Suaia Matagi

Suaia Matagi
Personal information
Born (1988-03-23) 23 March 1988
Auckland, New Zealand
Height 179 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight 107 kg (16 st 12 lb)
Playing information
Position Prop
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2013–15 NZ Warriors 36 1 0 0 4
2015 Sydney Roosters 7 0 0 0 0
2016– Penrith Panthers 8 0 0 0 0
Total 51 1 0 0 4
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2013 Samoa 4 2 0 0 8
2014 New Zealand 1 0 0 0 0
As of 20 March 2016
Source: [1]

Suaia Matagi (born 23 March 1988) is a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer who currently plays for the Penrith Panthers in the National Rugby League. A New Zealand and Samoan international, he plays at prop and previously played for the New Zealand Warriors and Sydney Roosters.

Personal life

Matagi served a year in Manawatu Prison, after being convicted of assault. His conviction meant he could not obtain a visa to travel to Australia until 2012.[2]

Playing career

Following his release from prison, Matagi began playing rugby league. He played for the Te Atatu Roosters and Mount Albert Lions in the Auckland Rugby League competition.[3]

Matagi was first selected to play for Auckland in 2009. He was selected for the New Zealand Residents in 2009, 2010 and 2011. In 2011 Matagi was named in the Auckland Rugby League team of the year and went on to be named man of the match in the National Competition final.[4] Matagi made his debut for the Auckland Vulcans in the NSW Cup on 3 April 2010 but could only play home games for the Vulcans due to travel restrictions.

He was named the 2012 New Zealand domestic player of the year.[5] In early 2013 Matagi joined the New Zealand Warriors squad on a pre-season trial contract.[6]

Matagi was named to make his National Rugby League debut on 11 May 2013 against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.

On 22 September 2013, Matagi was named at prop in the 2013 New South Wales Cup Team of the Year.[7]

Matagi was selected for Samoa in the 2013 Rugby League World Cup. Matagi showed his NSW cup form in front of the world, scoring 3 tries in 2 games.

In May 2014, Matagi played for Samoa in the 2014 Pacific Rugby League International.

On September 2014, Matagi was selected for the New Zealand and Samoa Four Nations train-on squads.[8][9] On 7 October 2014, Matagi was selected in the New Zealand Kiwis team final 24 man squad for the 2014 Four Nations series.[10]

After only playing one game during the first half of the 2015 NRL season, Matagi requested, and was granted, a release from his contract with the Warriors. Matagi signed a contract with the Sydney Roosters.[11]

On 4 November 2015, Matagi signed a 1-year contract with the Penrith Panthers, with an option for a second year, starting in 2016.[12][13]

References

  1. ↑ "Suaia Matagi - Career Stats & Summary". Rugby League Project. 1988-03-23. Retrieved 2015-10-27.
  2. ↑ Matagi's journey: From prison to Mt Smart Stuff.co.nz, 7 July 2013
  3. ↑ https://web.archive.org/20130716070450/http://www.warriors.co.nz:80/playerprofiledisplay/Warriors/Suaia%20Matagi/7207. Archived from the original on July 16, 2013. Retrieved February 4, 2016. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. ↑ Auckland Pride retain National title Rleague.com, 18 October 2011
  5. ↑ League star on an inspirational journey Waikatoindependent.co.nz, 7 May, 2013
  6. ↑ Strong Vulcan flavour in Warriors Tvnz.co.nz, 7 February 2013
  7. ↑ https://web.archive.org/20140111155627/http://www.nswrl.com.au/default.aspx?s=article-display&id=84880&title=2013-nswrlcomau-vb-nsw-cup-team-of-the-year---announcement. Archived from the original on January 11, 2014. Retrieved February 4, 2016. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  8. ↑ "Six players added to Kiwis squad | Radio New Zealand News". Radionz.co.nz. 2014-09-19. Retrieved 2015-10-27.
  9. ↑ "Samoa train on squad announced | NRL". Zero Tackle. 2014-09-08. Retrieved 2015-10-27.
  10. ↑ "Four rookies in Kiwis Four Nations squad". NRL.com. Retrieved 2015-10-27.
  11. ↑ "Warriors prop Suaia Matagi inks deal with the Sydney Roosters after seeking early release". stuff.co.nz. 15 May 2015. Retrieved 15 May 2015.
  12. ↑ "Matagi joins the Panthers | NRL". Zero Tackle. Retrieved 2015-11-04.
  13. ↑ "Phil Gould AM on Twitter: "Yes https://t.co/AQmwjAS9fH"". Twitter.com. 2015-10-21. Retrieved 2015-10-27. External link in |title= (help)

External links

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