Feleti Mateo

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Feleti Mateo
Personal information
Full name Feleti Sosefo Mateo
Date of birth 2 May 1985 (1985-05-02) (age 23)
Place of birth Auburn, New South Wales, Australia
Height 194 cm (6 ft 4 in)
Weight 105 kg (16 st 7 lb)
Nickname(s) Fred
School(s) attended Westfields Sports High School
Terra Sancta College
Club information
Position(s) Back Row
Current club Parramatta Eels
Number 13
Youth clubs
Years Club
West Ryde Denistone
St Patricks Shamrocks
Lalor Park Kookaburras
Jersey Flegg Parramatta Eels
Youth representative teams
2003
2004		 Australia Schoolboys
Australia U-19
New South Wales Under 19's
Senior clubs*
Years Club Apps (points)
2004
2005
2006 ‐		 Parramatta Eels
London Broncos
Parramatta Eels		 1 (0)
13 (12)
25 (36)
Representative teams
2005 ‐
2008 ‐		 Tonga
City Origin
1 (0)

* Professional club appearances and points
counted for domestic first grade only.

Feleti Sosefo Mateo was (born 02 May 1985 in Auburn, New South Wales) is an Australian rugby league player, representing the Parramatta Eels in the National Rugby League (NRL) Competition.

Son of Joey and Lin Mateo, Feleti's playing weight is 101kgs and height is 191cms. Mateo plays a variety of positions from centre to five-eighth to second row and is renowned for his versatility and extravagant style of play.[1]

Contents

[edit] Early Career

Mateo played one first grade game against the Melbourne Storm in 2004. He then played a season with the London Broncos in 2005 appearing in 13 games after joining the club mid-season. Mateo returned to Parramatta Eels in 2006 and played in the NSWRL Premier League. He was named the Parramatta Premier League player of the year and grand final man of the match.

[edit] 2007

In 2007 Mateo is playing in the first grade team. Often coming off the bench averaging 50 minutes per game. Mateo is used as an attacking weapon against tiring defenses. He was awarded 1 Dally M award for the game against the West Tigers[1] and 2 Dally M points for the game against Penrith Panthers.[2]

[edit] 2008

Mateo started 2008 in the Five-eighth role, a position he played in his time at the London Broncos.[2] Mateo this year was accompanied by Brett Finch as halfback. Mateo played the opening two matches of the year and proved crucial scoring two tries in a historic round 1 comeback. Mateo was shifted to lock with Tim Smith earning his spot as half back but is due to move back for an indefinite amount of time after Tim Smith requested indefinite leave.

[edit] Quotes

Feleti occasionally worried that he would not make it as a professional footballer, saying "There were times I thought I wasn't going to make it,

"My family and my friends stood behind me, always encouraged me to keep going.

"Some things happened that made me think that I could still make it, made me feel that if I kept in there it would come.

"At times I considered quitting, like when I went to England. At the time, players were going there to finish their careers and I was only 21.

"I didn't know if that was the end of my career.

"I was frustrated at the time, but instead of thinking, 'Just work harder and I'll get another shot', I went into my shell.

"It's probably the worst thing I could have done, because after that I went downhill. When I think back, I realise I should have put my head down and worked harder."[3]

[edit] Junior career

  • West Ryde Denistone. Under 6's
  • St Patricks Shamrocks. Under 7's - 11's
  • Lalor Park Kookaburras. Under 14's - 17's. Coach Marty Ryan.
  • Westfields Sports High School to year 10 then Terra Sancta College.

[edit] Representative Teams

  • Parramatta Eels Harold Matthews, SG Ball and Jersey Flegg.
  • Metropolitan Catholic School 2002 and 2003
  • NSW Combined Catholic Colleges 2003
  • Australian Schoolboys. 2003. Tour of New Zealand
  • NSW under 19's Defeating Queensland under 19's 2004
  • Australian Junior Roo's under 19's tour of Papua New Guinea 2004
  • Parramatta Eels 1st grade debut round 20 vs Melbourne Storm 2004
  • Tongan International test match vs Samoa 2005
  • London Broncos Super League games 12 games. 1 try. 2005
  • Parramatta Eels Premier League Team 2006
  • Parramatta Eels first grade trials V Titans and Cronulla. 2007.
  • First grade Parramatta Eels. 2007.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Tongan test for Lockyer. Fox Sports (2008-05-30). Retrieved on 2008-05-30.
  2. ^ Eel Mateo relishing five-eighth chance. NRL (2008-02-21). Retrieved on 2008-02-22.

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Parramatta Eels – current squad
 Cayless (c) •  Burt •  Cordoba •  Finch •  Galuvao •  Grothe •  Hayne •  Hauraki •  Hindmarsh •  Inu •  K. Keating •  M. Keating •  Lowrie •  Mateo •
 Mitchell •  Moimoi •  Oake •  Paulo •  Reddy •  Riddell •  Robinson •  B. Smith •  T. Smith •  Tautai •  Wagon • Coach: Hagan