"I just love playing hard and giving my all for the boys ... I'm learning a lot too," Matamata said.
A Hawke's Bay under-19 rep last year, Matamata, also represented the Bay at under-18 level. He started playing as a 4-year-old and came through the Hastings JAB system alongside Magpies winger Mason Emerson and Hurricanes and Magpies loosie Hugh Renton.
"Apart from last year at MAC and one year at Havelock in the junior grades all of my rugby outside of school grades has been for Hastings," Matamata recalled.
A younger brother of former Hastings Rugby and Sports prop Auga Matamata, he had two years in the Hastings Boys' High School 1st XV.
"They were tougher years than what the school is experiencing at the moment. I spent a lot of time in defence mode when we were playing big blokes from Wellington like Alex Fidow, Asafo Aumua and Thomas Umaga-Jensen who are all on this year's New Zealand under-20 team. Those seasons prepared me well for Hawke's Bay premier club rugby," Matamata explained.
He is confident Hastings Rugby and Sports will reach the semifinals of the Tui Maddison Trophy competition which begins this weekend. Among Matamata's list of goals are a berth in the Hawke's Bay Saracens team this year and one in the 2018 Magpies Mitre 10 Cup squad.
And his long-term one?
"The Samoan team ... you have to aim high," he replied.
A machine operator with City Care, Matamata described it "as one of the best jobs around".
"It fits in well around my training sessions."
It's obvious Fomai has got his protege doing everything right on and off the field.
Best & fairest
■ Hastings v MAC: 3, Fale Matamata (Hastings); 2, Jason Long (Hastings); 1, Amiga Mikaele (MAC).
■ NOBM v Pirate: 3, Craig Sharplin (NOBM); 2, Terry Marsh (NOBM); 1, Hayden Hann (Pirate).
■ Central v Tamatea: 3, Tomo Fogarty (Central); 2, Mason Kean (Tamatea); 1, Cole Eru (Central).
■ Havelock North v Tech: 3, Jonty Strong (Havelock); 2, Kaleb Sweet (Tech); 1, Chad Harris (Havelock).
■ Taradale v Clive: 3, Billy Ropiha (Taradale); 2, Yuki Nakamura (Clive); 1, Seiyu Kohara(Taradale).
Leaderboard: 9 points: Isaiah Martin, Kaleb Sweet (both Tech), Fale Matamata (Hastings). 8: Jesse Paewai (Havelock). 7: Cole Eru (Central). 6: Lucas Goodin (Clive), Hayden Hann (Pirate), Tomo Fogarty (Central), Billy Ropiha, Jacob Baker (both Taradale), Tom Bywater (NOBM), Jonty Strong (Havelock). 5: Chris Johnston, Craig Sharplin (both NOBM), Mason Kean (Tamatea), Ted Walters (Tech), Wayne Lush (Havelock).