NRL: Warriors losing interest as Matai wants release

Steve Matai.

Steve Matai may still hope to return to New Zealand but it's now uncertain whether the Warriors want to bring him home.

The Manly centre, who was injured early in Friday's heavy loss to the Rabbitohs, indicated to the Herald on Sunday last month that he was keen on a move back to Auckland, possibly as early as next year, and had twice asked the club for a release.

"[The] Warriors had put an offer through," Matai said. "I sat back, thought about it and realised it might be a good move for me and my family. It's a long-term contract and could be my last.

"I've already asked the club for a release for next year. We'll see how everything unfolds and I might find myself over there."

Matai is currently under a media ban at the Sea Eagles, and was unavailable for interviews last week. The Herald on Sunday understands that, as well as the attraction of a longer deal, family reasons could be behind his desire to return to Auckland.

His parents, who still live in the Mt Roskill house Matai grew up in, have seen four of their children emigrate to Australia and also care for a severely disabled son.

But has the Warriors' interest gone cold?

According to his agent, the Warriors remain the "only interested party" (apart from Manly) and the Auckland club are believed to have made an offer to the two-time grand final winner. But that was a few months ago and a new move for Matai now looks less likely.

"We only focus on players we know are available," Warriors chief executive Wayne Scurrah said. "Steve is under contract until the end of next season so that's just not an option for us."

"We have already got our squad sorted out for next year," Warriors general manager football Dean Bell said.

When asked if they would be interested in Matai as an option for the 2016 season and beyond - when his current contract with Manly expires - Bell said: "Probably not, no. Ngani [Laumape] has really shown over the last few months he's capable of playing in that position and we have a bit of depth there now."

It's an intriguing situation. The centre position has been an ongoing dilemma at the Auckland club, probably since Brent Tate departed in 2010.

Matai's quality is undoubted - he's a match winner on attack and defence and one of the toughest players in the game.

The main question mark would be over his age (he turned 30 last week), as well as his injury and suspension record.

If the club find a buyer for Dane Nielsen, who hasn't lived up to expectations since signing from the Storm, the equation might change but at the moment they seem satisfied with a centre quartet of Konrad Hurrell, Nielsen, Laumape and new signing Matt Allwood from Canberra.