Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Full name | Suaia Matagi | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Auckland, New Zealand | 23 March 1988||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 17 st 0 lb (108 kg) [1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Position | Prop | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
As of 11 January 2024 |
Suaia Matagi (born 23 March 1988), also known by the nickname of "Sui", is a professional rugby league footballer who plays as a prop forward for Doncaster R.L.F.C. in the RFL Championship. He is both a New Zealand and Samoan international.
He previously played for the New Zealand Warriors, the Sydney Roosters, the Penrith Panthers and the Parramatta Eels in the NRL, and the Huddersfield Giants and the Castleford Tigers in the Super League. He has also spent time on dual registration from Castleford at Halifax Panthers in the Championship.
Matagi was born in Auckland, New Zealand to Samoan parents, the second youngest of six brothers. [5] He attended Kelston Boys' High School [6] before dropping out at age 14, having become involved in gang violence, and heavy alcohol abuse. [5] [7]
In 2006, at the age of 17, Matagi was sentenced to three years in prison for assaulting two boys during a drunken rage that occurred when he was 15. [8] He served his sentence at Mount Eden Prison, and later Manawatu Prison; [5] his participation in rehabilitation courses saw him granted parole after one year. [9]
Following his release from prison, Matagi took up rugby league in 2008, having never previously played any organised sport. He played for the Te Atatu Roosters, and later the Mount Albert Lions in the Auckland Rugby League competition. Matagi was selected to play for the Auckland representative team, and the New Zealand Residents [7] for four consecutive years between 2009 and 2012. [8] [10] He was named man of the match in Auckland's 44-34 victory over the South Island Scorpions in the National Competition's 2011 Grand Final. [11]
Matagi made his debut for the Auckland Vulcans, the New Zealand Warriors' feeder team, in the New South Wales Cup on 3 April 2010. He played regularly for the Vulcans in 2012, and was named 2012 New Zealand domestic player of the year. Matagi trialed with the Warriors during the 2013 pre-season, impressing coach Matthew Elliott enough to earn an NRL contract. [12] [13]
Matagi made his NRL debut for the Warriors on 11 May 2013 against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs at Westpac Stadium. [7] On 11 June 2013, he re-signed with the Warriors until the end of 2014. [6] Matagi played 11 games for the Warriors in 2013, scoring a try in their match against the Penrith Panthers in round 23. On 22 September 2013, Matagi was named at prop in the 2013 New South Wales Cup Team of the Year. [14]
Matagi was a member of the Warriors' squad that played in the 2014 and 2015 Auckland Nines pre-season tournaments. On 2 March 2014, Matagi re-signed with the Warriors until the end of 2016. [15] He played in all 24 of the Warriors' regular season games in 2014, but played in only 1 game during the first half of 2015 before being dropped to the Warriors' New South Wales Cup team.
In May 2015, Matagi requested, and was granted, a release from his contract with the Warriors in order to sign with the Sydney Roosters effective immediately. [16]
Stuff.co.nz, and The Sydney Morning Herald described Matagi as having built a cult following during his time at the Warriors. [15] [17]
Upon moving to the Roosters, Matagi played for their feeder club, the Wyong Roos, in the New South Wales Cup. An injury to Jared Waerea-Hargreaves saw Matagi play seven games for the Sydney Roosters in the back-end of 2015. [17]
On 4 November 2015, Matagi signed a one-year contract with the Penrith Panthers, with an option for a second year. [18] He was a late addition to the Panthers' 2016 Auckland Nines squad following an injury to Reagan Campbell-Gillard. [19] Matagi was a regular for the Panthers' in 2016, playing a total of 23 games.
In November 2016, Matagi signed a two-year contract with the Parramatta Eels. [20] [21] Matagi was part of the Parramatta side which finished fourth on the table and made the finals for the first time since 2009. [22] In 2018, Matagi started the first two games of the season from the interchange bench. Following Parramatta's humiliating 54-0 Round 2 up defeat by Manly, Matagi was left out of the Parramatta side by coach Brad Arthur but was recalled 5 weeks later in Round 7 where Parramatta defeated Manly 44-10. Matagi played a total of nine games for Parramatta in the 2018 NRL season as the club endured a horrid campaign finishing last on the table. [23]
In June 2018, Matagi was selected to play for NSW residents against the QLD residents side. [24]
On 1 July 2018, Matagi signed a two-year deal to join English side Huddersfield beginning in 2019. Matagi said of the move "I am extremely excited to take my football to the next level under the leadership of coach Simon Woolford and I'm also looking forward to the challenge of playing in the English Super League, joining a proud club like the Huddersfield Giants is a privilege and I will represent our fans to the best of my ability". [25]
On 25 November 2020, it was reported that Matagi had signed for the Castleford Tigers in the Super League on a season-long loan from Huddersfield. [26] He sustained a calf injury during pre-season training which forced him to miss the start of the season. [27] He made his Castleford debut on 22 May against the Warrington Wolves. [28]
On 10 October 2021, it was announced that Matagi had signed a deal to remain at Castleford on a permanent basis, joining the Tigers on a two-year contract. [29]
Matagi scored his first try for the Tigers against Wakefield Trinity on 14 April 2022. [30] Later in the season, he also scored against Toulouse and Hull FC.
