Steve Matai
Encyclopedia
Stephen "Steve" Matai 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
and 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.
Matai joined Queensland Cup
side Ipswich Jets
in 2004.
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
.
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
.
On 27 March 2005 Matai made his NRL debut in the round 3
match against the Melbourne Storm
at Brookvale Oval
.
Matai played in the 2007 NRL Grand Final defeat to the Melbourne Storm.
Matai is an occasional goal kicker for the Sea Eagles
.
He played in the 2008 NRL Grand Final victory over the Melbourne Storm
.
in the 2006 Tri-Nations
.
Matai has represented New Zealand
on five occasions between 2006 and 2007.
On 14 October 2007 Matai was sent off by referee Steve Ganson in the trans-Tasman Test at Westpac Stadium
in Wellington, New Zealand.
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.
Matai has been selected to make his 10th test appearance for New Zealand
for the annual ANZAC Test
in Melbourne
, and in September 2008 he was named in the final 24-man Kiwi squad.
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.
. He qualified through his Samoan heritage.
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
footballer for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League's Telstra Premiership, the premier rugby league competition of Australasia...
of the National Rugby League
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
. He plays as a centre. He is a New Zealand
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
international of Samoan Heritage. He is the first cousin of Junior Sa'u
Early career
Matai's junior clubs were the Bay Roskill VikingsBay Roskill Vikings
The Bay Roskill Vikings are a rugby league football club based in Mount Roskill and Blockhouse Bay, New Zealand who compete in Auckland Rugby League's Sharman Cup competition. The club was established in 1979.-History:...
and the Ponsonby Ponies
Ponsonby Ponies
The Ponsonby Ponies are a rugby league club based in Ponsonby, New Zealand. The club was founded in 1908 and competes in the Auckland Rugby League's Fox Memorial competition.-History:...
in the Auckland Rugby League
Auckland Rugby League
The Auckland Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in the Auckland Region of New Zealand. It is responsible for rugby league in the region and was the owner of Carlaw Park, once the "spiritual home of rugby league in New Zealand".-History:The Auckland Rugby League was...
before he was selected to play for the Marist Richmond Brothers
Marist Richmond Brothers
The Marist Richmond Brothers were a New Zealand rugby league franchise that played in the Bartercard Cup. They were a joint venture between two Auckland Rugby League clubs, the Richmond Bulldogs and the Marist Saints. In 2005 the competition was reorganised and the club, along with the Mt Albert...
in the Bartercard Cup
Bartercard Cup
The Bartercard Cup was the top level rugby league club competition in New Zealand from 2000 until 2007. For the entire life of the tournament it was sponsored by Bartercard. The cup was administered by the New Zealand Rugby League...
, before leaving in 2004.
Matai joined Queensland Cup
Queensland Cup
The Queensland Cup is the premier rugby league football competition in the State of Queensland, Australia.It is a statewide competition with the majority of teams based in South East Queensland but also including sides based in Cairns, Mackay and Rockhampton.The competition began in 1996 as a...
side Ipswich Jets
Ipswich Jets
The Ipswich Jets are an Australian rugby league football club based in Ipswich, Queensland.Their name comes from nearby RAAF Base Amberley, one of the largest airbases in Australia. The Jets compete in the Queensland Cup competition...
in 2004.
In 2005 Matai moved to another Queensland Cup
Queensland Cup
The Queensland Cup is the premier rugby league football competition in the State of Queensland, Australia.It is a statewide competition with the majority of teams based in South East Queensland but also including sides based in Cairns, Mackay and Rockhampton.The competition began in 1996 as a...
side, but soon left the Wynnum Manly Seagulls after securing an NRL contract with their associate club, the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League's Telstra Premiership, the premier rugby league competition of Australasia...
.
