Quick Facts
Biography
Peter Mata'utia (pronounced ma-ta-oo-tee-a) (born 12 November 1990) is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who currently plays for the Newcastle Knights in the National Rugby League. He plays at centre, fullback and wing. He previously played for the St. George Illawarra Dragons.
Background
Born in Bankstown, New South Wales, Mata'utia is of Samoan descent and played his junior rugby league for the Bankstown Cougars. He then moved to Newcastle, New South Wales and played for Raymond Terrace, before being signed by the Newcastle Knights.
Mata'utia is the older brother of Knights teammates Chanel Mata'utia, Pat Mata'utia and Sione Mata'utia.
Playing career
Early career
From 2008 to 2010, Mata'utia played for the Newcastle Knights' NYC team, scoring over 300 points in 44 games. In August 2008, he played for the Australian Schoolboys. On 17 October 2009, he played for Samoa against the Cook Islands in the 2009 Pacific Cup.
2011
In 2011, Mata'utia graduated to the Knights' New South Wales Cup team, Central Coast Centurions. In Round 11 of the 2011 NRL season, he made his NRL debut for the Knights against the Sydney Roosters, scoring a try on debut. On 17 June, he re-signed with the Knights on a 2-year contract, turning down offers from three rival teams. He finished his debut season having played in five games and scoring two tries.
2012
In July, Mata'utia was admitted to hospital after suffering a crushed larynx in a New South Wales Cup game for the Knights. He received an emergency tracheostomy after he was unable to breathe during a scan on his neck. He was ruled out for the rest of the season, after only playing one NRL game for the Knights that year.
2013
On 17 July, Mata'utia played for the New South Wales Residents against the Queensland Residents. On 23 August, he signed a 2-year contract with the St. George Illawarra Dragons starting in 2014, after failing to break into the Knights' first-grade team in 2013. On 22 September, he was named at centre in the 2013 New South Wales Cup Team of the Year.
2014
On 3 May, Mata'utia returned to the Samoan side against Fiji in the 2014 Pacific Rugby League International. In Round 10 of the 2014 NRL season, he made his club debut for the Dragons against the Parramatta Eels. On 8 September, he was named in the Samoan train-on squad for the 2014 Four Nations, later making the final 24-man squad for Samoa, however he was unable to compete in the tournament due to passport issues.
2015
On 3 May, Mata'utia again played for the New South Wales Residents against the Queensland Residents, this time alongside his brother Chanel. On 24 June, he re-signed with the Dragons on a 2-year contract.
2016
On 20 April, he signed a 1 1⁄2-year contract to return to the Newcastle Knights starting effective immediately, after being released from his Dragons contract.