‘Unbelievably Silly’ Reason Behind Storm Player Stefano Utoikamanu’s Missed Flight to Blues Camp Before Origin Decider

Stefano Utoikamanu’s lead-up to the State of Origin decider hasn’t got off to an ideal start, having missed his flight from Melbourne to Sydney, causing him to arrive late at the Blues’ camp.

The Storm prop confessed that his flight misstep was “really silly,” admitting he misread his boarding pass.

Upon finally reaching Sydney, he faced the media and took full responsibility for the blunder.

“Not the best way to kick things off. It was definitely something really silly,” Utoikamanu stated.

“I checked my flight, and it showed a 10am departure, but for some reason, I thought it was for 10am boarding.”

“I started preparing about an hour prior to leave and then double-checked my flight details.”

“I had to ring Frank (Ponissi) to let him know I’d be missing my flight. It was a bit mad, and I’m still trying to get my head around it.”

“I thought I would arrive here, do two interviews, but it turned out to be much more than that. I’m still quite shaken up and feel bad about missing my flight.”

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Interestingly, it appears Utoikamanu may have actually caught his flight after it was delayed; however, he opted for the back-up plan instead.

“I had a decent run with traffic, but I didn’t want to take the chance of arriving late, which would have made things worse,” he said.

“That flight ended up being delayed by about 20 minutes, so I think I would have made it in the end.”

Utoikamanu was among three squad members absent from camp this morning, with Payne Haas (undergoing back treatment) and Brandon Best (returning from Hamilton Island) also missing.

The 25-year-old is genuinely thrilled about the chance to play in a home Origin decider.

“This is the most significant match I’ve played in throughout my career,” he remarked.

“To play here in Sydney makes it even more memorable, especially in front of the NSW supporters.”

“I’m just eager to hit the field and play alongside this fantastic group. I’m still quite overwhelmed at the thought of joining these guys.”

Utoikamanu transitioned from the Wests Tigers to the Storm at the close of 2024.