For the majority of last season and the beginning of this year, Eels utility Feleti Mateo was cast as the player most likely to help end Parramatta’s 23 year premiership hoodoo, thanks largely to the fact he was the only one capable of causing the opposition some form of grief in defence.
Playing at either lock or five-eighth, Mateo’s ability to spark an offensive raid out of nothing was the very reason why the Eels won enough games in the early stages of this season to keep themselves barely alive in the fight for the finals.
Indeed, Parramatta were arguably one of the worst offensive units heading into the second half of this year, and any tries they did score usually came on the back of a brilliant offload or chip kick from the Tongan international.
Despite his silky skills with the football, Mateo could do little in the end to mend what had been a very disappointing start to the 2009 season for Parramatta.
What was turning out to be the year from hell got worse for the Eels as Mateo suffered a long term injury against the Manly Sea Eagles at Brookvale Oval.
As he clutched his shoulder, many Parramatta fans were also clutching their heads, knowing that Mateo’s injury could have possibly signalled the demise in another season filled with underachievement.
Luckily for the Eels, however, Mateo’s injury was to be the last setback in the second half of a season which saw the club witness the supreme evolution of under performing players such as Jarryd Hayne, Fui Fui Moi Moi and Nathan Hindmarsh.
Coupled with the discovery of rookie sensation Daniel Mortimer and the form revival of players such as Jeff Robson, Luke Burt and Eric Grothe, the Eels went on a five match winning streak that suddenly had them on the cusp of a finals spot.
All this without the services of a player that many considered to be the Eels best attacking weapon at the start of this season.
As the likes of Hayne, Moi Moi and Mortimer stole the limelight, Mateo’s return from injury against the Wests Tigers in round 24 was hardly earth shuttering news in the build up to the game of the season.
That was because the Eels suddenly learnt to play like a team, and were no longer hinging their hopes on one particular player.
Since returning from injury, Mateo has found himself on the bench and will start from the sidelines once again in the Grand Final against Melbourne.
Although he has lost his starting spot largely thanks to the emergence of players such as Todd Lowrie and Mortimer, Mateo’s performances in the Eels late season charge have been very impressive.
The versatile 104 kilogram player has clearly blossomed when starting from the bench, taking on tiring opposition defences that find it almost impossible to contain Mateo’s ability to offload the football and start a second phase play.
Indeed. he is probably one of the main reasons why the Eels have constantly managed to finish their games very strongly against both the Titans and the Bulldogs these past two weeks.
Now playing without the burden of being Parramatta’s saviour, Mateo’s form over the past fortnight suggests he will be the key X factor in this Sunday’s premiership decider against the Storm.
Eels coach Daniel Anderson knows he has the use of a great trump card if the Eels suddenly find themselves in a dog fight against Melbourne.
No doubt when Mateo is unleashed, the big lock forward has the capabilities of tearing a game wide open against any opposition.
The fitness of Storm defenders such as Dallas Johnson, Ryan Hoffman and Adam Blair will be put to the test as they try to contain Mateo’s ball playing abilities late in the contest.
If there was ever to be a bench player that could come close to winning the Clive Churchill medal for best on field on Grand Final day, Mateo would have to be it.
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