Canterbury Bulldogs ready to add Wests Tigers prop Stefano Utoikamanu to their kennel

Canterbury are ready to welcome Stefano Utoikamanu with open arms, as the Bulldogs close in on trying to lure the in-demand Wests Tigers prop to Belmore.

Utoikamanu has put any decision on his future on hold until after the Tigers’ clash with the Warriors on Friday night, after a long-running contract saga.

The race for his signature is now believed to be down to four clubs, after the Bulldogs emerged as a potential frontrunner this week.

The Tigers still hold some hope of keeping their chief front-rower on a five-year deal, while Utoikamanu has also met with both Melbourne and the Dolphins.

But it is the Bulldogs who could hold the most appeal to the 24-year-old, allowing him to remain in Sydney at a club on the rise.

“Stefano is a really good player,” Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo said on Thursday.

“He’s got a lot of potential and we’re monitoring that situation. If he’d like to come here then we’d welcome him with open arms.

“We’re in a really good position as a club where we’ve got a lot of good kids coming through.

“And we’ve also got space for potential guys to come in if they’re the right person and right fit for our club.”

Utoikamanu’s management already have links to the Bulldogs, with the prop coming from the same stable as recent signing Sitili Tupouniua.

The 115kg front-rower would also add considerable size to the Canterbury pack, which has been built around bulk mobility this season.

“We’re really happy with the people that we’ve got here,” Ciraldo said.

“We’ve added Sitili for next year and a lot of our guys are developing.

“No one is at their potential yet. All our guys are still getting better every day, and every season they play they’ll get even better.

“If we do add a guy like Stefano then that’s great, but if not, I’m really happy with who we’ve got here.”

Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy also confirmed on Thursday he too was waiting on a call from the one-time NSW State of Origin front-rower.

That could still potentially hinge on the future of fellow prop Nelson Asofa-Solomona, and whether he sees out the final three years of his lucrative deal.

Speculation has swirled Asofa-Solomona could exit early for another club, but that would require Melbourne keeping part of his contract in the salary cap.

There have also long been whispers Asofa-Solomona could instead head to rugby, but that is still no closer to materialising.

Bellamy claimed he was in the dark on both front-rowers’ futures.

“We’ve had our discussions and at the end of the day he’s got a decision to make,” Bellamy said on the Utoikamanu situation.

“Everyone makes decisions for what’s going to suit them and what’s the best outcome for them.

“We’ll just let Stefano do that and we’d like to have him here, no doubt ... I’m sure he’ll make the best decision for him and his family.”