Greg Matterson, Newtown Jets: Head coach hangs up the boots, tributes pour in

The long-serving and widely respected head coach of the Newtown Jets has called it a day after 17 years, but said he’d still be part of the fabric of the club as tributes poured in.

Known informally as Main Man Matto or the Comeback King, long-serving Newtown Jets head coach Greg Matterson has called it a day in the dugout after a successful 17-year career at the foundation club as tributes flow from across the rugby league world.

Words from Cronulla Sharks head coach Craig Fitzgibbon and international winger Ronaldo Mulitalo joined a chorus of praise for Matterson, lauded for his man-management skills and eye for talent.

Matterson first coached the club’s Jim Beam Cup team in 2005, before steering the club to NSW Cup premiership titles in both 2012 and 2019, as well as the NRL State Championship title in 2019. The team finished as minor premiers this season in the Knock On Effect NSW Cup.

“It has been a privilege and a pleasure to coach the calibre of players we’ve had,” Matterson told the Inner West Courier.

“It’s great to see young guys who were in our ranks go on to win grand finals, but also first-graders that came down to Newtown and fell in love with footy again.

Newtown Jets coach Greg Matterson. Picture: Mario Facchini / mafphotography

“We’ve had so many great stories of players who ran out for the Jets, worked hard and saw that effort play off.”

Scott Sorensen, part of the premiership winning Penrith team last season, just one of the recent examples of a player finding success after hard graft with the Jets.

Victory is ours! The 2012 NSW Cup Premiers with their elated head coach. Picture: Mike Biboudis

Matterson, who also coached Ronaldo Mulitalo, Siosifa Talakai and Toby Rudolph, said it was time to make the sideways step from the pitch to the boardroom, where he will take a head of football role for the 2023 season.

“Every dog has its day,” Matterson said. “But I’m not finished at Newtown just yet, I’ll still be part of the fabric of the club – it would have been hard for both me and the club to have gone cold turkey.”

George Ndaira has been appointed as the new head coach after recommendations from Matterson and Fitzgibbon.

“It’ll be a smooth transition and he’s going to be his own man,” Matterson said. “I’ll just be there as a sounding board to try and smooth out any rough patches.”

Ronaldo Mulitalo (with the ball) was an integral part of the Jets’ championship-winning team in 2019.

Although he will remain at the club for 2023, tributes have poured in acknowledging Matterson’s stellar coaching career.

Mulitalo, now an established NRL player and a member of the Jets victorious 2019 team, said Matterson helped rebuild his confidence and would go down in Newtown rugby league.

“I lost confidence after my first game of first grade and got dropped,” Mulitalo said.

“Matto (Matterson) helped restore my confidence as a player and played a part in me being who I am today. What we achieved in 2019 will forever be in the history books of Newtown, and Matto was the leader of that.”

It doesn’t get better this! Greg Matterson and team after winning the 2019 NRL State Championship in the most dramatic of circumstances. Picture: Mike Magee

Fitzgibbon said Matterson’s influence on the development of Sharks players – the Jets are a feeder club for the NRL team – couldn’t be underestimated.

“Greg has made an outstanding contribution to not only the Jets but also to the development of the Sharks players that have been under his care,” he said.

“He’s been a great support for myself throughout this year, and I’m sure the coaches before me over many years would say the same thing.”

Cronulla head coach Craig Fitzgibbon said Matterson had helped immensely with the development of Sharks players this season. Picture: Getty

Head coach Greg Matterson (centre) with trusted colleagues in the Henson Park sheds. Picture: Supplied

Stories of his character, coaching skill and man-management attributes also came to light through words from the Jets camp.

“He’s a wonderful person,” Newtown Jets president Barry Cotter said. “It also says a lot about him as a person that he’s decided it’s time to give someone else a go – he’s not worried about his own success but the future of the club.”

John Trad, the club’s beloved unicycler, called Matterson the Comeback King and Main Man Matto.

Words of wisdom: Head coach Greg Matterson speaks to his team in the sheds at Henson Park. Picture: Supplied

“Every decision he made you respected it, you knew he was always right,” he said.

“He was like a magnet, you were glued to what he said.

“In the sheds I would think: ‘this guy is amazing’ – the way he talked and expressed things to the players, it would show in the many second-half comebacks we’d have.”

Terry Rowney, a director at the club, revealed Matterson had never had a written contract, rather a handshake agreement year on year, such was the trust and faith between club and coach.

“Every year we do a deal with Greg, and it’s about five words and a handshake,” Rowney said. “It was just a handshake and a question: ‘mate, you all good for next year’.”

He also said Matterson had a particular talent for identifying players – those both with natural skill and who would fit the club’s culture – and said players gravitated towards him.

“Greg had such a fantastic relationship with his players, he was always upfront, and would make sure those guys coming down from first grade knew what it meant to play for Newtown,” Rowney said.

“It wasn’t just the success he brought, but he got each squad to understand the culture of the club: we all love and want to win, but we’ve also experienced getting kicked out of the competition.

“He was able to get the guys to understand what it meant to play for the Jets.”