{{Short description|Cook Islands international rugby league footballer}} {{EngvarB|date=April 2015}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2015}} {{Infobox rugby league biography |name = Sam Mataora |fullname = |nickname = |image = Sam Mataora.jpg |imagesize = |caption = |birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1990|10|20}} |birth_place = Rarotonga, Cook Islands |height = {{convert|190|cm|ftin|abbr=on}} |weight = {{convert|111|kg|stlb|abbr=on}} |position = {{rlp|PR|SR}} |club1 = Canberra Raiders |year1start = 2010 |year1end = 13 |appearances1 = 33 |tries1 = 2 |goals1 = 0 |fieldgoals1 = 0 |points1 = 8 |club2 = Newcastle Knights |year2start = 2015 |year2end = 17 |appearances2 = 30 |tries2 = 2 |goals2 = 0 |fieldgoals2 = 0 |points2 = 8 |teamA = Cook Islands |yearAstart = 2009 |yearAend = 19 |appearancesA = 8 |triesA = 0 |goalsA = 0 |fieldgoalsA = 0 |pointsA = 0 |teamB = Cook Island 9s |yearBstart = 2019 |yearBend = |appearancesB = 3 |triesB = 0 |goalsB = 0 |fieldgoalsB = 0 |pointsB = 0 |retired = |updated = 19 October 2019 |source = <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/sam-mataora/summary.html|title=Sam Mataora - Career Stats & Summary|publisher=Rugby League Project|date=|accessdate=2016-03-20}}</ref> }}

'''Sam Mataora''' (born 20 October 1990) is a Cook Island professional rugby league footballer. He played for the Canberra Raiders and Newcastle Knights in the National Rugby League. His positions were {{rlp|pr}} and {{rlp|sr}}.

==Background== Born in Rarotonga, Cook Islands, Mataora moved to Brisbane, Australia when he was 11 years old and played his junior football for Souths Sunnybank while attending Cavendish Road State High School.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ourfootyteam-archives.com.au/qssrl_08_15sResults.php |title=Queensland Secondary Schools 15 years State Carnival – Redcliffe - QLD SECONDARY SCHOOLS RUGBY LEAGUE - OPENS STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS |publisher=OURFOOTY |date= |accessdate=27 July 2020}}</ref> He was then signed by the Canberra Raiders.<ref>{{cite web|last=Keeble|first=Brett|url=https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/2510230/stone-wants-to-hang-on-to-young-prop-sam-mataora/?cs=306|title=Stone wants to hang on to young prop Sam Mataora &#124; Newcastle Herald|publisher=Theherald.com.au|date=2014-08-24|access-date=2015-05-31}}</ref>

==Playing career==

===Early career=== In 2009 and 2010, Mataora played for the Canberra Raiders' NYC team.<ref>[http://rleague.com/players/Sam-Mataora_2496/Stats/] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130905122918/http://rleague.com/players/Sam-Mataora_2496/Stats/|date=5 September 2013}}</ref> In 2009, he played for the Cook Islands in the 2009 Pacific Cup.

===2010=== In Round 8 of the 2010 NRL season, Mataora made his NRL debut for the Raiders against the New Zealand Warriors.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/nrl-2010/round-8/warriors-vs-canberra/summary.html|title=NRL 2010 - Round 8|publisher=Rugbyleagueproject.org|date=|accessdate=2015-05-31}}</ref> He played for the Junior Kiwis that year<ref>[http://www.nrl.com/NewsViews/LatestNews/NewsArticle/tabid/10874/newsId/60572/Default.aspx Nine NYC-winning Warriors named in Jnr Kiwis] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160130173736/http://www.nrl.com/NewsViews/LatestNews/NewsArticle/tabid/10874/newsId/60572/Default.aspx |date=30 January 2016 }} ''NRL.com'' (2010-10-06)</ref> and was named at second-row in the 2010 NYC Team of the Year.

===2011=== In 2011, Mataora was selected in the Cook Islands 18-man squad to face New Zealand at the end of the year, although the NZRL called off the match due to players being unavailable.<ref>[http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/5700612/Kiwis-league-test-against-Cook-Islands-called-off Kiwis cancel test against Cook Islands]. Stuff.co.nz (2011-09-28). Retrieved on 2012-06-15.</ref>

===2012=== In June 2012, Mataora re-signed with the Raiders on a 2-year contract.<ref>[http://rleague.com/news/Mataora-re-signs-with-the-Raiders_77792/] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714192944/http://rleague.com/news/Mataora-re-signs-with-the-Raiders_77792/|date=14 July 2014}}</ref><ref>[http://www.sportsnewsfirst.com.au/articles/2012/05/30/raiders-secure-young-gun-mataora/ Raiders secure young gun Mataora]. Sports News First (2012-05-30). Retrieved on 2012-06-15.</ref> [[File:sammataora.jpg|thumb|right|Mataora playing for the Mount Pritchard Mounties]]

===2013=== In 2013, Mataora played for the Cook Islands in the 2013 Rugby League World Cup.

