Storm coach Craig Bellamy has shrugged off Stefano Utoikamanu's controversial claim that the Broncos are "stuck up".
Earlier this week, Utoikamanu fired an extraordinary shot over enemy lines when he took a shot towards his Brisbane rivals.
"I don't want to name names — there are a lot of people I think are a bit stuck up."
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The 25-year-old also said he was "keen to go out there and run someone over".
Speaking on Triple M's The Rush Hour with Dobbo & Elliott, Bellamy downplayed Utoikamanu's sledge, suggesting the recruit's comments were likely "light-hearted" and not to be read too far into.
"I haven't seen too much. I know he made a statement, or whatever he did, but down here you don't see too much [press] about rugby league," he said.
"I try to stay out of the way of that, so I'm not quite sure what he said, or perhaps it was the way he said it.
"It might have been a light-hearted thing. I'm not sure."
Bellamy explained his perspective, noting he was in the NSW Blues camp this year, and Utoikamanu and Broncos prop Payne Haas were close.
On the other side of the rivalry, Broncos legend Petero Civoniceva declared "game on", admitting the barb was "refreshing."
Broncos great Corey Parker took aim at Utoikamanu on SEN radio, saying "he has done absolutely nothing" in the game and advising him to "bite down on your mouthguard and bottle your emotions".
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 told 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.
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"But you look at that Melbourne pack, they're very impressive, as well."
Civoniceva agreed that Utoikamanu had put a target on himself.
"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 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 came just days out from the first grand final of his NRL career.
He arrived at the Storm 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.
Brisbane, coached by Kevin Walters at the time, was 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 Penrith champion Nathan Cleary.
In last year's grand final, the Storm were outclassed by the Panthers 14-6.
"I think when they reflect 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."
