After 10 NRL seasons with the Vodafone Warriors, 'Big Ben' Matulino is moving onto the next phase of his career with the Wests Tigers.
A foundation NYC player in 2008, he was the first under-20 graduate from all 16 clubs to achieve the twin NRL milestones of 100 and 150 appearances.
With Matulino’s start to the 2017 season delayed by injury, Brisbane hooker Andrew McCullough was the first NYC product to 200 games. The Wellington-born front rower had to wait until the 11th-round match against St George-Illawarra in Hamilton to play his 200th game. In doing so he became only the fourth player after Stacey Jones, Simon Mannering and Manu Vatuvei to make 200 NRL appearances for the Vodafone Warriors.
Matulino finished his Vodafone Warriors career with 212 games since his debut against Cronulla in 2008. His last outing with his Mount Smart Stadium team-mates was against his new club at one of his future home grounds (Leichhardt Oval).
He’s one of just eight players who have appeared in 10 NRL seasons for the Vodafone Warriors after Jones, Awen Guttenbeil, Lance Hohaia, Jerome Ropati, Vatuvei, Mannering and Sam Rapira.
A huge thank you to you, Ben, for your contribution to the club and all the best to you, Courtenay, Kyla and Braxton for the future.
Haere ra.
