Jordan Matera
Sandringham Dragons
Height: 182cm
Weight: 82kg
Position: Forward
Draft range: 60-rookie
Strengths: Crumbing, x-factor, goal sense, tackling
Weaknesses: Inconsistency, ability to find the ball, general kicking
Player comparison:
First year impact: near future

Kicking: Poor
Marking: Above average
Endurance: Average
Speed: Above average

Jordan Matera is the son of former West Coast Eagles Norm Smith winner, Peter.

Peter played 253 games, making Jordan eligible to be selected as a father-son recruit for the Eagles.

Matera is a left foot kick and has great goal awareness, kicking 10 goals in the TAC Cup this year, he also kicked two goals in his only appearance at the under 18 championships in round two against South Australia. Despite playing 81% of the match, Matera came from the game with a stress related fracture in his foot which resulted in him missing nearly two months of football.

Matera is tough player who has the ability to rotate from his usual forward position to playing as an inside midfielder for the Dragons. Matera averages just over four tackles a game, producing two games where he was able to lay more than seven tackles as a small forward, indicating he relishes the physical side of the game.

Matera has a strongly built frame, giving him the edge over his opponents when he plays in the forward line. At his size, he is fantastic at winning one on one contests and has the ability to kick freakish goals inside 50.

His x-factor is noticeable when he is played in the forward line, providing a target for the Dragons to kick to on every occasion.

Matera reads the kicks inside 50 well, knowing where to position himself underneath the key forwards, giving him the greatest chance of crumbing the packs.

Matera’s pace over 20 metres is great, giving him the edge inside 50 as well as the speed to burst away from packs at stoppages. A skill for Matera to improve on is his aerobic capacity. By doing this, it will allow for him to provide a greater support role in the midfield rather than just being considered a small forward.

A negative in Matera’s game is his poor kicking. Throughout the TAC Cup in 2015, he’s kicked at 46% indicating he needs to improve his general skills if he wants to become a dominant small forward that can play in the midfield. Matera has only passed 15 disposals on three occasions this year, consistently around the 11-12 disposals per match – a figure Matera will want to increase in the remaining matches of the season.

Matera has also kicked 12 behinds in the TAC Cup, on occasion going for the miracle shot instead of passing to teammates. For Matera to become an excellent small forward, he needs to ensure he converts all of his chances in front of goal. However, it can be seen as a positive Matera does back himself in with his shots at goal, knowing he is capable of kicking the miracle goal.

Another negative for Matera is that he struggles for consistency, unable to string together more than two games over 17 disposals. He can go missing during games, not touching the ball for a quarter before kicking a goal from the pocket deep inside 50. He has the ability to be the leading forward in a match kicking up to three goals in some games, but then goes missing in the next few matches without kicking a goal.

As a prospect, Matera adds value of having fantastic goal sense. He also can be expected to provide a role in the middle of the ground, as he increases his aerobic capacity in the future.