Hardman Steve Matai plays through the pain of broken bones
August 20, 2015 4:12pm
Jon GeddesManly Daily
SEA Eagles warhorse Steve Matai has admitted if Manly were not fighting for a spot in the finals he probably would not still be playing this season.
The robust centre, one of the toughest competitors in the NRL, is playing busted and will take the field in Sunday’s game against the Eels at Brookvale with a broken finger and nose.
Matai has been carrying the damaged finger for five weeks after dislocating and breaking it in Manly’s 38-6 win over the Titans.
He has to wear one guard when he is on the field that stops him moving the finger and another that allows slight movement when he is not playing.
“It just needs rest. If I had six weeks off it would heal perfectly,” Matai said.
“Because I am playing with it, it is not getting the rest and recovery it needs.”
Steve Matai scores a try against the Raiders last Sunday. Picture: Getty Images.
Matai also has the painful nose injury courtesy of a tackle by his mate, South Sydney forward Glenn Stewart, at Brookvale a fortnight ago.
“It’s still broken, thanks Glenn,” Matai said.
“There’s not much I can do about it really, there’s a few games to go ‘til the semis so I’ve got to get through that and fingers crossed we get there for the semis.”
While the NRL has been focused on the shoulder charge, the question is why no action was taken in last week’s 26-24 win over Canberra when Matai was hit across the nose.
“I don’t understand that, either. I got whacked there on the weekend and it was sort of just the same as the week before,” Matai said.
“I started to water up and it felt like I hurt it again. It’s just something I’ve got to deal with I guess.”
Asked if he would still be playing if Manly were out of contention for the top eight Matai replied: “Probably not. I’d probably take the six weeks off for the finger and the rest of the year off for the nose.”
Matai pulled off arguably the biggest tackle of the season with his hit on Souths’ Dave Tyrrell. He said the shoulder charge had never been part of his game and he had never used one.
When the shoulder charge was outlawed, Matai’s brother Taifau told him it was great for his game.
“I said, ‘What do you mean?’ And he said, ‘It takes all the pretenders out of the game and you will be at the top — the genuine hitters of the game will come to the fore’,” Matai said.