After a strong start to the 2023 season, Matagi was unavailable during June and July as he returned to New Zealand due to a bereavement. [31] He played a total of 15 matches for Castleford in the 2023 season as the club finished 11th on the table narrowly avoiding relegation. [32] On 19 September, Castleford confirmed that Matagi would depart the club upon the expiration of his contract. [33]
On 4 November 2023, it was announced that Matagi would join Doncaster R.L.F.C. in the Championship for 2024. [34]
Matagi made his international debut for Samoa at the 2013 World Cup, playing in all four of their matches, scoring tries against New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. In May 2014, Matagi played for Samoa in the 2014 Pacific Rugby League test against Fiji to qualify for the 2014 Four Nations.
In October 2014, Matagi was named in both the New Zealand and Samoan Four Nations squads. [35] He opted to represent New Zealand, [36] playing in one of their four matches, against Samoa.
Matagi was named in New Zealand's train-on squad for the 2016 Four Nations, [37] but was not included in the final team. [38]
On 25 June 2021 he played for the Combined Nations All Stars in their 26-24 victory over England, staged at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, Warrington, as part of England’s 2021 Rugby League World Cup preparation.
Matagi is a Christian. [8] [9] He is a father of four children with his partner Fai. [5]
Jason Paul Cayless is a former New Zealand international rugby league footballer who played as a prop in the 2000s and 2010s. He played for the Parramatta Eels, Sydney Roosters and the Wests Tigers in the NRL and St Helens in the Super League.
Joe Galuvao is a former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s in the NRL. A Samoa and New Zealand international second row forward, he played for the Auckland Warriors, Parramatta Eels, South Sydney Rabbitohs, Penrith Panthers and Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles.
Richard Fa'aoso, also known by the nicknames of "Richie", and "Fuss", is a former Tonga international rugby league footballer. He played as a prop and played for the Penrith Panthers, Sydney Roosters, Parramatta Eels, Newcastle Knights, Melbourne Storm and the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles in the National Rugby League, and the Castleford Tigers in the Super League.
Leeson Ah Mau is a former professional rugby league footballer, who has represented both Samoa and New Zealand at international level.
Willie Isa is a Samoa international rugby league footballer who plays as a Second-row, Centre, Loose forward or winger for the Wigan Warriors in the Super League.
James Tamou is a former professional rugby league footballer who played as a prop and represented Australia and the New Zealand Maori at an international level. Tamou spent most of his career with the North Queensland Cowboys and was a member of their 2015 NRL Grand Final winning side
Kevin Naiqama is a Fiji international rugby league footballer who usually plays as a centre or winger for the Huddersfield Giants in the Super League and as a fullback or five-eighth for Fiji at the International level.
Nafe Seluini is a Tonga international rugby league footballer who plays as a hooker for the Sunshine Coast Falcons in the Intrust Super Cup. He previously played for the Penrith Panthers and the Sydney Roosters in the NRL.
The 2013 New Zealand Warriors season was the nineteenth season in the club's history. Coached by Matthew Elliott and captained by Simon Mannering, the Warriors competed in the National Rugby League's 2013 Telstra Premiership. They finished the regular season in 11th, failing to make the finals for the second consecutive year.
Jesse Sene-Lefao is a Samoa international rugby league footballer who plays as a prop or second-row forward for the Sheffield Eagles in the RFL Championship.
Kane Evans is a former Fiji international rugby league footballer who is currently playing for Glebe Dirty Reds, having last played as a prop for the Hull FC in the Super League.
Isaah Patrick Ferguson-Yeo is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a lock and second-row forward for the Penrith Panthers in the NRL and Australia at international level. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest locks in the game.
Reagan Campbell-Gillard is a professional rugby league footballer who plays as a prop for the Parramatta Eels in the NRL. He has also represented both Fiji and Australia at international level.
Albert Vete is a Tonga international rugby league footballer who last played as a prop forward for the Castleford Tigers in the Super League.
George Jennings is a Tonga international rugby league footballer who last played as a winger for the Melbourne Storm in the National Rugby League (NRL).
Waqa Blake is a Fijian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a centre and wing for St Helens in the Betfred Super League and Fiji at international level.
The 2016 New Zealand Warriors season was the 22nd season in the club's history. Coached by Andrew McFadden and captained by Ryan Hoffman, the Warriors competed in the National Rugby League's 2016 Telstra Premiership and the 2016 NRL Auckland Nines tournament.
Isaiah Papali'i is a professional rugby league footballer who plays as a second-row forward for the Wests Tigers in the National Rugby League (NRL). He has played for both Samoa and New Zealand at international level.
Oregon Kaufusi is a Samoa international rugby league footballer who plays as a prop for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in the National Rugby League.