The dilemma: Why loyalty is a two-way street for Stefano

In the red corner we have his father Kava and in the blue corner is mum Esther.

In the red corner we have Tonga coach Kristian Woolf and in the blue corner stands Samoa mentor Ben Gardiner. 

For Melbourne Storm enforcer Stefano Utoikamanu, who has played for both Pacific powerhouses, the emotions will be churning at CommBank Stadium on Sunday.

Make no mistake, his loyalty lies with his Tonga teammates as they head into Sunday's monster showdown and the 26-year-old will be doing everything in his power to lead the red army into the semi-finals.

“It was a pretty hard decision to make but I’ve had a relationship with Woolfie for a while,” Utoikamanu told NRL.com. 

“He’s always been speaking to me since I came into the NRL about being part of this squad and being around the team. 

“At the same time Benny coached me when I was at Wests Tigers and I like him a lot. He’s been very good for me as I was developing my career. 

“The rivalry of Samoa and Tonga is intense and I love them both. 

“I grew up around my mum’s family but I also grew up with plenty of my Tongan family. So it’s been a tough week but I’m glad I’m here for Tonga.” 

Given that his dad played in the front row for Tonga during the seven-nation Pacific Cup held in Auckland in 1992, the pull towards the red corner was powerful.

“Yes my dad is very proud and I know every Tonga kid grows up wanting to put on this red jersey. I feel like it’s a pretty big privilege even though I grew up in Australia," he said.

Utoikamanu played two games for Samoa in the 2023 Pacific Championships before making his debut for Tonga in the 34-6 loss to Samoa at the 2025 Pacific Championships.  

“My mum will always support me no matter who I play for – she’s a mum and loves me no matter what,” the 26-year-old said when asked how his mother reacted to his switch. 

Utoikamanu said he wasn’t sure if his mother would wear her Samoan jersey on Sunday night. 

“I think she’ll be coming in neutral colours – she just wants me to do my best.” 

One man who understands Utoikamanu’s dilemma better than most is team-mate Tyson Frizell.

The 35-year-old played for Wales in the 2013 World Cup, for Australia in the 2017 tournament and after a four-year absence from the Kangaroos team, has been selected for Tonga at his third and final World Cup.  

“I know Stefano’s very proud of his Samoan side and you can be proud of two or more heritages,” Frizell told NRL.com. 

“I’m the perfect example since I’ve played for Wales and played for Australia and I’m very proud of all of them. 

“In this moment I’m playing for Tonga and I’ll do everything to perform well for that fan base, the Tongan people and the country.

“Stefano will be no different. He’ll be going 100 miles an hour for Tonga this Sunday but once the full-time whistle is blown, he’ll be embracing his Samoan brothers. 

“I think we all need to appreciate what these two countries have done for the international game. 

“They have both added such excitement around rugby league and Stefano has been part of all that.”