Veteran utility Peter Mata'utia has officially decided to hang up the boots and retire from rugby league.
The utility - who can play anywhere from the centres to the wing, and fullback to the halves, debuted for the Newcastle Knights all the way back in 2011, and has been in the English Super League since 2018.
Since playing the first six games of his career in the Hunter, Mata'utia has played for the St George Illawarra Dragons (35 games, 2014-2016), Leigh Centurions (4 games, 2018), Castleford Tigers (69 games, 2018-2021) and the Warrington Wolves (54 games, 2022-23), while he had a second stint at the Knights after his exit from the Dragons for another 35 NRL games.
The four-time Samoan representative, who will celebrate his 33rd birthday in November, took to social media to confirm his decision.
โWith a full heart I can proudly say that I am jumping off the best rollercoaster ride and retiring from the game that saved and changed my life for the better," he wrote.
โThank you Wok Wright, Jai Tukua, Newcastle Knights, St George Illawarra Dragons, Leigh Leopards, Castleford Tigers and Warrington Wolves.
โI look back with gratitude and appreciation for the 16 years I was blessed with โ because of you guys, a little Bankstown boy who became a Novocastrian got to live his dream through all the odds, inspire others and give my kids a life that I never had as a kid.
โTo all my team-mates and staff members, all I wanted to be was a player that others wanted to play with and work with. I hope I lived up to that. Thank you for everything.
โTo all my mentors, thank you for watching out for me and I hope I made you guys proud.
โShout out to the rugby league community and supporters for all the banter and being part of the enjoyment and growth."
He also went to thank his family, including his siblings, with all of Chanel Mata'utia, Pat Mata'utia and Sione Mata'utia making careers in rugby league.
