<style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style> It would be interesting to hear people’s opinion of Steve Matai, purely in footballing terms. He is such a divisive player for so many reasons, including but not limited to: playing for Manly; having a dumbass haircut; wasting so much time every game with injuries; and high shots that are so bad you even begin to pity a jackass like Michael Ennis. Combined with the ridiculous praise he gets from portions of the press, notably Ray Warren, it isn’t hard to understand why most rugby league fans hate him. But I actually think Matai is a pretty decent player. He is by no means a superstar but if you compare him to other centres in the NRL*, he is comfortably in the top third and at various times, I’d even argue that he pushes into the top 10. In attack he isn't a brilliant individual player but he is well-balanced. He is fast and strong and I’ve always been a fan of his ability to step off his left or right foot. He isn’t great at hitting holes but when he gets the ball early I think he is in his element: he has developed a decent grubber kick and while he isn’t going to perform many Matt Gidley draw-and-passes, he has quick hands and is good at judging when to pass to his winger. That last point is particularly noteworthy because a lot of modern centres have become notorious ball hogs and secondly, he generally plays inside Jorge Taufua, whose timing can be terrible and is often guilty of rushing up too flat in attack and putting Matai under huge pressure. Added on top of that, Matai always makes good metres coming out of dummy half and is Manly’s second best player in this area, only behind the incomparable Taufua. Matai’s obvious issue is defence but I think that is less of problem when you remember that the overall standard among today’s centres is pretty damn low. He is definitely in the bottom half but there are still many who are worse than him. But while his tackling and his ability to read the play is bad, his aggression actually means that from time-to-time, he does a tremendous job of shutting down the opposition because his physicality and speed panics them and shuts down the inside man. Overall, his net contribution is still negative but if you compare him to plenty of other centres, for example Dane Gagai, who only ever puts in average-to-poor performances and then occasional has a terrible game, I’d generally rather take Matai since he’ll have just as many poor games but will occasionally come up with some golden plays. If I were the New Zealand coach, I'd be asking him to come back and play at the end of the year.
Players who have played a reasonable amount in the past two seasons: Jamie Lyon Steve Matai Michael Jennings Will Chambers Kane Linnett Dane Gagai Brent Tate Bryson Goodwin Shaun Kenny-Dowell Jarrod Croker Jack Reed Konrad Hurrell Ben Pomeroy Jonathan Wright BJ Leilua Ryan Moran Brad Takairangi Dean Whare Krisnan Inu Dane Nielsen Chase Stanley Blake Ayshford Tim Lafai Josh Morris Dylan Walker Maurice Blair Justin Hodges Jamal Idris Lewis Brown Jacob Loko Chris Lawrence Blake Ferguson Tim Simona Jack Wighton Gerard Beale Ricky Leutele Willie Tonga William Hopoate Kirisome Auvaa Dale Copley Mahe Fonua Matthew Allwood I should probably also point out that this isn't asking whether Steve Matai is "overrated" or "underrated". Your perception of how other people perceive a certain player is an incredibly boring and overdone topic of discussion.
Brilliant, brilliant post. Most hated and under rated player on cricsim. His defence isn't great, but he is one tough cunt. His attack is so severely under rated it's not funny. I rate his draw and pass a little higher than you Jazz.
I'm a Manly supporter so my bias may show. Whether you like Stevie or not, I'm sure if you ever played serious footy you'd agree that he is a player you'd prefer on your side rather than running at you or tackling you. Every team needs a bit of mongrel and I played with plenty of blokes I'm sure I would have hated if they were on the opposition team, but they were on my side , so I thought they were champions. I have liked Matai ever since I first saw him playing for Ippy, then Wynnum up here in the QLD cup, and glad he's playing for Manly and not someone else.
I don't know how anyone can say he's tough when he gets injured every second game, goes off and then comes back on a lot of the time.
I would probably call anyone who could take that punch he copped off Allgood tough. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4gDLTYf2FmY
Ahaha check out Daly & Gavin Badger at 46 seconds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNyLFBEcQh4 "Yeah I'm fuckin' fired up maaaate!"
You've obviously never copped a flogging then! That was a couple of chin taps. He got the better of him but certainly wasn't a flogging can tell you.
Well unless it explains the constant but ephemeral knee and ankle injuries mixed in with the shoulder and arm problems, to which I assume you're alluding, I don't really see the relevance. But no, I don't.