Stefano Utoikamanu avoids charge as Raiders’ win over Storm …
During the NRL Magic Round on Sunday, 4 May 2025, the Raiders claimed a golden-point 20–18 win over the Storm. Brisbane’s bunker overruled a field-goal attempt by Melbourne’s Ryan Papenhuyzen, sending the game into extra time .
In extra time, Storm prop Stefano Utoikamanu was sin‑binned for stomping on Raiders hooker Tom Starling. Canberra then kicked the winning penalty goal shortly after .
The NRL Match Review Committee decided not to charge Utoikamanu after
Coach Craig Bellamy openly criticized his side’s discipline, lamenting that “you show me a bloke that gives away two penalties when you’ve got the ball in a game” .
Billy Slater defended the pair, saying he thought both Utoikamanu and Josh Papalii were wrongly pinged .
Stefano Utoikamanu, now settled in at Melbourne, has emphasized gaining from the experience and focusing on improvement under Bellamy. He also remains in consideration for New South Wales in the upcoming State of Origin series .
Utoikamanu appeared in 14 games for Melbourne in 2025 so far, and was previously with Wests Tigers (75 NRL appearances) .
As of late May, he’s forcibly part of the extended Blues squad, ready to step in if injuries happen .
Raiders win: Golden-point triumph (20–18) powered by Canberra’s capitalizing on Storm indiscipline .
No charge: Utoikamanu escaped further consequences, though he was sin-binned .
Learning curve: The incident has become a pivotal moment in his development under Melbourne’s strict standards.
