Waltzing Matera: The Peter Matera Story

173 p., [24] p. of plates : ill., ports., facsims. ; 22 cm.
Matera, Peter. | Australian football players — Western Australia — Biography. AFL West Coast Eagles #190322
Peter Matera (born 3 April 1969) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the West Coast Eagles in the Australian Football League (AFL).

Hailing from the West Australian country town of Wagin, Matera was born of an Italian father. He has seven siblings (Walter, Frank, Michael, Gino, Phillip, Gerard and Carmel), two of which were his older brother Wally Matera, and younger brother Phillip Matera, who both played football at the elite level. Matera played soccer as a youngster and was influenced by the success of Wally in playing Australian rules football.

Matera was recruited from South Fremantle in the West Australian Football League (WAFL) with the 4th selection in the 1989 National Draft and made his debut in 1990 for West Coast. Playing just five games in his debut season for the Eagles, Matera broke through as a star youngster in 1991, finishing fourth in the Brownlow Medal and earning All-Australian honors. Matera followed up with an excellent 1992, unlucky to miss AA honours once more but capped off the season with an outstanding finals series.
Peter Matera permanently etched his name into football folklore with his outstanding performance in the 1992 Grand Final. The West Coast Eagles captured their first premiership on the back of Matera’s excellent five goal effort from the wing. The image of Matera “setting sail for home” is considered by many to be the definitive moment in West Coast history. Matera collected the Norm Smith Medal for his best on ground performance.