Feleti Mateo
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{{Infobox Rugby Union biography
| playername = Feleti Mateo
| image =
| fullname = Feleti Sosefo Mateo
| dateofbirth = {{birth date and age|1985|5|2|df=yes}}
| cityofbirth = [[Auburn, New South Wales]]
| countryofbirth = [[Australia]]
| height = {{convert|194|cm|ftin|abbr=on}}
| weight = {{convert|105|kg|stlb|abbr=on}}
| nickname = Fred
| school = [[Westfields Sports High School]]<br >[[Terra Sancta College]]
| relatives =
| currentclub = [[Parramatta Eels]]
| clubnumber = 13
| position = [[Rugby League positions|Back Row, Five Eighth]]
| youthyears =
| youthclubs = [[West Ryde]] [[Denistone]]<br />St Patricks Shamrocks<br />Lalor Park Kookaburras<br />Jersey Flegg Parramatta Eels
| years = 2004<br />2005<br />2006–
| clubs = [[Parramatta Eels]]<br />[[London Broncos]]<br />[[Parramatta Eels]]
| caps(points) = 1 (0)<br />13 (12)<br />25 (36)
| youthrepyears = 2003<br />2004
| youthrepteam = [[Australia Schoolboys]]<br />[[Australia under-19 national rugby league team|Australia U-19]]<br />New South Wales Under 19's
| youthrepcaps(points) =
| repyears = 2005– <br />2008–
| repteam = [[Tonga national rugby league team|Tonga]]<br />[[City Origin Team|City Origin]]
| repcaps(points) = <br />1 (0)
| ru_sevensnationalyears =
| ru_sevensnationalteam =
| ru_sevensnationalcomp =
| pcupdate =
| repupdate =
}}
<!-- Image with unknown copyright status removed: [[image:Mateo_junior_roos.JPG|thumb|Feleti Mateo]] -->
'''Feleti Sosefo Mateo''' was (born [[02 May]] [[1985]] in [[Auburn, New South Wales]]) is an [[Australia]]n [[rugby league]] player, representing the [[Parramatta Eels]] in the [[National Rugby League]] (NRL) Competition.
Son of Joey and Lin Mateo, Feleti's playing weight is 101kgs and height is 191cms. Mateo plays a variety of positions from centre to five-eighth to second row and is renowned for his versatility and extravagant style of play.<ref name="Tongan test for Lockyer">{{cite web|url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,23780152-23214,00.html|title=Tongan test for Lockyer|publisher=Fox Sports|date=2008-05-30|accessdate=2008-05-30}}</ref>
==Early Career==
Mateo played one first grade game against the [[Melbourne Storm]] in [[National Rugby League season 2004|2004]]. He then played a season with the [[London Broncos]] in [[2005]] appearing in 13 games after joining the club mid-season. Mateo returned to Parramatta Eels in [[National Rugby League season 2006|2006]] and played in the [[NSWRL Premier League]]. He was named the Parramatta Premier League player of the year and grand final man of the match.
==2007==
In [[National Rugby League season 2007|2007]] Mateo is playing in the first grade team. Often coming off the bench averaging 50 minutes per game. Mateo is used as an attacking weapon against tiring defenses. He was awarded 1 Dally M award for the game against the West Tigers[http://www.leagueunlimited.com/article.php?newsid=13389] and 2 Dally M points for the game against Penrith Panthers.[http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21553917-23214,00.html]
==2008==
Mateo started 2008 in the [[Five-eighth#Stand-off|Five-eighth]] role, a position he played in his time at the [[London Broncos]].<ref name="Eel Mateo relishing five-eighth chance">{{cite web|url=http://www.nrl.com/News/Latest/NewsArticle/tabid/76/NewsId/7899/Default.aspx|title=Eel Mateo relishing five-eighth chance|publisher=NRL|date=2008-02-21|accessdate=2008-02-22}}</ref> Mateo this year was accompanied by Brett Finch as halfback. Mateo played the opening two matches of the year and proved crucial scoring two tries in a historic round 1 comeback. Mateo was shifted to lock with Tim Smith earning his spot as half back but is due to move back for an indefinite amount of time after Tim Smith requested indefinite leave.
==Quotes==
Feleti occasionally worried that he would not make it as a professional footballer, saying ''"There were times I thought I wasn't going to make it,
"My family and my friends stood behind me, always encouraged me to keep going.
"Some things happened that made me think that I could still make it, made me feel that if I kept in there it would come.
"At times I considered quitting, like when I went to England. At the time, players were going there to finish their careers and I was only 21.
"I didn't know if that was the end of my career.
"I was frustrated at the time, but instead of thinking, 'Just work harder and I'll get another shot', I went into my shell.
"It's probably the worst thing I could have done, because after that I went downhill. When I think back, I realise I should have put my head down and worked harder."[http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/news/parramattas-outstanding-rookie-bares-his-soul/2007/07/28/1185339319700.html]''
==Junior career==
* [[West Ryde]] [[Denistone]]. Under 6's
* St Patricks Shamrocks. Under 7's - 11's
* [[Lalor Park]] Kookaburras. Under 14's - 17's. Coach Marty Ryan.
* Westfields Sports High School to year 10 then Terra Sancta College.
==Representative Teams==
* Parramatta Eels Harold Matthews, SG Ball and Jersey Flegg.
* Metropolitan Catholic School 2002 and 2003
* NSW Combined Catholic Colleges 2003
*[[Australia]]n Schoolboys. 2003. Tour of [[New Zealand]]
* NSW under 19's Defeating [[Queensland]] under 19's 2004
* Australian Junior Roo's under 19's tour of [[Papua New Guinea]] 2004
* Parramatta Eels 1st grade debut round 20 vs Melbourne Storm 2004
* [[Tonga]]n International test match vs [[Samoa]] 2005
* London Broncos Super League games 12 games. 1 try. 2005
* Parramatta Eels Premier League Team 2006
* Parramatta Eels first grade trials V Titans and Cronulla. 2007.
* First grade Parramatta Eels. 2007.
==See also==
* [[Parramatta Eels]]
* [[National Rugby League]]
* [[London Broncos]]
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
* [http://www.parraeels.com.au/ Official Parramatta Eels website]
* [http://www.nrl.com/Clubs/Eels/EelsPlayerProfile/tabid/250/playerid/444/Default.aspx NRL profile]
* [http://www.stuff.co.nz/4026440a10713.html/ Match Report Eels v Panthers 13.04.2007]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/super_league/london/4574985.stm Broncos sign Parramatta youngster]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/international_and_australian/6091444.stm England 40-18 Tonga]
[[Category:Australian Schoolboy players]]
[[Category:Tongan rugby league players|Mateo, Feleti, Matumbu, Jerengi, Buzz]]
[[Category:Parramatta Eels rugby league players|Mateo, Feleti]]
[[Category:London Broncos players]]
[[Category:Australians of Tongan descent]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mateo, Feleti}}
{{Parramatta Eels squad}}