Matalavea-Booth a big kid with a bright future

Hulking teen Isaac Matalavea-Booth is a monster. In a good way. 

The 19-year-old, whose power and go-forward was evident when he played for Burleigh Bears' Hastings Deering Colts side in 2021, has been training hard with the Gold Coast Titans during the pre-season and is looking to put what he has learned to good use.

"It has been harder than what I'm used to, training every day... it's a step up... doing it every day, waking up every day and coming to training, has been pretty hard," Matalavea-Booth said.

"But the boys are good, they all look out for me... Tino (Fa'asuamaleaui) and Mo (Fotuaika), all those boys who play State of Origin, look out for me."

Matalavea-Booth, who attended Keebra Park State High for one year after moving to Queensland from New Zealand, is looking to break into Hostplus Cup this season and put the skills he has learned at the Titans into practice.

"I like everything about footy," the athletic forward, who stands at 201cm tall, said.

"I want to have a go at Cup, possibly Titans maybe."

Bears 2021 Colts coach Jamie Mahon said the "gentle big kid" was "a talent with a big future". 

"He has a big body and a big presence on the footy field," Mahon said.

"He's a kid who absorbs what you tell him... a student of the game. 

"For someone so young, he has a lot of maturity. Just a great young man with a big future. He doesn't realise his full potential."

Watch this space.