Mateo Interview

[yy_cheng]

http://rouse-hill-times.whereilive.com.au/sport/story/eel-deal-on-cards-for-mateo/

Eel deal on cards for Mateo
SPORTRUGBY LEAGUE
19 FEB 10 @ 11:52AM BY BRYN KAY

Feliti Mateo is a product of Terra Sancta College at Quakers Hill.
THIS week the Times talked with Parramatta Eels five-eighth Feleti Mateo. Mateo is a product of Terra Sancta College at Quakers Hill and spent his youth playing for the Lalor Park Kookaburras.

1. First of all Feleti, how’s training going for the forthcoming season?

It’s been pretty tough but that’s to be expected. A few boys, including myself, took time off training until January. But we’ve been working hard and having a lot of fun doing it.

2. What are your goals for this season?

I want to stay injury-free. I want to get my starting spot back and put a dent in the NRL by making a name for myself.

3. How are your contract negotiations with the Eels going?

Pretty good. I was surprised to hear from my manager that quite a few clubs such as the Warriors and Bulldogs are interested, which is good but obviously I’d love to stay at Parra. I’d love to have it (negotiations) finished by next week if possible, but definitely by April or May at the latest.

4. Are you concerned about the AFL moving into the west?

They (AFL) might pinch a few rugby league players. It will probably make rugby league more competitive because before kids would rock up to the park and play league because there was no other option, that might change a bit now.

5. Who is the funniest player in the team?

It would have to be Etu Uaisele, he’s a funny guy and he’s got some broken English problems we all pick up on ... he’ll say he has “good reflections” instead of good reflexes when he dodges the ball.

6. Do you still have a close connection with the Lalor Park Kookaburras and Terra Sancta College?

I go down to Lalor Park every now and then to see some people like my old coach. I haven’t been back to the college but it would be good to go back there sometime.

What is your favourite position and why?

Probably five-eighth, it’s good for attacking and you get away with doing less defending. But it looks like I’ll be in the back row more this year, so I’m learning to adapt and get my combos going with the halves.

9. How will the Eels go in 2010?

There’s no reason we can’t show the same form again this year, it’s a fully fit team with a lot of depth and there’s no distractions.

 

[The Colonel]

Fancy that, looks like the club are negotiating with Mateo AND Mortimer at the SAME time. I wonder if they might be negotiating with Kris Keatings manager as well?

:roll:

 

[mickdo]

;-)

 

[ParraMatt]

Hope we can sign him, Mateo and Mortimer are the two most important in my opinion.

 

[Jake the snake]

If we can do all three it would be a massive lift for the team.

 

[parra-all-the-way]

sp there could be big and lots of news coming out of the eels camp over the next few weeks.

 

[Twizzle]

it seems to all be happening at the right time for us

 

[84 Baby]

If we can do all three it would be a massive lift for the team.

Except maybe Robson

 

[hineyrulz]

If we can do all three it would be a massive lift for the team.

Agreed, it would be a great way to start the season.

 

[parra pete]

Except maybe Robson

Jeff is signed until end of 2011. I don't think it worries him. He just has to keep doing what he does best..and leave the other stuff up to itself...

 

[84 Baby]

Jeff is signed until end of 2011. I don't think it worries him. He just has to keep doing what he does best..and leave the other stuff up to itself...

I don't think it worries him, he's got a good, tough attitude. Unfortunately, it's got to be a little bit sucky being 27 and having 3 guys who play in similar positions to you being heavily chased, then if they do re-sign going to make minutes very difficult to come by. As much as I like Robson, he's on minimum wage, Ossie wouldn't be very happy paying 2 players between $100k-$200k only to be playing 2nd fiddle to a guy who relies on match fees, no matter what the other 2-3 are being paid this year.

It's what is fueling the Inu speculation at the moment. Why pay a guy top 17 money if he is struggling to be in the top 17?

If Mortimer and Keating both re-sign, Robson will really be battling Mitchell for a spot each week.

You can respect battlers but they rarely have fantastic lives

 

[Hindyscrack]

Inu will kill it this year... has the talent and after a couple of lean years he will be back to his best.

 

[BissyB]

Agreed. Inu could kill it this year.

Assuming he plays a first grade game that is...

 

[Gaffman]

I hope in next weeks trial Inu gets a run outside Tahu. Need to get Reddy doing more ball work (i know he had a crack at 6 last year) and dummy half stuff. If he could improve those he'd be the best utility ever.

 

[B-Tron 3000]

Probably five-eighth, it’s good for attacking and you get away with doing less defending.

Until he sorts out this attitude problem he will never be a great player.

Great players pride themselves on defence as well as attack.

 

[Kornstar]

Until he sorts out this attitude problem he will never be a great player.

Great players pride themselves on defence as well as attack.

Agreed! There is no doubt that the guy has attacking talent with the best of them but it does seem that he is lazy and has a bad attitude at times!

His favourite position may be 5/8th and he has done some good things there but i do believe he is a lock and has played his best football there and if he manages to get his defence in order then he will truly be one of the superstars of the game.

I think he, like Inu, needs to add some agression to his game.......

 

[strider]

I don't think it worries him, he's got a good, tough attitude. Unfortunately, it's got to be a little bit sucky being 27 and having 3 guys who play in similar positions to you being heavily chased, then if they do re-sign going to make minutes very difficult to come by. As much as I like Robson, he's on minimum wage, Ossie wouldn't be very happy paying 2 players between $100k-$200k only to be playing 2nd fiddle to a guy who relies on match fees, no matter what the other 2-3 are being paid this year.

It's what is fueling the Inu speculation at the moment. Why pay a guy top 17 money if he is struggling to be in the top 17?

If Mortimer and Keating both re-sign, Robson will really be battling Mitchell for a spot each week.

You can respect battlers but they rarely have fantastic lives

i'm pretty sure no one in our coaching staff and management will give a toss about how much they are/aren't paying any player, as long as they perform on the field

maybe ossie wouldn't "like" paying someone big money to play for wenty, but he'd probably be stoked if the alternative was getting paid minimum and perfoming for the NRL team