'Game on': Broncos legend backs 'refreshing' Storm sledge

Broncos legend Petero Civoniceva has declared "game on" after Storm prop Stefano Utoikamanu ignited NRL grand final week with his "stuck up" sledge

Utoikamanu fired an extraordinary shot over enemy lines when he said Broncos players were "stuck up" and declared he would "go out there and run someone over."

The 25-year-old didn't name names during his Monday press conference, but the barb did set tongues wagging across the game and got a response up north.

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Corey Parker took aim at Utoikamanu on SEN Radio, stating "he has done absolutely nothing" in the game and advised him to keep quiet.

But according to Civoniceva, who was teammates with Parker when the Broncos last won a premiership in 2006, offered a far different take on Tuesday night.

"Oh, look, it's game on, isn't it?" Civoniceva said on 2GB's Wide World of Sports.

"I think it's refreshing actually, because we don't get a lot of that kind of talk anymore.

"I think everyone is so PC [politically correct] and wanting to go with the club lines of just the usual sort of speak – but I think it's great.

"I think it's really set the tone for what's going to be such a big, physical confrontation, especially in the middle. I mean, that's where it's going to be won.

"We've got the bonus of having Patty Carrigan back from suspension, so that's gonna be a huge bonus, and we're gonna need him because it's gonna be a huge front-row clash and Payne Haas has been in great form.

"But you look at that Melbourne pack, they're very impressive, as well."

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Asked if Utoikamanu put a target on himself, Civoniceva conceded that was the case.

"Well, I think he's definitely put it on himself," the Fijian icon said.

"I guess all eyes will be on him, and if he's going to be the enforcer for the Melbourne Storm, we'll see what we can do."

The champion Broncos, Maroons and Kangaroos prop also backed his beloved club to "thrive" on the sledge.

"There's extra motivation to get on top of the Melbourne Storm pack," Civoniceva said.

Utoikamanu's sledge comes just days out from the first grand final of his NRL career.

He arrived at Melbourne in the off-season, following four years with Wests Tigers.

"It's not the usual line the Melbourne Storm players go with," Civoniceva said.

"Usually they're very reserved and they just let their football do the talking. I wonder what Craig Bellamy would have said to him about putting himself out there like that."

The clash between the Storm and Broncos is a face-off between the runner-ups from the past two seasons against four-time champions Penrith.

Brisbane, coached by Kevin Walters at the time, were leading 24-8 with less than 20 minutes to go in the 2023 decider, only to be brought undone by the hard-to-fathom brilliance of Nathan Cleary.

In last year's grand final, the Storm were outclassed by the Panthers 14-6.

"I think when they reflect back on that loss to the Panthers, I mean, it was the game that really got away from them," Civoniceva said.

"They had it all there ready to lift that trophy, and albeit for 10 minutes of madness where they just moved away from the game plan and Penrith being the great side that they are just waiting for the kill.

"That's gonna be the challenge for them again; Melbourne Storm are very similar in that you give them just an inch and they'll do the rest, they'll finish you off."

Civoniceva believes the Broncos will be buoyed by their round 27 victory over Craig Bellamy's team — a 30-14 win at Suncorp Stadium.

"I think they'll take a lot of motivation out of their last-round win where they beat the Storm up here in Brisbane," Civoniceva said.

"I think the way they physically took the Melbourne Storm team on really opened up some weaknesses that, really, you don't see too much in a Melbourne Storm side.

"So I think they'll take a lot out of that previous win. [There were] a lot of learnings there, and I think that'll be the DNA of the game plan towards beating them on Sunday."