26 Apr 2017

Matulino off to Tigers

6:31 am on 26 April 2017

Kiwis prop Ben Matulino will leave the Warriors at the end of the season to join rival NRL club the Wests Tigers.

Warriors' player Ben Matulino

Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly

The long serving 28-year-old made his 197th NRL appearance in his first outing of the season in last night's Anzac Day loss to the Storm in Melbourne.

The long-serving Matulino, who is returning from an injury lay-off following knee surgery, informed club management at the weekend that he had decided to take up an offer from Wests Tigers.

The 28-year-old has been inconsistent over the last several seasons and last year was one of five players dropped from the New Zealand Test team for taking a cocktail of prescription drugs and energy drinks.

He said he wanted to experience living in Sydney with his family and felt he couldn't turn down the offer.

Matulino told his team-mates of his decision in the dressing room after last night's match.

Matulino started his NRL career with the Warriors in 2008 and was named the club's Player of the Year in 2015.

-RNZ