EXCITING Gold Coast forward Brandon Matera has inked a contract extension tying him to the Suns until at least the end of 2017.
The 22-year-old said he was thrilled to re-sign with the promising expansion club.
“I’m really pumped to be re-signing with Gold Coast," Matera told the Suns' website.
"We are now playing consistent and competitive football, and while we still have a long way to go, all of us young guys who came to the club in the early days believed we would be in the position we are now.
"The challenge now is to work just as hard to continue the job we started.”
Matera hails from a proud football pedigree.
His father, Wally, played for Fitzroy and West Coast and he's the nephew of former Eagles stars Peter and Phil.
Matera was one of a dozen 17-year-olds made available to the Suns under the AFL's draft concessions in 2010.
He's booted 51 goals in 47 games – including 18 majors from eight games this season – and is confident he's shrugged-off injury issues that have plagued his short career.
“I’m really confident that I know my body well now - that probably hampered me in the first two seasons," he said.
"Last year’s injury against the Cats where I tore ligaments in my ankle was just something that happens in a game in footy.
“This year I have felt that I’ve been able to take my game to another level and I plan to build on that going forward.”
Gold Coast list and strategy manager Scott Clayton said Matera was an important signing.
“Brandon is an extremely important player for us and is someone who has developed enormously, both on and off the field in recent years," he said.
“His re-signing shows he has faith in the direction of our football club and wants to be a part of its future success.”
