A former NRL premiership winner is fighting for his life after being shot twice in a targeted early-morning attack in Sydney’s southwest.

Emergency services were called to Macquarie Street in Greenacre just before 6am on Tuesday following reports of gunfire.

The 44-year-old victim has been identified as former Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs winger Matt Utai, who played 167 NRL games and was part of the club’s 2004 premiership-winning side. 

Police allege an SUV drove past the home before shots were fired from the vehicle, striking Utai at least twice. 

Paramedics treated him at the scene before police and ambulance crews escorted him under emergency conditions to St George Hospital due to the seriousness of his injuries. 

He remains in a serious but reported to be stable condition as doctors work to stabilise him in the hospital’s trauma unit.

Sources told 2GB the attack may have been targeted, with investigators exploring whether the gunman may have intended to hit someone else, including Utai’s son.

Shortly afterwards, police were called to Samuel Street in Wiley Park, where officers found an SUV on fire.

Former NRL premiership winner Matt Utai was rushed to hospital on Tuesday morning after he was shot twice during an alleged drive-by

Emergency services were called to Macquarie Street in Greenacre just before 6am on Tuesday

Later, police were called to Samuel Street in Wiley Park where officers found an SUV on fire

The fire was extinguished by Fire and Rescue NSW, and the car was seized for forensic examination.

Police have established crime scenes at both locations, with Bankstown detectives commencing an investigation and treating both incidents as linked.

Utai played for eight seasons at the Canterbury Bulldogs from 2002 to 2009.

Over that period, he also represented New Zealand four times and Samoa three times. 

When he left the NRL arena in 2013, he had scored a record of 85 tries over his total of 167 games. 

During his career, Utai suffered significant injuries including a knee problem that cut off a potential move to Super League club Celtic Crusaders in 2010.