Matai makes NZ squad

[Kiwi Eagle]

Matai named in NZ Squad
4/10/2006
By Manly Sea Eagles



The New Zealand Rugby League has named a 24 man squad for the upcoming Gillette Tri-Nations campaign. The squad features five uncapped players including Manly’s Steve Matai.

Matai had a great year and finished the season as one of the best performers on the park. Its just reward for the hard running centre who was listed by many as the top improver in the NRL for 2006.

NZ Squad
Roy ASOTASI (Canterbury Bulldogs)
Adam BLAIR (Melbourne Storm)
Jason CAYLESS (St Helens)
Nathan CAYLESS (Parramatta Eels)
David FA’ALOGO (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
Awen GUTTENBIEL (NZ Warriors)
Dene HALATAU (Wests Tigers)
Shontayne HAPE (Bradford Bulls)
Stacey JONES (Les Catalan Dragons)
David KIDWELL (Melbourne Storm)
Epalahame LAUAKI (NZ Warriors)
Simon MANNERING (NZ Warriors)
Steve MATAI (Manly Sea Eagles)
Frank PRITCHARD (Penrith Panthers)
Tony PULETUA (Penrith Panthers)
Jerome ROPATI (NZ Warriors)
Iosia SOLIOLA (Sydney City Roosters)
David SOLOMONA (Wakefield Wildcats)
Motu TONY (Hull FC)
Tame TUPOU (Brisbane Broncos)
Manu VATUVEI (NZ Warriors)
Nigel VAGANA (Cronulla Sharks)
Brent Webb (NZ Warriors)
Ruben WIKI (NZ Warriors)

 

[clontaago]

Good work Steve Matai

 

[Nutzcraw]

hmmmm i think:

01. Brent Webb
02. Manu Vatuvei
03. Shontayne Hape
04. Steve Matai
05. Simon Mannering
06. Nigel Vagana
07. Stacey Jones
08. Ruben Wiki
09. Motu Tony
10. Roy Asotasi
11. David Kidwell
12. Tony Puletua
13. David Solomona

14. Jerome Ropati
15. Jason Cayless
16. Nathan Cayless
17. Frank Pritchard

Leaving the substitutes as:

1. Adam Blair
2. David Fa'alogo
3. Awen Guttenbiel
4. Dene Halatau
5. Epalahame lauake
6. Iosia Soliola
7. Tame Tupou


That is a really hard side to pick.. they will be difficult again

 

[DSM5]

It's a push over, too many stupid players to be any danger. To be successful in this game you have to have a couple of intelligent players in the team. There arn't any in this mob.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

Didnt seem to harm them too much last year .........

And give yourself a few uppercuts if you think Jones isnt an intelligent player

 

[PJ]

Yeah, I'll give you that Kiwi Eagle- I didn't expect NZ to be much last year and you dead set belted us. I'll reserve my judgement until I see them play together- I don't think they'll be pushovers.

 

[byso]

Do they use hand bags?

 

[clontaago]

Thats just the Rugby team Byso.

 

[Matabele]

Lyon vs Matai. :lol: :lol:

 

[Nutzcraw]

Lyon vs Matai. :lol: :lol:

Many people were doing the same thing when it was:

Gidley vs Matai
Gasnier vs Matai
Inglis vs Matai

 

[DSM5]

With Stacey and Nigel leading them around, I'll just leave it at that. Australia by thirty.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

I think you may find with those 2 players leading them round it was NZ by 24

 

[willstyles]

Matai strikes me as the sort of bloke who would really step up when playing for his country.

I know a lot of Kiwis play out of their skins when they wear that jersey, same with Queenslanders in SOO, and I think Matai is deffinately the sort of lad who would fire up.

 

[Crushercleal]

The Kiwis have a good forward pack, but it's in the backs where we will destroy them.

 

[byso]

Matai will step up. He'll surprise. The annoying thing about him is he isn't consistent and has brain explosions.

 

[Si]

Ohh i reckon Matai will definately step up. He will be really pumped up that first tackle he goes to make will be a swinging arm and that will be it for the rest of the game