Stefano Utoikamanu’s lead-up to the State of Origin decider has not been ideal; he missed his flight from Melbourne to Sydney, causing a late arrival at the Blues camp. Utoikamanu described the incident as “really stupid,” admitting that he misread his boarding pass. Upon reaching Sydney, he addressed the media and took responsibility for the error.
“It wasn’t a good way to start. I misunderstood the departure time,” he said, explaining that he thought the listed 10am time referred to boarding rather than departure. Despite preparing to leave an hour before departure, he realised his mistake too late. He ended up informing his team manager, Frank Ponissi, that he would miss the flight.
Interestingly, it later came to light that Utoikamanu might have actually made it to the flight since it was delayed by about 20 minutes. However, he chose to stick to his backup plan. “I had good traffic, but I didn’t want to risk getting to the airport and potentially missing the flight,” he remarked.
Utoikamanu was one of three players absent from camp that morning, alongside Payne Haas, who was receiving back treatment, and Brandon Best, who was returning from Hamilton Island. Notably, the 25-year-old is thrilled about the chance to compete in what he describes as the biggest match of his career. “Playing here in Sydney makes it even more special in front of all the NSW fans,” he shared. He expressed eagerness to play alongside his teammates, despite still feeling rattled from his flight mishap.
Having transitioned from Wests Tigers to the Storm at the end of 2024, Utoikamanu is keen to seize this opportunity and contribute to his team’s success in the decider.