Feleti Mateo

Feleti Sosefo Mateo (born 2 June 1984) is a Tonga international rugby league footballer. He has played a variety of positions from lock, second-row and five-eighth. Mateo was also selected to represent NSW City Origin and the NRL All Stars. He last played for English club Salford Red Devils of Super League. Before that he played for Sydney club the Parramatta Eels in 2004 and then between 2006 and 2010, the London Broncos in 2005, the New Zealand Warriors between 2011 and 2014, the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in 2015 and 2016 and the Salford Red Devils in 2016. Mateo is renowned for his versatility and extravagant style of play.

Playing career

2004

In Round 20 of the 2004 NRL season, Mateo made his NRL début for the Parramatta Eels, playing against the Melbourne Storm from the interchange bench in the Eels 22-16 loss at Olympic Park. This was Mateo's only match in the 2004 NRL season for the Parramatta Eels.

2006

Mateo returned to the Parramatta Eels in the 2006 NRL season and played in the NSWRL Premier League. Mateo was named the Parramatta Premier League Player of the Year and was named the grand final Man of the Match when the Eels defeated Newtown Jets 20-19 in extra time.

2007

At the start of the 2007 NRL season, Mateo was selected in the Eels the NRL team. In Round 2, against the South Sydney Rabbitohs, Mateo made his return for the Parramatta Eels from the interchange bench in the 31-6 loss at ANZ Stadium. In Mateo's next match, in Round 3 against the Wests Tigers, Mateo scored his first NRL career try in the Eels 22-20 golden point extra time win at Parramatta Stadium. Mateo was often coming off the bench, averaging 50 minutes per game, being used as an attacking weapon against tiring defences. Mateo played in 25 matches and scored 9 tries in his return season for the Parramatta Eels in the 2007 NRL season.

2008

Mateo started 2008 in the five-eighth role, a position he played in his time at the London Broncos. Mateo played in the Eels Round 1 match, which was a 28-20 comeback victory over the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs at ANZ Stadium. He scored two tries after the Eels trailed 20-0 at halftime. Mateo finished first at the end of the regular season on offloads with 64. Mateo played in 22 matches and scored 7 tries for the Eels in the 2008 NRL season.

2009

In Round 10, against the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, Mateo suffered a shoulder injury in the 34-10 loss at Brookvale Oval which sidelined him for most of the year. However Mateo did make a return in Round 24 against the Wests Tigers in the Eels 26-18 win at the Sydney Football Stadium. Mateo played off the bench in matches leading up to the Eels 2009 NRL Grand Final match against the Melbourne Storm. Mateo played off the interchange bench in the Eels 23-16 loss. Mateo played in 16 matches and scored 2 tries for the Eels in the 2009 NRL season.

2010

On 10 May 2010, Mateo signed with the New Zealand Warriors for the 2011 NRL season and the following two seasons. Mateo played in 24 matches and scored 2 tries his final year with the Parramatta Eels in the 2010 NRL season.

Wikipedia