Huddersfield sign Suaia Matagi

Huddersfield have signed Samoa front-rower Suaia Matagi for the 2019 campaign.

The 30-year-old has made over 100 appearances in the NRL for New Zealand Warriors, Sydney Roosters, Penrith Panthers and Parramatta Eels.

He played for New Zealand in the 2014 Four Nations and represented Samoa in the 2013 and 2017 World Cups.

Matagi is looking forward to plying his trade in the UK.

He said: “I am extremely excited to take my football to the next level under the leadership of coach Simon Woolford and I’m also looking forward to the challenge of playing in the English Super League.

“Joining a proud club like the Huddersfield Giants is a privilege and I will represent our fans to the best of my ability.”

Giants coach Simon Woolford thinks the signing of Matagi is a big coup for the club.

He said: “I was looking for some real grunt and aggression in the front-row and Suaia will bring that and a whole heap more.

“The fans will love his action-packed style and he is a man that won’t take a backward step and he relishes the tough stuff up front.

“We have a number of relatively younger front-rowers in [Tyler] Dickinson, [Daniel] Smith and [Matty] English who will benefit enormously from having a man like Suaia around them at training and on the pitch and his presence will bring confidence and leadership to the forward group.”