Feleti Mateo
Personal information
Full name	Feleti Sosefo Mateo
Born	2 May 1985 (1985-05-02) (age 24)
	Auburn, New South Wales, Australia
Height	194 cm (6 ft 4 in)
Weight	104 kg (16 st 5 lb)
Playing information
Position	Lock, Five-eighth
Club
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
2004	Parramatta Eels	1	0	0	0	64
2005	London Broncos	12	1	0	0	4
2007–	Parramatta Eels	54	17	0	0	68
	Total	67	18	0	0	136
Representative
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
2006–	Tonga	5	1	0	0	4
2008	City Origin	1	0	0	0	0

Feleti Sosefo Mateo (born 2 May 1984 in Auburn, New South Wales) is a professional rugby league player, representing the Parramatta Eels in the National Rugby League (NRL) competition. Mateo plays a variety of positions from centre to five-eighth to second row and is renowned for his versatility and extravagant style of play.^[1] He has played at international level for Tonga.^[2]

[edit] Early career

While attending Quakers Hill Terra Sancta School, Mateo played for the Australian Schoolboys team in 1999.^[3]

Mateo made his first grade debut against the Melbourne Storm in round 20 of the 2004 season. He then played a season with the London Broncos in 2005 appearing in 13 games after joining the club mid-season. Mateo returned to the Parramatta Eels in 2006 and played in the NSWRL Premier League. He was named the Parramatta Premier League Player of the Year and grand final Man of the Match.

[edit] 2007

In 2007 Mateo was selected for the NRL team. Often coming off the bench averaging 50 minutes per game. Mateo is used as an attacking weapon against tiring defenses. He was awarded 1 Dally M award for the game against the West Tigers[1] and 2 Dally M points for the game against Penrith Panthers.[2]

[edit] 2008

Mateo started 2008 in the five-eighth role, a position he played in his time at the London Broncos.^[4] Mateo played the opening two matches of the year and proved crucial scoring two tries in a historic round 1 comeback.

Mateo finished first at the end of the regular season on offloads with 64.^{[citation needed]}

Mateo was named in the Tonga squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup.^[5] He played at five-eighth and acted as the main play-maker for Tonga. He scored one try and a number of assists for the Tongan team and also a vital 40/20 kick in the dying stages of their round one clash against Ireland that lead to the match winning try.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Quotes

Feleti occasionally worried that he would not make it as a professional footballer, saying "There were times I thought I wasn't going to make it,

"My family and my friends stood behind me, always encouraged me to keep going.

"Some things happened that made me think that I could still make it, made me feel that if I kept in there it would come.

"At times I considered quitting, like when I went to England. At the time, players were going there to finish their careers and I was only 21.

"I didn't know if that was the end of my career.

"I was frustrated at the time, but instead of thinking, 'Just work harder and I'll get another shot', I went into my shell.

"It's probably the worst thing I could have done, because after that I went downhill. When I think back, I realise I should have put my head down and worked harder."[3]

[edit] Junior career

• West Ryde Denistone. Under 6's
• St Patricks Shamrocks. Under 7's - 11's
• Lalor Park Kookaburras. Under 14's - 17's. Coach Marty Ryan.
• Westfields Sports High School to year 10 then Terra Sancta College.

[edit] Representative Teams

• Australian Schoolboys. 2003. Tour of New Zealand
• NSW under 19's Defeating Queensland under 19's 2004
• Australian Junior Roo's under 19's tour of Papua New Guinea 2004
• Tongan International test match vs Samoa 2005
• NSW City team 2008

[edit] See also

• Parramatta Eels
• National Rugby League
• London Broncos

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Official Parramatta Eels website
• NRL profile
• Match Report Eels v Panthers 13.04.2007
• Broncos sign Parramatta youngster
• England 40-18 Tonga