{{Short description|US international rugby league footballer}} {{for|similarly named people|Matthew Peterson (disambiguation)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2023}} {{Use Australian English|date=July 2013}} {{Infobox rugby league biography |name = Matt Petersen |fullname = Matthew Andrew Petersen |image = |caption = |country = |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1980|3|27|df=yes}} |birth_place = Subiaco, Western Australia, Australia |height = {{convert|181|cm|ftin|abbr=on|frac=2}} |weight = {{convert|95|kg|stlb lb}} |position = {{rlp|WG}} |club1 = North Qld Cowboys |year1start = 2002 |year1end = |appearances1 = 8 |tries1 = 2 |goals1 = 0 |fieldgoals1 = 0 |points1 = 8 |club2 = Parramatta Eels |year2start = 2002 |year2end = 06 |appearances2 = 65 |tries2 = 38 |goals2 = 0 |fieldgoals2 = 0 |points2 = 152 |club3 = Gold Coast Titans |year3start = 2007 |year3end = 08 |appearances3 = 21 |tries3 = 14 |goals3 = 0 |fieldgoals3 = 0 |points3 = 56 |club4 = {{nowrap|Wakefield Trinity Wildcats}} |year4start = 2008 |year4end = 09 |appearances4 = 16 |tries4 = 4 |goals4 = 0 |fieldgoals4 = 0 |points4 = 16 |teamA = USA |yearAstart = 2004 |yearAend = 13 |appearancesA = 8 |triesA = 2 |goalsA = 0 |fieldgoalsA = 0 |pointsA = 8 |retired = yes |source = <ref>[http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/matt-petersen/summary.html Rugby League Project]</ref> |updated = 08:56, 16 September 2008 (UTC) }}

'''Matthew Andrew Petersen''' (born 27 March 1980) is a former United States international rugby league footballer who played for the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats in the Super League.<ref name="2009 NRL Player Movements">{{cite web|url=http://www.nrllive.com.au/2009-nrl-player-movements/ |title=2009 NRL Player Movements |publisher=NRL Live |date=2008-10-04 |access-date=2008-10-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081005172545/http://www.nrllive.com.au/2009-nrl-player-movements/ |archive-date=5 October 2008 }}</ref> He also played for the Gold Coast Titans in the NRL. His position of choice was on the {{rlp|wg}}.

==Background== Petersen was born in Subiaco, Western Australia. He played his junior rugby league for Belmont Steelers in the Western Australian Rugby League.

==Playing career== After playing for the Belmont Steelers, a Western Australian feeder club for the North Queensland Cowboys, Petersen was called up to the NRL in 2002. Petersen moved from North Queensland to the Parramatta Eels halfway through 2002 and played for the Eels with some success until 2006. Early in his career at the Eels, Petersen was at the centre of a spiteful match against the Brisbane Broncos at Parramatta Stadium after Allan Langer appeared to drop his knees into Petersen, some members of the crowd later throwing bottles at Broncos players.<ref>{{cite news|format=fee required|publisher=AAP Sports News (Australia)|title=Match ends in drama as Broncos pelted with bottles|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-54715892.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110516232753/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-54715892.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2011-05-16|accessdate=2008-01-03|date=2002-07-26}}</ref>

Petersen equalled the club try-scoring record for one match during the 2003 round 12 clash against the South Sydney Rabbitohs. Scoring four tries in the one game, he was the first Parramatta player to have done so since 1988.<ref>{{cite news|format=fee required|publisher=AAP Sports News (Australia)|title=Petersen equals club record with 4 tries|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-74307008.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110516232905/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-74307008.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2011-05-16|accessdate=2008-01-03|date=2003-05-31}}</ref>

In 2005, Petersen made 13 appearances for Parramatta as the club won the Minor Premiership but he did not feature in any of the finals matches.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/teams/eels/nathan-hindmarsh-on-parramattas-last-table-topping-team-where-his-former-teammates-are-now/news-story/fea0ebc7740f2dbbf8884bae9db77210 |title = Parramatta Eels 2017: Nathan Hindmarsh on where 2005 minor premiers are now| date=13 March 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.parraeels.com.au/about/official-player-numbers/|title=Official Player Numbers|website=Parramatta Eels}}</ref>

Parramatta care-taker coach, Jason Taylor, dropped Petersen from the first-grade roster when he took over coaching duties in May, 2006, and demoted the under-performing winger to the Premier League, where he spent the rest of the season.<ref>{{cite news|format=fee required|publisher=AAP Sports News (Australia)|title=Taylor drops "unruly" Eels duo and puts teammates on notice|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-123645323.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110516232923/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-123645323.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2011-05-16|accessdate=2008-01-03|date=2006-05-16}}</ref>

