Matai gone for season

[Rusty Cage]

Good luck Steve.

Do players read this forum?

 

[The Eagle Has Landed]

F me can this season get any worse?
Love Skivvy a true Manly Legend.

 

[ALinda]

Sad news but realistically his health comes first. Really hope the surgery is successful and he can come back fully fit to see out his contract in 2017.

Have some great memories of several of Skivvi's tries and tackles over the years, including 'that' tackle of the year on Tyrrell last year. Best of luck Skivvi!

 

[Jatz Crackers]

Its players like Steve Matai that have kept me watching this game.

Adam Blair styles his entire look on Steve just in case someone mistakes him for the great man.

For me, this news is akin to ripping off one hundred band-aids from a chainsaw wound with a septic infection.

 

[Budgie]

Wow. This makes me so sad. I don't think anyone has ever given as much of himself to Manly. Maybe Tooves.
Loved watching him every damned week. But, I don't think he should even attempt to come back from this. It's a very long life ahead and he deserves to have a great one. Pay him in full Manly and give him the early mark he has earned.

 

[Clint]

Love ya work Stevie...

So his salary will be exempt from the cap for the rest of the year now won't it???
Guys??? That's how it works isn't it???

 

[Nice Beaver]

Love ya work Stevie...

So his salary will be exempt from the cap for the rest of the year now won't it???
Guys??? That's how it works isn't it???

If he immediately retired I would think so.

 

[HoldenV8]

If he immediately retired I would think so.

Greenturd would try and find some way to make sure we don't get a Speels and Choc like free pass on that one. They would call it an ongoing injury or something and say that its something Manly have known about for years.

Which is in complete contrast to Choc who obviously went to doesn't-matta completely injury free and it was only a freak pre-season training bump with Beau Scott that caused him to have any sort of injury.....

 

[Chip and Chase]

I wrote the following when Skivvi clocked up his 200th game a couple of years back. He is one of my all time favourites and I'll be gutted if this is the end for him.

Ok the big milestone this week is Steve Matai's 200th game. Skivvi to me is what Manly is all about, tough and uncompromising on the surface, silky smooth underneath but ALWAYS passionate. He'll smash you into pieces in defence or running out of his own end, but then is just as likely to put on a clinic with ball in hand.

Started out as this raw, loose cannon which had quite a few wondering how long he would last at the top level. If his body didn't fall apart then surely the judiciary would eventually catch up with him. Stevie got smart though, he still cocked the hammer every game but he learnt when to pull the trigger for maximum effect. Fear became his biggest weapon, plenty of opposition players jumping at shadows out on our left hand edge these days.

Sometimes lost amongst all the big hits and aggression is the footwork, deceptive pace and great hands. He is just as dangerous in attack, and this year I think has been his best in that department. However his major contributions over the seasons have been the kilometres he has bashed his way through coming out of our own end. This guy regularly rolls up his sleeves and helps out his forwards by just running through walls out of dummy half. Machine.

This guy is a warrior, and is one player that you can truly say gives nothing but 100%. Love this guy. Love everything he does, love what he brings to this side, love what he exemplifies in the Manly spirit he shows. If you want someone to play for your life then he's first picked in my book.

Great honour for him to play 200 games and I wish him all the best for an injury free night and a victory to celebrate the milestone. If he could manage one of those Matai specials for the fans then even better (I'll do a little jig if it happens to be on Jamie Soward). Good luck on Sunday and thanks for the memories so far, looking forward to plenty more.

"Unleash the Matai"

 

[HoldenV8]

Sometimes lost amongst all the big hits and aggression is the footwork, deceptive pace and great hands. He is just as dangerous in attack, and this year I think has been his best in that department. However his major contributions over the seasons have been the kilometres he has bashed his way through coming out of our own end. This guy regularly rolls up his sleeves and helps out his forwards by just running through walls out of dummy half. Machine.

This guy is a warrior, and is one player that you can truly say gives nothing but 100%. Love this guy. Love everything he does, love what he brings to this side, love what he exemplifies in the Manly spirit he shows. If you want someone to play for your life then he's first picked in my book.]

That (and what we also get from Jorge) is one big ingredient that this team has been missing in recent weeks. When the forwards are getting tired and taking their time to get back onside for hit ups, we are missing Skivy and Jorge getting into dummy half and making a good 10 or 15 metres with just about every run. Sometimes they have done it twice each in a set of 6 just to help the forwards out.

Tommy is getting good at doing those runs because of his size and speed, but with his ankle you kinda cringe when you see him do it and sigh in relief if he gets up and isn't limping. But at the back right now other than Tom there is Snake, Wiliame and Wright and that trio doesn't give the same quality runs at the defence that Skivy and Jorge do.

 

[HoldenV8]

Just on that point about Skivy taking dummy half runs.....

In his 8 games this year he made 27 runs from dummy half. Only Matt Parcell with 33 in 10 games has more. The next best are Lewis Brown (20 in 12 games), Api Koroisau (12 in 7 games), Martin Taupau (12 in 9 games) and Dylan Walker (10 in 12 games).

 

[Brookvale]

It's not the end. Can't wait to see his big hits on opposing forwards

 

[double hoops]

No killer next year. Does anyone else think it may also be curtains for Skivvy and Snake this year? Prefer they don't all go at once, but it I starting to feel that way.

 

[MissKate]

I thought Steve was not signed for next year and wasn't being offered a new contract, thought that was known at the beginning of the season

 

[Chip and Chase]

I thought Steve was not signed for next year and wasn't being offered a new contract, thought that was known at the beginning of the season

Definitely signed till end of 2017 at this stage. Refer this thread for current contract status of players

http://silvertails.net/threads/mwse-squad-contract-status.47574/

 

[Woodsie]

Matai, you were never the other centre, the legend that is Skivvy is all yours and stands alone.

 

[wedgetail eagle]

Is my fav

Thanks Isz, enjoyed that.
Good days.

 

[Narrabeen Laker]

I hope Steve is gonna be ok if it's a physical injury that's keeping him out of the team and not stress

 

[HappilyManly]

I hope Steve is gonna be ok if it's a physical injury that's keeping him out of the team and not stress

Matai has had a bulging disc issue for a while and is now having to have it operated on. 🙁
It would be better for his long term health if he was pensioned off

 

[StuBoot]

Thanks Isz, enjoyed that.
Good days.

Some of the best 4mins you'll ever see.
Nearly brings a tear to the eye when I realise that he may not get a Brookie farewell that he deserves. Gift, Matty B & Choc didn't get one either, I hope that Snake and Killer do...whenever that may be.
Man, we had a special squad and didn't we enjoy the ride.