This is a new side to Mateo. Previously he has been seen as more of a gunslinger than a sheriff, capable of big plays but not always consistent.
Brought in as a marquee buy in 2011, he admits he struggled at times to fulfil expectations. The intensity of pre-season training was a shock - at a physical level he says he had never faced before.
Once the season got under way there were more hard times, as the team lost three on the bounce.
"Last year I was good in patches," says Mateo. "I finished strong but started a bit rough. I think I tried to do too much. Being a new player I thought I had to do something, make things happen, and it affected my game. Once I found my place I felt comfortable."
Mateo was tried at standoff and lock forward before establishing himself in the second row, towards the end of the year working up a formidable combination with the rookie halves combination of Shaun Johnson and James Maloney.
Over the season, Mateo paid back the large investment with interest. He was one of only three players to appear in all 28 matches and led the NRL in offloads with 85 (next best was 68).
For the Warriors he also produced the most tackle breaks (119), most line break assists (13), most total runs (407), most average runs (14.5 per game) and most total metres (3269). Recognised as one of the buys of the year, he was a finalist in the international second rower of the year award.
"He was brilliant for us last year," says prop Ben Matulino. "Everybody expected a lot when he came to the club and it wasn't easy but he delivered. He relates well to everyone, especially the young players and is one of the leaders in our team."
There was an undoubted maturity to his game as the season progressed. Although the offloads and line breaks are often highlighted, in the preliminary final against the Melbourne Storm, probably the Warriors' best performance of the year, Mateo didn't attempt a single offload in the entire first half, instead he rolled up his sleeves in the trenches as the two teams played out a classic arm wrestle.
Like any go-to player, Mateo carries twin burdens. He is expected to create and take risks, while also limiting potentially costly errors.
In a competition of incredibly narrow margins, Mateo walks a fine line.
"I realise it could be a risk having my game in the team, with my offloading," says Mateo. "You have to pick your moments and that is something I have been working on - since forever it feels like. I will never get it perfected but hopefully I can make it as good as possible."
He says the Warriors have always been seen as a "team of surprises", in that you never know who will turn up.
In 2012 they want to be known as a ruthless 80-minute team, something they managed towards the end of last season.
"This year we want to do it from the start," says Mateo. "It is about wearing teams down and grinding games out; that all comes from attitude and if we can get that right at the start we will go a long way."
He shrugs off the vacuum created by the injuries to experienced players, confident the club has the playing resources to cover.
"We will be fine," says Mateo. "We have amazing depth and we don't lose anything when we have injuries; I'm sure everyone will see that in the first few rounds."
He says the injection of youth into the team, with seven players graduating from the under-20 squad, has created a culture of healthy competition where everybody is on their toes.
At a personal level, his aims for 2012 are simple. "I want to play good consistent footy, put our team in the top four and stay up there come finals time," says Mateo, adding that "the dream" is always to play representative football.
"Hopefully I have my best footy in front of me, I'm established on that left edge. I hope when I get my fitness up I can start roaming around the field and you might see me popping up anywhere."
Rather than too much too soon, Mateo believes the Sea Eagles are the perfect opponents in round one today at Eden Park. "It's good to start with tough teams," he says. "We want to be the benchmark of the competition and have to beat those teams to reach that height."