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Matai joined the Manly Sea Eagles
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League's Telstra Premiership, the premier rugby league competition of Australasia...
from the Wynnum Manly Seagulls in 2005 after impressing during a strong pre season of training and trials at the Brookvale Oval
Brookvale Oval
Brookvale Oval is a sporting ground located within Brookvale Park at Brookvale, New South Wales, Australia. The ground is owned by Warringah Council and is primarily used by the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles rugby league team...
.
On 27 March 2005 Matai made his NRL debut in the round 3
National Rugby League season 2005
The 2005 NRL season was the 98th season of professional rugby league football in Australia and the eighth run by the National Rugby League. The lineup of clubs remained unchanged from the previous year, with fifteen clubs contesting the 2005 Telstra Premiership, which culminated in a grand final...
match against the Melbourne Storm
Melbourne Storm
The Melbourne Storm are an Australian professional rugby league club based in the city of Melbourne. They are the first fully professional rugby league team based in the Australian rules football-dominated state of Victoria....
at Brookvale Oval
Brookvale Oval
Brookvale Oval is a sporting ground located within Brookvale Park at Brookvale, New South Wales, Australia. The ground is owned by Warringah Council and is primarily used by the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles rugby league team...
.
Matai played in the 2007 NRL Grand Final defeat to the Melbourne Storm.
Matai is an occasional goal kicker for the Sea Eagles
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League's Telstra Premiership, the premier rugby league competition of Australasia...
.
He played in the 2008 NRL Grand Final victory over the Melbourne Storm
Melbourne Storm
The Melbourne Storm are an Australian professional rugby league club based in the city of Melbourne. They are the first fully professional rugby league team based in the Australian rules football-dominated state of Victoria....
.
New Zealand
On 14 October 2006 Matai made his test debut against Australia at Mt Smart StadiumMt Smart Stadium
Mt Smart Stadium, formerly Ericsson Stadium, is a stadium in Auckland, New Zealand. It is the home ground of National Rugby League team, the New Zealand Warriors...
in the 2006 Tri-Nations
2006 Rugby League Tri-Nations
The 2006 Rugby League Tri-Nations was hosted for the second time by Australia and New Zealand. Sponsored by Gillette the tournament followed the same format as in 2004 and 2005, with each team meeting the other two teams twice, and the top two teams at the end of the group stages proceeding to the...
.
Matai has represented New Zealand
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
on five occasions between 2006 and 2007.
On 14 October 2007 Matai was sent off by referee Steve Ganson in the trans-Tasman Test at Westpac Stadium
Westpac Stadium
Westpac Stadium, is a major sporting venue in Wellington, New Zealand. Due to its shape and silver coloured external walls, it is colloquially known as The Cake-Tin to the locals and other New Zealanders...
in Wellington, New Zealand.
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.
Matai has been selected to make his 10th test appearance for New Zealand
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
for the annual ANZAC Test
ANZAC Test
The Anzac Test is an annual rugby league football test match . The test match is played annually between Australia and New Zealand on or around Anzac Day for the Bill Kelly Memorial Trophy.-Origins:Australia and New Zealand had competed in Rugby League Tests since 1908...
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
2008 Rugby League World Cup
In August 2008 he was named in the New Zealand training squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup2008 Rugby League World Cup
The 2008 Rugby League World Cup was the thirteenth staging of the Rugby League World Cup since the inauguration of the tournament in 1954, and the first since the 2000 event...
, and in September 2008 he was named in the final 24-man Kiwi squad.
Matai missed New Zealand's World Cup match with Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea national rugby league team
The Papua New Guinea national rugby league team represents Papua New Guinea internationally in the sport of rugby league football.In Papua New Guinea, Rugby league is highly popular and is regarded as the country’s national sport. The national side are known as the Kumuls...
after being handed a one-match ban for a high tackle against Australia.
Samoa
Matai was named in the Samoa training squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup2008 Rugby League World Cup
The 2008 Rugby League World Cup was the thirteenth staging of the Rugby League World Cup since the inauguration of the tournament in 1954, and the first since the 2000 event...
. He qualified through his Samoan heritage.