Matthew Wright

Playing career

2009 After starting the 2009 season in the NYC, Wright made his first grade debut for the Sharks at just 18 years old. In his rookie season, Wright played 17 games and scored 6 tries.

2010 Wright spent the 2010 season playing for Cronulla's NYC and NSW Cup sides. At the end of the season, Wright played two games for the Junior Kangaroos, and was selected in Samoa's train-on squad.

2011 In 2011, Wright returned to first grade for the Sharks, playing 19 games all on the wing and scoring 4 tries.

2012 Wright spent the majority of 2012 playing fullback for Cronulla, scoring 1 try.

2013 In 2013, he made his test debut for Samoa in the Pacific Rugby League International against Tonga.

Later that season, Wright was a member of the Sharks victorious New South Wales Cup side.

2014 In January 2014, Wright signed a one-year deal with the North Queensland Cowboys. Wright made his debut for the Cowboys in their Round 5 win over the Newcastle Knights, in which he scored a try. On 22 August, Wright became one of the current NRL players and former Sharks players to accept reduced bans from the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority for his role in the club's 2011 supplements program.

Wright finished his first season for the Cowboys with 9 tries in 17 games, including a first half hat-trick in the side's 64–6 win over the Wests Tigers.

2015 In Round 5 of the 2015 NRL season, Wright scored his second hat-trick for the Cowboys in their 30–10 win over the Penrith Panthers.

2016 On 22 April, Wright was granted a release from the Cowboys to join the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles on a three-year contract. On 7 May 2016, Wright played for Samoa in the 2016 Polynesian Cup against Tonga, where he played on the wing and scored a try in the 18–6 win at Parramatta Stadium. Later in the year he represented Samoa in their historical test match against Fiji in Apia. He kicked 3 goals in Samoa's two point defeat.

2019 On 9 Jun 2019, Newcastle Thunder announced the signing of Wright

Statistics NRL Statistics are correct the end of the 2021 season SeasonTeamMatchesTGF/GPts 2009 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 17 6 0 0 24 2011 19 4 6 0 28 2012 21 1 0 0 4 2013 5 1 0 0 4 2014 North Queensland Cowboys 17 9 0 0 36 2015 17 9 0 0 36 2016 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 15 2 7 0 222017156360962018174162019 Newcastle Thunder671252202012021143828 Career totals 182 62 49 0 266

International SeasonTeamMatchesTGGK %F/GPts 2013 1 0 0 — 0 0 2016 2 1 3 100.00 0 1020172116 Career totals 5 2 4 100.00 0 16

Personal life

Wright is the nephew of former New Zealand international Tony Tatupu and Wests Tigers back Tim Simona (despite actually being almost 10 months older than Simona). He is also a cousin of Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks forward Jesse Sene-Lefao and Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs forward Lamar Liolevave.