Former NRL Star Matt Utai Critical After Drive-By Shooting, Police Investigate Son’s Gang Links
Former National Rugby League (NRL) star Matt Utai is in a serious condition after being shot multiple times outside his family home in Sydney’s south-west. Police are investigating the brazen drive-by shooting, which occurred on Tuesday morning, and believe the former Bulldogs and Wests Tigers winger was an innocent victim caught in the crossfire of an escalating gang conflict.
The 44-year-old was discovered with severe injuries to his chest and leg on the front lawn of his Greenacre property. Emergency services were dispatched to Macquarie Street around 6am following reports of multiple gunshots emanating from an SUV. Utai was conscious and in significant pain when paramedics arrived, and was subsequently rushed to hospital in a critical condition, undergoing surgery hours after the attack.
According to Superintendent Rodney Hart of the Bankstown Police Area Command, Utai was walking to his car at the time of the “brazen ambush.” He was able to communicate with police before being stabilised by paramedics and transported for urgent medical care.
Investigators later located a burnt-out SUV in a nearby street, suspected to be the vehicle used in the shooting. The vehicle was seized by Fire and Rescue NSW and has been sent for forensic examination. Crime scenes have been established at both locations, with detectives treating the incidents as interconnected.
Superintendent Hart emphasised that Matt Utai has no criminal history and is not believed to be involved in any illegal activities. The focus of the investigation, however, has shifted to Utai’s son, Iziah, and his alleged connections to the notorious Alameddine crime family. Police are exploring these links in relation to the shooting and a series of arson attacks targeting a barbershop registered under Iziah Utai’s name.
Iziah Utai has previously been described as an associate of the Alameddine family. In 2023, he was charged with gun and drug offences by police investigating drug supply operations in the Parramatta area. He subsequently pleaded guilty to possessing firearms and ammunition, including a shortened pump-action rifle, and was sentenced to a minimum of nine months imprisonment without parole. His arrest at the time was carried out by the anti-bikie police squad, Raptor, which is now involved in the investigation into his father’s shooting.
Business records indicate that Iziah Utai registered “Merrylands Barbershop” in August 2024. He had reportedly posted online about new management and extended operating hours for the business. Tragically, the barbershop was targeted in two separate arson attacks in May of last year. CCTV footage captured an unknown individual setting themselves alight while attempting to ignite accelerants. Following the second attack, police pursued a vehicle with cloned number plates through Sydney’s west. Weeks later, a 16-year-old was charged in connection with the fires. The investigation into these arson attacks was subsequently taken over by anti-gang units, forming Taskforce Falcon, dedicated to combating gang violence.
Further adding to the pattern of alleged criminal activity, shots were fired at a house in Guildford West in December, a property reportedly linked to Iziah Utai. Fortunately, two women and a child inside the home at the time were unharmed. It remains unclear whether Iziah Utai was present at his father’s residence during the recent shooting. Reports suggest he may be overseas.
Forensic officers were seen dusting for fingerprints on a truck parked near Utai’s home, and syringes and medical wrappers were found scattered on the lawn where he received initial treatment. Multiple bullet impacts were visible on the door of a work ute parked outside the Greenacre property.
The news of the shooting has sent shockwaves through the rugby league community. Former teammates have expressed their devastation and offered their support to Utai and his family. Brent Sherwin, who played alongside Utai during Canterbury’s 2004 Grand Final victory, described him as a “massive part of our team” and a player with a “big heart.” He highlighted Utai’s crucial two tries in the decider and his willingness to take on the tough carries.
Premiership-winning prop Mark O’Meley confirmed that Utai was “breathing OK” while receiving treatment, and Reni Maitua, another former Bulldogs teammate, shared that Utai was “critical but stable” and breathing on his own, adding that the news had “shaken up all the boys.”
The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs club released a statement expressing their deep shock and sadness. “Matt is a beloved part of the Bulldogs family,” the statement read. “Our thoughts are with Matt and his family during this extremely difficult time. We are hoping and praying for his full recovery.”
Matt Utai, born in Auckland in 1981, made a significant impact on the NRL scene after debuting for the Bulldogs in 2002. He earned the Dally M Rookie of the Year award in his inaugural season, scoring 13 tries and making 15 line-breaks. Utai represented New Zealand on four occasions before playing for Samoa in the 2008 World Cup, where he scored two tries in three matches. He moved to the Wests Tigers in 2011, concluding his playing career in 2013. Across his time with the Bulldogs and Tigers, Utai played 167 games and scored an impressive 85 tries.
