Warriors 'Close' to deal with Matai - in talks with White & Blair

[Mixmasterreece]

Steve will be in Auckland on Thursday.

 

[Skinner]

Steve will be in Auckland on Thursday.

With his boots ??

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Don't go, teammates' last-gasp Matai plea Written by Jason Avedissian Manly Daily Tuesday, 13 July 2010 18:32

http://silvertails.net/news/4939-dont-go-teammates-last-gasp-matai-plea

HIS teammates are rallying around him in one final attempt to convince off-contract centre Steve Matai to remain at the club.

The 25-year-old has been tabled a counter-offer by the Sea Eagles to remain at Brookvale.
The Manly Daily understands the Sea Eagles’ deal is financially stronger than the Sharks’ offer, but a little under what the Warriors are prepared to spend.
Matai yesterday spoke personally about his decision with club officials, and could be settling on his future as early as Wednesday.
He also consulted his teammates, looking for some direction in what will be one of the final contracts of his career.
“It’s a difficult time and I want it settled sooner rather than later,” Matai said.
“It’s (Sea Eagles) the only club I have known in the NRL and the last thing I want to do is leave.”
Matai is genuinely torn as he mulls over the decision, knowing the club has played a significant role in shaping his career.
The Auckland-born back arrived on the northern beaches for summer training in November 2004.
It was only meant to be a week-long stint before returning to Wynnum Manly in the Brisbane premiership.
But Matai never returned to Brisbane, remaining in Sydney before making his NRL debut against the Storm at Brookvale in March, 2005. A little over 12 months later he would go on to represent his country.
Manly CEO Graham Lowe said on Tuesday that Matai’s future rests in his hands.
“We’ve made him an offer so it’s just a matter of Steve making his mind up I suppose,” Lowe said.
“We want it sorted out as quickly as possible but from our point of view there’s no time limit. I’m hopeful (he will stay).
“There’s so many other really important things we’ve got to focus on as well, retaining our really good players like Steve is important but we can only do what we can do.”

http://silvertails.net/news/4939-dont-go-teammates-last-gasp-matai-plea

 

[Micistm]

From the feature on him in RLW a few weeks ago, Matai's heart is at Manly. If he gets a relatively decent offer IMO he would stay put.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

"The last thing I want to do is leave" gives me some hope that I had lost

 

[ANTiLAG]

Still agree with those who think Matai is an injury prone centre who rushes out of the line to miss tackles and give away silly penalties all the whilst while knowing the middle names of all the judiciary panel members.

 

[NZ Warrior]

I'm kind of hoping we don't get Matai.

I think the search should continue for a quality centre, that doesn't have a bad judiciary record. And one that doesn't need a fulltime trainer, helping to hold his shoulder in place.

 

[ANTiLAG]

The warriors started the year well under the cap. No Price. No Tate.

There is a big fulla of a centre on the market who wants overs.

I realise he's no Brentt Tate but GI would be injured less often.

 

[NZ Warrior]

-I think we'll see GI in a Broncos jersey next season. -

I'll retract this statement. It seems like GI doesn't want the 400K a season Broncos contract. So the Broncos have pretty much closed the door.

I'd hate to see the price tag to lure him over here. I'd much rather the money goes towards 2-3 players from the impending Melbourne Storm Fire Sale.

 

[perverse]

i'll take Matai at the Knights if you blokes don't want him.

mix in the imminent arrivals of Luke O'Donnell (more or less a done deal), Neville Costigan and potentially another prop (whilst losing the injury prone Cross and Simpson) and we go from marshmallows to hard bastards in a single off season.

no really, i want Matai. i rate him. sadly my club doesn't seem to be in the race, which makes me believe we're going to be putting all our eggs in one basket and crossing our fingers with Likiliki.

 

[joseph1]

We need Matai and Blair and then i will orgasm watching tge warriors each week

 

[Dr Crane]

tmi

 

[NZ Warrior]

i'll take Matai at the Knights if you blokes don't want him.

mix in the imminent arrivals of Luke O'Donnell (more or less a done deal), Neville Costigan and potentially another prop (whilst losing the injury prone Cross and Simpson) and we go from marshmallows to hard bastards in a single off season.

no really, i want Matai. i rate him. sadly my club doesn't seem to be in the race, which makes me believe we're going to be putting all our eggs in one basket and crossing our fingers with Likiliki.

Don't you guys have a fella by the name of Junior Sau???

 

[NZ Warrior]

We need Matai and Blair and then i will orgasm watching tge warriors each week

When the Warriors signed Matai & Blair, I jizzed in my pants!

 

[Skinner]

Don't you guys have a fella by the name of Junior Sau???

Junior is a bit hot and cold mate...I still like him though.

 

[Dirty Hoe]

one of the boys who is good mates with steve has said he is coming home!
the warriors are lining up accommodation for the short term. steve will move into a house he has over here, but the current tenants still have time to run on their lease.

great signing...lots of kava will be hate when hes back with all the boys!!

 

[NZ Warrior]

Oh God! Are we going to assign Matai his own personal trainer, to help carry his arm before it drops off?

 

[perverse]

Don't you guys have a fella by the name of Junior Sau???

We do mate, and he will definitely be our centre on one side of the field.. but old MadDog is 35 now... and barely offers us 10 games a year. we're missing a genuine strike centre. S'au, for all his strength... is not a very smart footballer. i can count on 1 hand the number of times he's passed the ball this year. he brings a lot to the team as far as workrate in early tackle count goes and provides some good barge over tries too, but he simply can't work out a simple draw and pass... and we need a centre on the other side of the field that can service Uate. S'au is very one dimensional, and teams have worked out that when he gets the ball, you just have to chuck a whole heap of numbers at him... because the risk of him passing it is extremely minimal.

also just on my previous post in this thread it looks like Huddersfield are making an 11th hour play at Luke O'Donnell... much to my own dismay. he was pretty much in the bag for us. sad times...

 

[Iafeta]

Junior is a bit hot and cold mate...I still like him though.

He goes up a cog or two when he puts on the black jersey. Reminds me in that essence like Iosia Soliola, not out and out speed merchants but just hard, direct players who can control an edge.

 

[perverse]

He goes up a cog or two when he puts on the black jersey. Reminds me in that essence like Iosia Soliola, not out and out speed merchants but just hard, direct players who can control an edge.

definitely, he has played his best footy in the Kiwi jersey. credit to him for having that extra gear or 2 for internationals, i think he will serve NZ well for a long while yet. i just wish he could pull that sort of form out at club level on a more regular basis. it's frustrating watching him dominant for NZ and pop passes and whatnot... and then come back to the Knights and become so 1-dimensional seemingly overnight.