Steve Matai
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Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Stephen Matai | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 174 cm (5 ft 9 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 94 kg (14 st 11 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Centre | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: RLP, Herald Sun As of 16 July 2010 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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. He plays as a centre. He is a New Zealand international of Samoan Heritage. He is the first cousin of Junior Sa'u
Domestic career
Early career
Matai's junior club was the Ponsonby Ponies in the Auckland Rugby League before he was selected to play for the Marist Richmond Brothers in the Bartercard Cup, before leaving in 2004.[1]
Matai joined Queensland Cup side Ipswich Jets in 2004.[1]
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.[2]
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
![[icon]](/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (August 2008) |
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.[2]
On 27 March 2005 Matai made his NRL debut in the round 3 match against the Melbourne Storm at Brookvale Oval.[3]
Matai played in the 2007 NRL Grand Final defeat to the Melbourne Storm.[4]
Matai is an occasional goal kicker for the Sea Eagles.
He played in the 2008 NRL Grand Final victory over the Melbourne Storm.[5]
Representative career
New Zealand
On 14 October 2006 Matai made his test debut against Australia at Mt Smart Stadium in the 2006 Tri-Nations.[6][7]
Matai has represented New Zealand on five occasions between 2006 and 2007.[8]
On 14 October 2007 Matai was sent off by referee Steve Ganson in the trans-Tasman Test at Westpac Stadium in Wellington, New Zealand.[9][10]
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.[10]
Matai has been selected to make his 10th test appearance for New Zealand for the annual ANZAC Test in Melbourne
2008 Rugby League World Cup
In August, 2008 he was named in the New Zealand training squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup,[11] and in September 2008 he was named in the final 24-man Kiwi squad.[12]
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.[13]
Samoa
Matai was named in the Samoa training squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup.[14] He qualified through his Samoan heritage.[15]
References
- ^ a b "Super Steve's the centre of attention at the Sea Eagles". The Queensland Times. 2005-04-27. Retrieved 2008-08-06.
- ^ a b "Matai now a Sea Eagle". Wynnum Manly Seagulls. 2005-03-09. Retrieved 2008-08-06.
- ^ "Player Profile". news.com.au. 2008-08-06. Retrieved 2008-08-06. [dead link]
- ^ "MELBOURNE STORM – 2007 NRL PREMIERS". League Unlimited. 2007-09-30. Retrieved 2008-08-04.
- ^ "Grand final: As it happened". Fox Sports. 2008-10-05. Retrieved 2008-10-05.
- ^ "2006 Gillette Tri-Nations Series". NZRL. 2008-08-06. Retrieved 2008-08-06.
- ^ "NEW ZEALAND TRI-NATIONS PENPIX". Sportinglife. 2006-10-06. Retrieved 2008-08-06.
- ^ "Steve Matai". Rugby League Project. 2008-08-06. Retrieved 2008-08-06.
- ^ "Kiwis fuming at hasty send-off". Fox Sports. 2007-10-14. Retrieved 2008-08-06.
- ^ a b Ritchie, Dean (2007-10-14). "Stuart calls Steve Matai 'cheap shot merchant'". news.com.au. Retrieved 2008-08-06.
- ^ "Kiwis select Sonny Bill". Sky Sports. 2008-08-08. Retrieved 2008-08-08.
- ^ "Kiwis to wait on Webb and Matai". BBC. 2008-10-07. Retrieved 2008-10-07.
- ^ "New Zealand without banned Matai". BBC. 2008-10-27. Retrieved 2008-10-27.
- ^ "Samoa name World Cup Squad". League Unlimited. 2008-08-05. Retrieved 2008-08-06.
- ^ "Steve Matai profile". Richmond Bulldogs. 2008-08-06. Retrieved 2008-08-06.