Steve Matai

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Steve Matai
Personal information
Full name Stephen Matai
Nickname The Waterboy, The Hitman[1]
Born (1984-08-05) 5 August 1984
Auckland, New Zealand
Height 182 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight 94 kg (14 st 11 lb)
Playing information
Position Centre
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2005- Manly Sea Eagles 177 67 17 0 302
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2006–2010 New Zealand 10 0 1 0 2
As of 10 July 2013
Source: RLP, Herald SunNZ League

Stephen "Steve" Matai (born 5 August 1984 in Auckland, New Zealand) is a professional rugby league footballer for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles of the National Rugby League (NRL). He plays as a Centre and is a New Zealand international of Samoan heritage. He is the first cousin of former NRL player and fellow Kiwi international Junior Sa'u, though Sa'u has also represented Samoa.

Domestic career

Early career

Matai played rugby league for Mount Albert Grammar in their first XIII alongside Sonny Bill Williams.[2] Matai's junior clubs were the Bay Roskill Vikings, Ponsonby Ponies and Richmond Rovers in the Auckland Rugby League. Matai's senior club was Richmond Rovers before he was selected to play for the Marist Richmond Brothers in the Bartercard Cup, before leaving in 2004.[3][4]

Matai joined Queensland Cup side Ipswich Jets in 2004,[3] and credits his time spent at the Jets under the coaching of former Queensland, Eastern Suburbs and Brisbane Broncos hard man Trevor Gillmeister for his reputation as the NRL's "Hitman". Gillmeister, known as "The Axe" for his hard hitting defense, changed Matai's tackling style, teaching him to drive with his legs when making a tackle.[5]

In 2005 Matai moved to another Queensland Cup side, but soon left the Wynnum Manly Seagulls after securing an NRL contract with their associate club, the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles.[6]

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles

Steve Matai celebrating victory for the Manly Sea Eagles

Matai joined the Manly Sea Eagles from the Wynnum Manly Seagulls in 2005 after impressing during a strong pre season of training and trials at the Brookvale Oval.[6]

On 27 March 2005 Matai made his NRL debut in the round 3 match against the Melbourne Storm at Brookvale Oval.[7]

Matai played in the 2007 NRL Grand Final defeat to the Melbourne Storm.[8]

Matai is an occasional goal kicker for the Sea Eagles.

He played in the 2008 NRL Grand Final victory over the Melbourne Storm.[9]

Matai travelled to England with the Sea Eagles and played in their 2012 World Club Challenge loss to the Leeds Rhinos before the start of the 2012 NRL season. Midway through the 2012 season, Matai was charged with a high tackle in a game against Penrith. It was his thirteenth trip to the NRL judiciary, equaling the record set by Michael Crocker.[10]

With Manly sitting in 4th place after Round 17 of the 2013 NRL season, Matai had played in 14 games and scored 7 tries, bringing his career totals to 164 games and 62 tries for Manly. He was involved in a heated Round 17 clash with Parramatta Prop Mitchell Allgood in Manly's 50-10 win over the Eels at Brookvale Oval. In the 72nd minute of the game Allgood gave away a penalty with a swinging arm on Sea Eagles Second-rower Jamie Buhrer. The Manly centre ran 10 metres out of the line to remonstrate with Allgood who immediately let fly with three right hands to Matai's chin, earning himself 10 minutes in the sin-bin and a two week suspension. Matai, who had already been suspended earlier in the season for a shoulder charge on South Sydneys George Burgess, was placed on report for inciting a melee but did not have to front the judiciary for a record 15th time.

Representative career

New Zealand

On 14 October 2006 Matai made his test debut against Australia at Mt Smart Stadium in the 2006 Tri-Nations.[11][12]

Matai has represented New Zealand on five occasions between 2006 and 2007.[13]

On 14 October 2007 Matai was sent off by referee Steve Ganson in the trans-Tasman Test at Westpac Stadium in Wellington, New Zealand for a high tackle on Kangaroos centre Mark Gasnier.[14][15]

He was given a 2 match ban, but given that Matai had ruled himself out of New Zealand's tour of Great Britain and France for off-season shoulder surgery, he served his suspension during Sea Eagles' trial matches in 2008.[15]

Matai was selected to make his 10th test appearance for New Zealand for the annual ANZAC Test in Melbourne. He partnered his cousin Junior Sa'u in the centres for the Kiwis in a 12-8 loss to Australia. Opposing Matai in the centres for the Kangaroos was his Manly centre partner Jamie Lyon. Coincidentally both Manly centres played their last tests for their countries on the night as Lyon announced his retirement from representative football later in the season, while Matai has not been selected to play for NZ since that game.

2008 Rugby League World Cup

In August 2008 he was named in the New Zealand training squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup,[16] and in September 2008 he was named in the final 24-man Kiwi squad.[17]

Matai missed New Zealand's World Cup match with Papua New Guinea after being handed a one-match ban for a high tackle against Australia.[18]

Samoa

Matai was named in the Samoa training squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup.[19] He qualified through his Samoan heritage.[20]

References

  1. ↑ "Kiwi Matai to delay surgery". Television New Zealand. AAP. 30 September 2008. Retrieved 13 November 2011. 
  2. ↑ http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/nrl/sea-eagle-steve-matai-fired-for-kiwi-class-reunion/story-fnca0von-1226637901138
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Super Steve's the centre of attention at the Sea Eagles". The Queensland Times. 27 April 2005. Archived from the original on 17 June 2005. Retrieved 2008-08-06. 
  4. ↑ Bay Roskill Rugby League Inc aucklandleague.co.nz
  5. ↑ Matai draws on brothers strength
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Matai now a Sea Eagle". Wynnum Manly Seagulls. 9 March 2005. Retrieved 2008-08-06. 
  7. ↑ "Player Profile". news.com.au. 6 August 2008. Retrieved 2008-08-06. 
  8. ↑ "MELBOURNE STORM – 2007 NRL PREMIERS". League Unlimited. 30 September 2007. Retrieved 2008-08-04. 
  9. ↑ "Grand final: As it happened". Fox Sports. 5 October 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-05. 
  10. ↑ Josh Massoud (1 June 2012). "Captains lose faith in Garnsey". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 11 June 2012. 
  11. ↑ "2006 Gillette Tri-Nations Series". NZRL. 6 August 2008. Archived from the original on 21 July 2008. Retrieved 2008-08-06. 
  12. ↑ "NEW ZEALAND TRI-NATIONS PENPIX". Sportinglife. 6 October 2006. Retrieved 2008-08-06. 
  13. ↑ "Steve Matai". Rugby League Project. 6 August 2008. Retrieved 2008-08-06. 
  14. ↑ "Kiwis fuming at hasty send-off". Fox Sports. 14 October 2007. Retrieved 2008-08-06. 
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Ritchie, Dean (14 October 2007). "Stuart calls Steve Matai 'cheap shot merchant'". news.com.au. Retrieved 2008-08-06. 
  16. ↑ "Kiwis select Sonny Bill". Sky Sports. 8 August 2008. Retrieved 2008-08-08. 
  17. ↑ "Kiwis to wait on Webb and Matai". BBC. 7 October 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-07. 
  18. ↑ "New Zealand without banned Matai". BBC. 27 October 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-27. 
  19. ↑ "Samoa name World Cup Squad". League Unlimited. 5 August 2008. Retrieved 2008-08-06. 
  20. ↑ "Steve Matai profile". Richmond Bulldogs. 6 August 2008. Retrieved 2008-08-06. 

External links

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles – current squad
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles squad – 2011 NRL premiers (8th title)
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles squad – 2008 NRL premiers (7th title)
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