Former Kiwis and NRL Premiership winner Matt Utai is reportedly fighting for his life after being involved in a shooting in Sydney's south-west this morning. Photo / NewsWire, Photosport
Former Kiwis and NRL Premiership winner Matt Utai is reportedly fighting for his life after being involved in a shooting in Sydney's south-west this morning. Photo / NewsWire, Photosport
A police manhunt is underway with former Kiwis and NRL Premiership winner Matt Utai left fighting for his life after a shooting in Sydney’s southwest.
The Sydney Morning Herald says emergency services were called to Macquarie St in Greenacre around 6am where Utai, 44, was discovered with gunshot woundsto his chest and leg.
He has been rushed to hospital in a serious condition.
Police say shots were fired from an SUV that drove past the home, striking Utai at least twice.
A search is now under way for the driver and gunman.
Utai was born in Auckland and played 167 NRL games. He was also part of the Canterbury Bulldogs’ 2004 NRL Premiership-winning side.
Utai also played four tests for the Kiwis and three for Samoa.
Former Kiwis and NRL Premiership winner Matt Utai is reportedly fighting for his life after being involved in a shooting in Sydney's south-west this morning. Photo / NewsWire, Photosport
New South Wales police say they were called to a house on Macquarie St, Greenacre, around 6am after reports of a shooting.
The former NRL winger is not believed to be the intended target of the shooting, according to Australian news outlets.
Police and forensics on the scene investigating Macquarie St in Greenacre after a shooting this morning. Photo / NewsWire, Gaye Gerard
Targeted attack - police
Superintendent Rodney Hart said he can’t confirm who the victim is but said he is currently in surgery.
“The man was shot in the leg and upper shoulder chest area. He was treated at the scene by ambulance where he was stablised and he was taken to hospital where he is currently in a serious but stable condition and is currently in surgery.”
Hart said police believed the attack was targeted and there was no ongoing threat to the community.
They were currently looking for two males, a gunman and a driver, who were driving the vehicle.
“Part of our investigation currently at the moment is to identify whether or not that vehicle is the vehicle that was linked to this crime,” Hart said.
“We believe at this point in time that it’s definitely a targeted attack.
”There is no ongoing threat to the community but I ask again, we need help from the community if anybody has seen anything, anybody has any footage, if they can please make contact with police."
Teammates rocked by incident
Two of Utai’s former teammates at the West Tigers, Beau Ryan and Aaron Woods, said they are still trying to process the incident, on their breakfast radio show on Sydney’s Triple M.
“We are praying for Matt and his family that hopefully he makes a recovery,” Ryan said.
“It is tough times. Thoughts and prayers to everyone.”
Woods said he was rocked by the incident.
“Fingers crossed for a quick recovery,” Woods said.
“I spent a lot of time with Matty.
”I still talk to him a lot to this day ... so rocked a little bit. Hopefully a speedy recovery."
Utai made his NRL debut in the 2002 season. He scored 13 tries in 21 appearances and won the Rookie of the Year award.
In 2004, he helped the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs win the NRL Premiership, scoring two tries in the grand final in a 16-13 win over the Sydney Roosters.
He would finish up with the Bulldogs in 2009 with 127 appearances.
Utai then spent three seasons at the Wests Tigers, where he played a further 40 games.
