Raymond Terrace junior Peter Mata'utia reckons he has "five years" left on the footy field and one goal remains above all others during that period.
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The former NRL player, fresh from a six-season stint in English Super League, wants to enjoy at least one campaign alongside his three younger brothers - Chanel, Pat and Sione.
Mata'utia, 33, recently confirmed a one-year deal with Lakes and helped officially launch the Newcastle RL draw for 2024 at No.2 Sportsground last week.
"We'll try and get together and play somewhere," Mata'utia told ACM
Exactly when, what club and which competition are yet to be determined.
"Pat's gone to Terrace [second division] for a bit [after being at Maitland], just wanted a break, but said he'll come back to the Newy comp [first grade] next year," Mata'utia said.
"I think Sione [St Helens] might be heading back [home] for good after next year. Chanel lives at Muswellbrook at the moment, he'd have to move back.
"We've always spoken about doing it as pub footy. It might be a bit hard to do it in the Newcastle comp, all of us playing together. But eventually, before we all decide to hang up the boots for good, just something all together."
Having the quartet combine forces for 80 minutes almost eventuated at NRL level with the Knights in 2016.
"We've had three but not four, Chanel got injured in the captain's run one year under [coach] Nathan Brown," Mata'utia said.
Peter, then captain Sione and Chanel (31) did the same for Newcastle the following year, notching up a 26-10 win over the Warriors at McDonald Jones Stadium on the last occasion in round 22.
Regardless of whether or not that family affair gets off the ground somewhere down the track, Mata'utia simply says "my heart is full being back home" in the Hunter region.
Mata'utia, who relocated to the UK in 2018, says "we left with two and came back with five" children. His eldest is now 10 and youngest are two-year-old twin boys. They are currently based at Rathmines.
A junior at Bankstown and Raymond Terrace but not Souths, Mata'utia says he first met Lakes coach Ian Bourke playing Jersey Flegg and NSW Cup at the Knights.
Mata'utia admits finally landing on a Newcastle RL club was a "tough decision to make because I reckon six of the coaches in this comp are either my mentor or had me as a kid," including Rick Stone (Wests), Rip Taylor (Kurri) and Adam Bettridge (Central).
He is due to join the Seagulls for pre-season training in the New Year and, position wise for 2024, indicated playing "in the spine or lock".
Josh Callinan
My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury.
My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury.
