training,” Utoikamanu said.
“So that was good because that helped me prepare for the game. In my head, I was just telling myself I’m playing, so that if on game I had to play, if they asked me I was ready. That was good in that sense.
“I’m kind of just going to do the same thing for game two, so I’ll get the reps in with the boys and that’s just how I’m going to approach it.”
Barring any late tweaks to the side, Utoikamanu is set to come off the pine and while he has been a regular starter for the Storm, he knows he needs to bring something different for the Blues on Wednesday night.
“I’m pretty sure I’m coming off the bench,” Utoikamanu said.
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“I think in Origin you have to be ready for anything. But I know when you come off the bench, you’ve got to bring your energy and have a good effect at the game when I come on.”
Helping Utoikamanu in his bid to exercise his Origin demons is club coach Craig Bellamy, who has been with him throughout the camp as an assistant coach to Laurie Daley.
The Storm big man has developed a relationship based on hard work and trust with the super coach since switching from the Tigers at the end of 2024.
“It’s pretty good to have him around,” Utoikamanu said.
“He’s a good mentor for pretty much anyone here. He’s a great coach and even for Loz, who hasn’t coached in a long time, so having Craig there has probably helped him a lot.
“I think having someone like that here, anyone can just go up to him and ask him whatever they need.
“He’s pretty good at that with me too. He’ll tell me if I ever need anything, just come talk to him, so he’s been great.”
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Queensland have been embroiled in controversy since the game one loss, after Billy Slater dropped his captain and halfback Daly Cherry-Evans.
However, Utoikamanu is wary of focusing too much on the opposition and buying into the noise.
“To be honest, I don’t really look too much into it,” Utoikamanu said.
“They lost the first game and everyone probably felt like they were going to make a change in this game.
“But I’m just focusing on what we have here and I’m really looking to get my job done.”
The Blues and Utoikamanu are under no illusions that the Maroons will be better in game two and will be desperate to force a decider in Sydney.
“We know that the Queensland team is going to come out firing,” Utoikamanu said.
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“We know that they have to be better and they’ve chosen a different team.
“I feel like this game we need to focus on ourselves on what we can do and if everyone does what they can do to the best of their ability, I’m pretty sure we get the win.”
