KNIGHTS prop Sam Mataora is hoping the honour of playing for the Cooks Islands can revive his NRL career after a slow start to the season.
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Mataora, who is off contract this year, was one of Newcastle’s best forwards in 2016 and enjoyed his best season in the NRL, playing 20 times. That came after Knights coach Nathan Brown put Mataora on notice about his weight in pre-season.
This year, the 26-year-old has not featured in the NRL and he admitted he got off to a “rough start” in the pre-season while dealing with injuries and “off-field issues”.
When the season started, Mataora was in reserve grade, where he injured his knee in round two against Wyong.
He returned last Saturday, coming off the bench in Newcastle’s 42-26 NSW Cup loss to Wests Tigers at Leichhardt Oval – enough to gain selection in the Cook Islands team to take on Papua New Guinea on Saturday at Campbelltown Stadium.
It will be the seventh time the former Canberra prop has represented his nation, who he debuted for in 2009, and he was hoping to use the game to regain match fitness ahead of a push back into the NRL.
“There’s been a few challenges so hopefully, maybe in the next couple of weeks, I can get back up there,” Mataora said.
“It’s been tough, but that’s what happens in footy, I guess.
“I had a bit of a slow start during the off-season but it’s all right.”
Asked if injuries in pre-season were a factor, he said there were “off-field issues” as well.
Mataora did not elaborate, but when asked if his fitness or focus were issues, he said. “Yeah, it was a bit of everything.”
He has spoken previously of going through “dark times” during his three-season, 32-game stint at Canberra before joining Newcastle midway through 2014.
Given a chance to resurrect his career at the Knights then, Mataora is approaching another career crossroads.
“I’m off contract this year so I’m looking to push for another contract, anywhere,” he said.
“It depends where the Knights are, if I stay or go, so it’s pretty much up to me.”
He was glad to get the call-up, and permission from the Knights, to represent the Cook Islands.
“I wasn’t sure [about playing] because it was my first game back last week in the NSW Cup, but I pulled up sweet,” he said.
“It’s always an honour to play for the Cooks.”
Mataora was born and raised on the Cooks Islands before his family moved to Brisbane when he was 11.
He first represented his homeland at the Pacific Cup in 2009, then again at the 2013 World Cup. He played also in October 2015 against Tonga in their losing Asia-Pacific qualifier for the 2017 World Cup.
“It’s always a blessing to represent my nation,” he said. “I’m just happy to be in camp with the boys. Hopefully we do the job on Saturday.
“I can’t wait. It’s been a long six weeks off, so I’m itching, I can’t wait to start playing footy.”
Brown spoke about the Knights’ Pacific Tests representatives on Tuesday and said Mataora was “a fair way away fitness wise” from challenging for a first-grade spot.
“Sammy is going into an environment where he is happy and he is representing his people,” Brown said.
“He is happy. It is tough not to let him go and enjoy it.”