Steve Matai wants immediate release

[TITAN PETE]

PHIL ROTHFIELD The Daily Telegraph January 20, 2015 12:00AM SHARE


MANLY’S pre-season has been thrown into turmoil, with long-serving Kiwi centre Steve Matai seeking an immediate release from the final year of his contract at Brookvale.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal the Gold Coast Titans, the New Zealand Warriors and another club — believed to be Parramatta — are prepared to offer the crash-tackling 30-year-old more than $1 million over three years for what will be the final contract of his career.

They all want him immediately to play the 2015 season.

And in a further blow to the Sea Eagles, champion five-eighth Kieran Foran is on the verge of announcing he will be quitting the Sea Eagles at the end of the year.

Matai has been unhappy at Manly for several months.

He is upset over the departure of decade-long teammates and close friends Anthony Watmough and Glenn Stewart at the end of last season.

He also believes Manly are paying him well below his market value.

New Sea Eagles boss Joe Kelly has offered Matai a two-year extension on the same money he now earns. It is nowhere near what other clubs are offering and is over a shorter term.

Kelly says he hopes to get this issue sorted as soon as possible.

“If he was to ask for an immediate release, that’s a discussion we’d have internally with our recruitment and retention committee,” Kelly said.

“I’m seeking to understand what’s going on with him moving forward.

“We’ve put an offer to him to extend but we obviously need to get some clarification.

“He’s one of a few we’d like to sort out sooner rather than later so we can focus on the upcoming season.’’

There is a thought among the players at Manly that the club should allow Matai to go because he has been such a loyal servant since 2005. In that time he has played 202 games and scored 80 tries.

By switching clubs it would allow him to set his family up for life.

Foran spoke late last year about supporting Matai’s departure, despite the fact they are extremely close.

“In Stevie’s situation I believe he has taken unders for a lot of years to stay at this club and if he can now set his family up and get a big money contract elsewhere I think the club should assess that,” Foran said.

Meanwhile, the Sea Eagles are desperately trying to convince halves Foran and Daly Cherry-Evans to sign new deals.

Foran is being chased by Parramatta, the Roosters and the Bulldogs and is unlikely to stay on the northern beaches.

Cherry Evans is more likely to remain, despite a huge offer from the Cronulla Sharks to play alongside his best mate Ben Barba.

The huge dollars needed to try to keep the halves at Brookvale is the very reason Kelly and coach Geoff Toovey can’t offer the same money rivals are offering Matai.

The Kiwi centre is refusing to comment on his plans because he is reluctant to upset teammates and fans in a public dispute so close to the start of the season.

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I wouldn't mind him coming for the upcoming season rather than next year but I think Parra will have plenty of freed up cash available after Haynes departure.

[RenegadeGC]

He will go to Titans or Warriors for family reasons if he can get the release.

[Bayside Titan]

What do you guys think that he would be worth? I would think between $300k-$400k a year.

[RenegadeGC]

I think that's what he be wanting on his last contract. Whether clubs pay overs for him is another thing.

[TITAN PETE]

What do you guys think that he would be worth? I would think between $300k-$400k a year.

I would think $300k would be the minimum but i wouldn't be paying much more either

[JunctionBlock]

I'd be happy to see him here this year. He's a fantastic player and brings a certain amount of dog to the the game to really fire everyone up. If Hoffman is on $400k then Matai is worth that too.

[mup23]

A million over 3 years for Matai is fine. If that's what he needs to come immediately then give it to him

[TITAN PETE]

He will probably bring a little bit more Kiwi Love to the Titans & we already have plenty of Manly fans here so he could very good for the club on & off the park..

Get Him

[Bayside Titan]

He will probably bring a little bit more Kiwi Love to the Titans & we already have plenty of Manly fans here so he could very good for the club on & off the park..

Get Him

Agree that we could seeore Kiwis at games if he was to come this way. I would think that $350k a year would be a fair price as well but only if he was to play this year with us. I would also imagine that Manly would want some compensation to let him go this year and I doubt that we have the money for that.

[Kevin Rablin]

I would have loved him here for 1 million for 3 years, good price for a player of his calibre. rumour is we couldn't come up with the money though.

[Titan4Life]

@paddykilmurray: "Re: Steve Matai. Titans assistant Terry Matterson says he doesn't think the club will "go down that avenue"

[Mr Stupid]

@paddykilmurray: "Re: Steve Matai. Titans assistant Terry Matterson says he doesn't think the club will "go down that avenue"

Shame.

[Titan4Life]

Titans assistant talks down Matai NRL move
January 20, 2015 - 2:54PM
Ed Jackson

Gold Coast assistant coach Terry Matterson has a simple message for those who think the Titans are poised to sign Manly NRL star Steve Matai.

Don't hold your breath.

Matai has reportedly told the Sea Eagles he wants an immediate release from his contract.

The Titans, along with Parramatta and the Warriors, have been linked to the 30-year-old New Zealand international.

But Matterson said a move for the veteran centre was unlikely, in his opinion.

"I'm not really involved in those sorts of talks but, at the moment, I don't think they'll be going down that avenue," he said.

The Titans confirmed the signing of former South Sydney forward Eddy Pettybourne last week and Matterson said the club was always on the lookout for new faces.

"You're always going to be looking at things, even if your full squad is bedded down," he said.

"People are always looking to recruit and you find ways to bring people in."

[ozynorts]

We could do a deal that involves TP as compensation.........

[Mexican titan]

I don't believe much that Booze Rothfield writes but it seems he is right that matai wants out. If he must leave Manly he would have been great here.
I find it strange that an assistant coach tells the media that we won't be chasing him and not t he CEO or the coach.

Edit- Matai's manager said on 2ue tonight that he had not asked for a release since last year when the Warriors were after him. I expect Rothfield will correct that part of his story tomorrow. Sure.