"Side-Show Bob" joined the Titans in 2007 for their first year in the NRL. He performed well and was well known as "Sideshow Bob" due to his thick, curly hair. He ended the season with the most tries scored, shared with Mat Rogers. At the end of 2007 he played for America. In May, 2008, he was given an immediate release to join Super League side Wakefield Trinity Wildcats.<ref>{{cite news|publisher=Fox Sports News (Australia)|title=Titans release Petersen|url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/league/nrl-premiership/titans-release-petersen/story-e6frf3xc-1111116241757|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110522103916/http://www.foxsports.com.au/league/nrl-premiership/titans-release-petersen/story-e6frf3xc-1111116241757|url-status=dead|archive-date=2011-05-22|date=2008-05-04}}</ref><ref name="Wildcats snap up Petersen">{{cite web|url= http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12196_3517661,00.html|title=Wildcats snap up Petersen|publisher=Sky Sports|date=2006-05-04|accessdate=2008-05-05}}</ref><ref name="Petersen joins Wakefield">{{cite web|url= http://www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=rleague/08/05/23/RUGBYL_Wakefield.html|title=Petersen joins Wakefield|publisher=Sportinglife|date=2006-05-23|accessdate=2008-05-23}}</ref><ref name="Wildcats Sign Gold Coast Winger">{{cite web|url=http://www.wakefieldwildcats.co.uk/wildcats-sign-gold-coast-winger-i603920.html|title=Wildcats Sign Gold Coast Winger|publisher=Wakefield Wildcats|date=2006-05-23|accessdate=2008-05-23|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724110926/http://www.wakefieldwildcats.co.uk/wildcats-sign-gold-coast-winger-i603920.html|archivedate=24 July 2011 }}</ref>

In 2012, he played rugby league in Gympie.<ref>[http://www.rleague.com/content/article.php?id=45342 USA names expanded player pool] ''rleague.com'', 29 August 2012</ref>

=== Griffith Uni Colleges Knights=== Since 2017, Petersen has been a player and specialist backs coach for the Griffith Uni Colleges Knights Rugby Union Club. Petersen helped the Knights to their Second Gold Coast District Rugby Union Premiership in 2018 in his position of backs coach. Club Captain Shaun Cole was quoted as saying "Without Petersens help with our defensive patterns the club wouldn't be where it is today" He has since re-signed for the 2019 season.

===Representative career=== In 2004, Petersen played a game for the United States against Australia in an exhibition match in Philadelphia, qualifying for the American side under the parent rule.<ref>{{cite news|format=fee required|publisher=AAP Sports News (Australia)|title=Kangaroos' exhibition match almost turns to disaster|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-103002001.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110516232949/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-103002001.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2011-05-16|accessdate=2008-01-03|date=2004-12-01}}</ref>

In 2007, Petersen was named as captain of the USA team for their 2008 Rugby League World Cup qualifying match against Samoa. He was awarded Man of the Match for the game, but could not stop the USA falling to defeat.

Petersen made a comeback in 2013, being named as part of the USA squad for the 2013 Rugby League World Cup.<ref>{{usurped|[https://web.archive.org/web/20131031081347/http://www.rlwc2013.com/player/matthew-petersen/458 USA: Matthew Petersen] ''RLWC2013''}}</ref> He scored a try in their opening win over the Cook Islands.

== Career highlights == *''First Grade Début:'' 2002 – Round 1, North Queensland v Brisbane at Dairy Farmers Stadium, 16 March *''International:'' 2004 – United States vs Australia, scoring one try

==Footnotes== {{reflist}}

==External links== * [http://www.titans.com.au/?mod=carousel Official Gold Coast Titans Website] * [http://www.nrl.com.au/tabid/10399/default.aspx?playerid=16050 Matthew Petersen at ''NRL.com'']{{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} {{United States 2013 Rugby League World Cup squad}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Petersen, Matthew}} Category:1980 births Category:Living people Category:Australian rugby league players Category:Australian expatriate rugby league players in England Category:Australian people of American descent Category:Gold Coast Titans players Category:Parramatta Eels players Category:North Queensland Cowboys players Category:Rugby league wingers Category:Rugby league players from Perth, Western Australia Category:United States national rugby league team players Category:Wakefield Trinity players Category:21st-century Australian sportsmen