Ryan Matterson defied doubters to become Blues Origin contender
Ryan Matterson doesn’t expect to hear his name read out in the NSW Origin team on Sunday but the Wests Tigers back-rower says he is ready for the representative stage.
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Ryan Matterson doesn’t expect to hear his name read out when the NSW Origin team is announced on Sunday but the Wests Tigers back-rower says he is ready for the representative stage.
Matterson has surged into Origin contention during this standout season with the Tigers.
The former Rooster has played all 10 games, scoring two tries and running for 1121 metres.
He has also made a mammoth 344 tackles with an impressive tackle efficiency of 92.8 per cent.
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Matterson would love to don blue and rekindle his relationship with NSW coach Brad Fittler who selected him in the City side as a rookie in 2016.
“When Freddie put me in that City side in my debut season, I was so stoked to play,” Matterson said.
“I didn’t think I’d be selected. I’d only played NRL games but I learnt so much from Freddie and the players around me.
“I was just a sponge that whole camp and I brought that back to club-land.
“Once you get a bit of a taste you want more, so if Freddie decided to go with me I’d be so honoured.
“I’d love to play for my state and do a job there.
“I’m happy for my name to be put in the mix. It is a good thing but I don’t want to get too carried away.”
In fairness, Matterson has earned the right to walk with a swagger.
He could have stayed at the Roosters after winning the premiership but he opted to back himself and forge his own path at the Tigers.
Now Matterson is a starting back-rower and one of the NRL’s most promising players.
“I left the Roosters because I didn’t want to be known as a utility,” the 24-year-old said.
“I’m a starting back-rower.
“I had two years left on my contract at the Roosters but I knew I wasn’t going to grow as a player unless I left. I had to go and be uncomfortable to do something in my career.
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“So after coming off a grand final win I thought what better time to leave and go out there and make a name for myself.
“I can build a leadership role at a new club. I’m so grateful that I joined the Tigers.”
Matterson credits his resolute attitude to a host of setbacks throughout his career. The first came when his Year 12 teacher told him he’d never be good enough to play in the NRL.
“Looking back now if I didn’t have a very confident attitude about myself I probably wouldn’t have made it,” he said.
“People tell others they aren’t good enough but they don’t really know what is going on in people’s lives.”
Matterson also faced challenges during his four-year stint at the Parramatta Eels.
“I remember when I was training with first grade and (coach) Brad Arthur dropped me down to the Ron Massey Cup,” he said.
“That was a bit of a knock on the head to say, ‘you’ve got to pull your finger out’.
“We had a few words. That really rattled me especially given I still had two years left at the club.
“But I’m a very determined person and that is when I got out of Parramatta and went to the Roosters.
“Now I’m starting in the NRL every week at the Tigers.”
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