Phillip Matera

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Phillip Matera
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Personal information
Birth 27 November 1975,
Recruited from South Fremantle (WAFL)
Height and weight 171cm / 76kg
Playing career¹
Debut Round 4, 21 April 1996, West Coast Eagles vs. Geelong, at Subiaco Oval
Team(s) West Coast Eagles (1996-2005)

179 games, 389 goals
¹ Statistics to end of 2005 season
Career highlights

Phillip "Fido" Matera (born 27 November 1975) was an Australian rules footballer of Italian/Aboriginal heritage.

Beginning his career in 1996, the 171cm forward pocket was one of the AFL's best small forwards. On 23 November 2005, Matera announced his retirement from AFL football due to a chronic back injury. He was West Coast's most prominent goalkicker for his final years in a team which struggled for quality key-position forwards.

Matera is the brother of former AFL players Peter and Wally, the third of the Matera brothers to player for West Coast. Many doubted that he would make it due to his small size, but in 1997 he became a regular in the Eagles' lineup and never looked back. His pace and clever work around goals carved a niche for the ex-South Fremantle player and he formed a partnership with Scott Cummings when the big full forward crossed to West Coast. In 2000 when Cummings was not having a regular input, Matera topped the clubs' goalkicking with 49. He was able to emerge in the his own right and not just be mentioned as the younger brother of Peter Matera.

In a side that was not renowned for its goalkicking capacity he was a vital component. He did have another facet to his game and put his leg speed to good use by running down and tackling opponents. He won the club's goalkicking for the second time in 2002 and his speed and ability to apply pressure often created scoring chances. He hit back strongly after a midseason form slump. In 2003 he was in good form and won All-Australian selection for the first time after kicking 62 goals. In 2004 he just missed out on All-Australian selection after kicking 61 goals, as the selectors opted to play an extra midfielder. In 2005 injury hampered his input but he still managed to kick 39 goals from 19 games. He was deemed unfit to play in the 2005 grand final and retired at the end of the season.

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