Steve Matai gets hard word from Warriors

Steve Matai has until tonight to decide whether he wants to join the Warriors – but the club is not hopeful that his answer will be a positive one.

Matai's agent Gavin Orr was told earlier this week that the Warriors were becoming impatient for a decision and they wanted to know before tonight whether he would accept their three-year offer.

But the club expect the Kiwis test centre to stay with Manly, although he has also had interest from Cronulla.

Chief executive Wayne Scurrah said: "We have told him we want a decision soon and we would expect something to be finalised in the next couple of days."

Scurrah said the club would be comfortable to go into 2011 without recruiting another centre and would chase one of "real quality" only should Matai reject terms.

Orr didn't return calls yesterday.

The Warriors have dropped Joel Moon from their five-man bench for today's game with the Titans. Moon played standoff for the Auckland Vulcans yesterday instead.

- © Fairfax NZ News