‘I’ve moved on to the next chapter of my life’: NRL secret star who left after retiring and stopped returning teammate phone calls
- No hardback was heard from NRL after his retirement four years ago in 2016
- Steve Matai won two top places for Manly but is now catching people’s attention
- His former team players have reached out but he has not returned their calls
- An old center issued a statement saying he had just moved on with his life
The NRL star who disappeared after his retirement has spoken out over allegations that he was ‘completely separated from past football’.
Steve Matai, 36, was one of the most feared men in a rugby league before retiring in 2016. He was known as the hardest hitter in the game and won two top places for the Manly Sea Eagles in 2008 and 2011.
But the New Zealand international did not seem to want anything to do with football after former players claimed they tried to contact him, but the old center did not return. their phone calls ever.
Matai addressed the controversy Thursday, issuing a statement saying he had just moved on with his life.
Steve Matai, now 36, was once one of the most feared men in a rugby league. He was known as the toughest player in the game and won two major places for the Manly Sea Eagles in 2008 and 2011
‘People know that I choose to live my life the way I want and I have no worries about how other people think I should live my life or who I should. for me to communicate, ‘said Matai.
‘I’m a very private person – I don’t have social media and it’s a fact that I don’t follow the cameras and the eyelight.
All I wanted to do was play football. I took everything I had when I went over that white chalk – mind and body.
My style of playing is a testament to that ” run hard, deal harder, never back down ”… I’m a member of life – whether I’m still attached to the club at the this time or not.
‘Respect my privacy and the way I want to live my life. I live happily and enjoy life in our community with my beautiful wife and children.
‘Take it and move on.’
His comments come after the Daily Telegraph reported that two Manly players traveled to Matai’s new hometown to capture him but the 230-game veteran did not answer his front door.
Former team players have tried to contact him, but the former center has not returned their phone calls (Matai pictured by Sonny Bill Williams)
The north beach club said Matai was welcome and wanted by fans, players and staff.
He was invited to the 2008 10-year Premier League reunion in 2018, but Matai was not interested in attending the celebrations.
‘Several of his award-winning players have tried to bring him back to the fold unsuccessfully and have even gone to his home town on the north coast where he lives, but to no avail,’ he said. Peter Peters, former director of Manly, who played a role in signing Matai as a rookie in 2005 said.
‘I have no idea why he chose to close the door on his brilliant career and teammates but Manly will always be welcome.’
Matai was invited to the 2008 10-year Premier League reunion in 2018, but Matai was not interested in attending the celebrations.
One of the main theories as to why Matai has attracted attention is that he remains confused about erroneous allegations made against him in 2016 that linked him to a match-fixing scandal.
One of the main theories as to why Matai has attracted attention is that he remains confused about erroneous allegations made against him in 2016 that linked him to a game-fixing scandal.
The Manly star denied any wrongdoing and retired the same year.
The Sydney Morning Herald issued a public apology for the ‘injury and embarrassment caused’ after falsely stating that his phone had been seized by investigators.
A former player insisted that there is no bad blood between Matai, his team or the club.
He said Stevie just wants to be left alone.
‘I think someone reached out to his family on social media but got short responses back. He seems to be just happy to put his head down and do his own thing. ‘