What do you do with Matai

[bones]

Star Wars Episode v: Return Of The Matai

 

[King]

With Matai returning from injury, where does he go? He is not going to play reserve grade.

Is he injured or suspended?

 

[maxta]

Matt.....we have good backups,its just some of our props arent performing in FG and Des is quiet reluctant to relieve them of FG duties

Yeh Shane - i keep hearing Cunninghams name pop up & seen him last year in TC -some say he is being slowly prepared for the top grade but would like to see him get a shot - still not over excited by Seu Seu but must admit has improved loads, hard to fault him having a dig....
Matai was suspended in the equal worst game of last year against Rorters.

 

[Masked Eagle]

[quote author=Shane link=topic=187190.msg328629#msg328629 date=1301448288]
Matt.....we have good backups,its just some of our props arent performing in FG and Des is quiet reluctant to relieve them of FG duties

Yeh Shane - i keep hearing Cunninghams name pop up & seen him last year in TC -some say he is being slowly prepared for the top grade but would like to see him get a shot - still not over excited by Seu Seu but must admit has improved loads, hard to fault him having a dig....
Matai was suspended in the equal worst game of last year against Rorters.
[/quote]

Pretty sure Matai was suspended for his game against the Dogs for his hit on Ennis. 

 

[Captain of the Gate]

Matai straight back to centres. Remember Hoppa is only 18 years old and is still growing, guys brought up too early in the modern game tend to get injured a lot. Look at Lachlan Coote last year, he missed big chunks with a groin problem. Broncos kept having to turn over players cause young blokes were going down. At the Titans Mead was out all last year and Gordon will miss all of this year.
Hoppa is a talent and not one to be looked over in any stretch, but it won't hurt him or his game to spend some time in a lower grade learning his craft at training with a few bites at 1st grade through injury or suspension. He will be one of our key players of the future but there is no need to rush him just yet, his time will come very soon.

 

[The Gronk]

He'll probably play about half the games this year anyways so no need to play hm every week. 

Matai to come in and start taking people's heads off. 

 

[Masked Eagle]

Matai will come straight in.  Only thing that worries me with young Hoppa is tying him up for the future.  If he gets the impression he is down the pecking order, or wants to play centre in first grade then it could become a problem.  Lets face it, he wouldn't be the first young player to make his footballing decision on those factors.  We'd be naive to think its not a potential problem.

Hopefully he is re-signed up long term and shortly because with each passing game he would becoming more appealing to other clubs.

 

[DSM5]

If Matai is suspended again then I'd punt him. 

 

[Rusty]

Hoppa is 18. I am sure the guy understands he is not going to play every game this year. Plus with our backline, other then Robbo everyone of them has spent serious time on the injury list recently and I would expect the opportunities for Hoppa to be fairly regular.

 

[Masked Eagle]

Hoppa is 18. I am sure the guy understands he is not going to play every game this year. Plus with our backline, other then Robbo everyone of them has spent serious time on the injury list recently and I would expect the opportunities for Hoppa to be fairly regular.

I'm sure he knows he'll get opportunities but other clubs will be promising him regular a regular spot and in whatever position he wants to play.  Just for example, say he really wants to play fullback, they'll offer it to him and we can't.  I just wish we already had him under lock and key for the next 4-5 years already.

 

[The Who]

As well as a salary offer young Hoppa free seats to each game for his family. It's a substantial incentive and a clever way of bumping up crowd numbers at Brookie.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

Matai offers a massive amount to the side in his current role, he must hop straight back into it. I don't know how many agree with me, but I rate him as 1 of the most influential players in our side the past 2-3 years.

He adds some extra fear factor where he is now as well, I think it was Anasta who said when interviewed last year that as a ball player you always feel uncomfortable and are looking out of the corner of your eye when Matai is out there

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As well as a salary offer young Hoppa free seats to each game for his family. It's a substantial incentive and a clever way of bumping up crowd numbers at Brookie.

That would be included in the cap, and put us 1 mill over with how many Hoppas are running round lol

 

[lsz]

Matai off the bench for first few weeks to get match fitness.
Utility that can play second row, hooker, lock, or centre.

Matai as a hooker? That will do me

 

[Nutzcraw]

Matai straight in with Hoppa Jnr back to reggies. Still young. Looks very promising but right now Matai is more valuable to us... his runs out of dummy half are great and I think it's fair to say we play our best footy when we are aggressive (look at last 2 rounds) Matai definately brings that.

 

[WAMF]

If Matai is suspended again then I'd punt him.  

He's not going to change his playing style. So he will definitely get suspended at some point in the season.

Great player though.

 

[Mybludog]

I think the next time he gets suspended it'll be for a lonnngggggg time

 

[ERNIE FOR NO7]

If Matai is suspended again then I'd punt him. 

IF  - If he will gets another suspension - I wish someone would bet odds on that.

One things for sure is that with the better depth this year  he wont be able to hold the team to ransom by not training until 2 before the game with an injury.

 

[Darren]

Kiwi, I think Anasta said that because Stevie runs in from the blindside and goes around the head!! Doubt most players would enjoy that! His efforts against Saints let the whole club down!!

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

When he smashed Dean Young with 1 of the hits of the year and we flogged them Darren ?

 

[Darren]

no that was a good one with Young, the semi where he did that hit and got the big suspension, good stuff from a senior international showing the rookies the way to the top (of the head)  :🙂  😀