Matt Utai during his spell with Wests Tigers in 2012. Photo: Getty ImagesFormer Kiwis and NRL star Matt Utai has been shot multiple times on his front lawn in an ambush attack with no clear motive. "It's a brazen ambush," Superintendent Rodney Hart told reporters. Utai starred in the 2004 NRL grand final, scoring two tries as his Bulldogs knocked off the Sydney Roosters 16-13. The New Zealand and Samoa international played 167 NRL games, joining the Wests Tigers in 2011 and spending three seasons there.

Source: Otago Daily Times February 17, 2026 00:53 UTC