“Pack your work boots”: Grant’s brutally honest advice to Melbourne-bound Utoikamanu

Melbourne Storm hooker Harry Grant has given his future teammate Stefano Utoikamanu some noteworthy advice as he prepares for the interstate move at the end of the season.

After Utoikamanu confirmed he would depart the Tigers, several reports suggested the 24-year-old was unwilling to leave Sydney and would eventually land with the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs.

However, a Craig Bellamy-led recruitment bid seemingly eased the concerns of the Utoikamanu family and gave the Storm one of the most in-demand free agents of the year.

Despite the early-career accolades and superstar potential, Utoikamanu won’t be treated any differently when he arrives in Melbourne in November, according to Grant.

“The first two weeks, it’ll probably be work programs,” Grant said on SENQ Mornings.

“He’ll be coming and doing gym at five, six o’clock in the morning then going to do an eight-hour day at work, then come back in and train in the afternoon.

“Pack your work boots Stef… I had to do it, I had Cooper Johns with me, he was ordinary, I carried him through that work program.”

Grant also noted that the introduction program extends to all signings including any experienced veterans.

“Everyone has to go through it, Tariq Sims last season he came down and went through it,” Grant added.

“Obviously the timing and all that works out, if you’re playing representative football and you start preseason late, you might not do it but most of the time it sort of lines up and the new players at the club go and do work programs.”

Utoikamanu signed a three-year deal with the Storm on Friday afternoon, an offer that was well below the initial contract issued to him by the Tigers.