===2014=== In July 2014, Mataora joined the Newcastle Knights mid-season for the remainder of the year.<ref>{{cite web|author=|url=http://www.newcastleknights.com.au/news/2014/07/02/knights_sign_sam_mataora.html|title=Knights sign Sam Mataora - Knights|publisher=Newcastleknights.com.au|date=|accessdate=2015-05-31}}</ref> On 1 November 2014, he re-signed with the Knights on a 3-year contract.<ref>{{cite web|author=|url=http://www.newcastleknights.com.au/news/2014/10/31/knights_sign_mataora_and_vaivai.html|title=Knights sign Mataora and Vaivai - Knights|publisher=Newcastleknights.com.au|date=|accessdate=2015-05-31}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Keeble|first=Brett|url=https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/2577244/panthers-likely-to-throw-packer-a-lifeline/|title=Panthers likely to throw Packer a lifeline &#124; Newcastle Herald|publisher=Theherald.com.au|date=2014-09-22|access-date=2015-05-31}}</ref>

===2015=== In Round 12 of the 2015 NRL season, Mataora made his Knights debut against the New Zealand Warriors.<ref>{{cite web|author=|url=http://www.newcastleknights.com.au/news/2015/05/31/late_mail_warriors_v.html|title=Late Mail: Warriors v Knights - Knights|publisher=Newcastleknights.com.au|date=|accessdate=2015-05-31}}</ref> On 27 September, he played in the Knights' 2015 New South Wales Cup Grand Final victory over the Wyong Roos.<ref>{{cite web|author=|url=http://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2015/09/22/vb_nsw_cup_grand_fin.html|title=VB NSW Cup Grand Final Team List|publisher=NSWRL|date=|accessdate=2015-10-15}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Brett Keeble|url=http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/newcastle-knights/newcastle-knights-extend-clint-newtons-career-with-nsw-cup-win-over-wyong-roos-20150927-gjw2gs.html|title=Newcastle Knights extend Clint Newton's career with NSW Cup win over Wyong Roos|publisher=Smh.com.au|date=|accessdate=2015-10-15}}</ref> On 17 October, he played for the Cook Islands against Tonga in their Asia-Pacific Qualifier match for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nrl.com/live-stream-tonga-v-cook-islands/tabid/10874/newsid/90541/default.aspx|title=Live stream: Tonga v Cook Islands|publisher=NRL.com|date=|accessdate=2015-10-18}}</ref>

===2016=== Mataora experience a breakout year in 2016, playing in 20 matches for the Knights and scoring 2 tries.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/matches/Custom/MTUtMTY3Ny00LS0tLS0tMTQ1MzgtLS0tLS0tLS0tLS0t|title=Custom Match List - Rugby League Project|first=Shawn Dollin and Andrew|last=Ferguson|website=www.rugbyleagueproject.org|accessdate=3 August 2017}}</ref>

===2017=== Due to injuries and fitness, Mataora only played 1 match for the Knights NRL side in 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/matches/Custom/MTUtMTY5Ni00LS0tLS0tMTQ1MzgtLS0tLS0tLS0tLS0t|title=Custom Match List - Rugby League Project|first=Shawn Dollin and Andrew|last=Ferguson|website=www.rugbyleagueproject.org|accessdate=3 August 2017}}</ref> He retired from the game in July after struggling to cope with depression.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nrl.com/brown-confirms-mataora-retirement/tabid/10874/newsid/110141/default.aspx|title=Brown confirms Mataora retirement|publisher=|accessdate=3 August 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://wwos.nine.com.au/2017/07/10/09/19/newcastle-forward-sam-mataora-battling-depression|title=Newcastle forward Sam Mataora battles depression and faces uncertain future in NRL - NRL|publisher=|accessdate=3 August 2017}}</ref>

== Statistics == {| class="wikitable" |+ !Year !Team !Games !Tries !Pts |- |2010 | rowspan="4" |{{leagueicon|Canberra|16}} Canberra Raiders |4 | | |- |2011 |10 | | |- |2012 |16 |2 |8 |- |2013 |3 | | |- |2015 | rowspan="3" |{{leagueicon|Newcastle|16}} Newcastle Knights |9 | | |- |2016 |20 |2 |8 |- |2017 |1 | | |- | |Totals |63 |4 |16 |}

==References== {{Reflist|2}}

==External links== *[http://www.newcastleknights.com.au/team/profiles/sam_mataora_0.html Newcastle Knights profile] *[http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/7/playerid/838/seasonid/44/default.aspx NRL profile]

{{Cook Islands squad 2013 Rugby League World Cup}} {{2010 National Youth Competition Team of the Year}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mataora, Sam}} Category:1990 births Category:Cook Island rugby league players Category:Cook Island emigrants to Australia Category:Cook Islands national rugby league team players Category:Canberra Raiders players Category:Newcastle Knights players Category:Mount Pritchard Mounties players Category:Souths Logan Magpies players Category:Junior Kiwis players Category:Rugby league props Category:Rugby league second-rows Category:Living people Category:Australian rugby league players Category:Rugby league players from Brisbane Category:Sportsmen from Queensland Category:21st-century Australian sportsmen