Name Matt Groat Career start 2011 Weight 110 kg | Height 1.90 m Role Rugby Player Parents Peter Groat, Julie Groat | |
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Matt Groat Interview June 2015
Matt Groat is an Australian rugby league who currently plays for Central Queensland Capras in the Intrust Super Cup. He has previously played for Thirlmere Roosters in the Group 6 Rugby League, St. George Illawarra Dragons, Wests Tigers in the NRL and Doncaster and the Dewsbury Rams in the Championship. He plays at prop.
Contents
- Matt Groat Interview June 2015
- Early years
- Wests Tigers
- St George Illawarra Dragons
- Personal life
- References
Early years
From the small town of Rankins Springs in the Riverina, Groat lived on a 6000ha property, before becoming a student at renowned rugby league school St Gregory's College, Campbelltown. During his time at the school he was named as the most valuable player for his team at the 2010 Australian Schoolboys Championships, and represented the Australian Schoolboys team in 2009 and 2010. In 2011, he was named in the Junior Kangaroos team.
Wests Tigers
Groat joined the Wests Tigers NYC Cup team in 2011. By round 12 he had progressed to making his début in first grade, after a late injury to Wade McKinnon. Having already played a lower-grade game, Groat came off the bench in the last 5 minutes. Later in the season, Groat became a regular in the first side, playing off the bench. Wests Tigers won 8 of the 10 games he played in 2011.
In an early-season match in 2012, Groat was knocked unconscious by a shoulder charge from Brisbane Broncos forward Ben Te'o. The incident was considered a "test case" on how the judiciary would treat players who made contact with the head when attempting a shoulder-charge. Two weeks later Groat played for New South Wales in the inaugural under-20s State of Origin match, but he failed to make a further first grade appearance for the season.
Groat was unable to play at the start of 2013 due to injury. Coach Mick Potter said, "Matt got his ankle, foot and toe caught in the ground and got some weight on the back of it. He had been working hard and his shape was looking better too." He didn't play any first grade in 2013.
St. George Illawarra Dragons
In September 2013, it was announced that Groat had signed with the Dragons for at least one season. He failed to make any first-grade appearances for the club, and a year later signed with Salford.
Personal life
Groat has studied a Certificate 4 in Fitness.
