Steve Matai was known as The Punisher during his NRL career and we might have just found out why. He has been nominated for The Frownlow Medal Hall of Fame after being told to stay away from his wife.
The Frownlow Medal is awarded to the player whose off-field demeanour epitomises the values of the modern-day footballer and draws attention to the status of footballers as role models to young Australians. It covers Australia’s four major football codes: the men’s and women’s National Rugby League (NRL), Australian Football League (AFL), the A-League (Football) and Rugby Union’s Super Rugby competition. NRL player Shaun Kenny-Dowall won the inaugural medal in 2015, while NRL star Ezra Mam is the most recent recipient.
The Frownlow Medal Hall of Fame honours former players and players who received media attention in previous seasons, for similarly scandalous behaviour, and its inductees include Ben Cousins and Julian O’Neill.
Matai has been banned from approaching his wife after police applied for an apprehended violence order. He is prevented from living at the same address or contacting his wife except through a lawyer after police first lodged the AVO application in September 2025. The orders were extended in October, with added restrictions stopping him from residing with his wife and family.
He has not been charged with any offence and there is no suggestion of illegal behaviour.
Matai was once voted the hardest hitter in rugby league due to his brutal tackling style and the punishment he inflicted on opposing players. A Sydney Morning Herald article in 2012 said of him:
He hits hard and occasionally hits illegally. He could seemingly dislodge anything if he put his shoulder to it.
He is the star of countless highlight reels on the internet, and now his wife will attempt to explain exactly why he deserves the nickname.
The same SMH article also claimed:
Matai, now 27, is a father of one and about to be a father of two. He says his son, Isaiah, has changed him. Gone are his impetuous and tempestuous actions.
The next few months will determine whether that is true, and whether The Punisher has done enough to earn a place in The Frownlow Medal Hall of Fame.
Image: NuNa
The Frownlow Medal 