Newcastle forward Sam Mataora battles depression and faces uncertain future in NRL

The career of Newcastle hard man Sam Mataora may be over as he struggles to cope with the game’s latest serious problem - depression.

Mataora is just 26 and appeared to have the football world at his feet a couple of years ago - but team-mates and Knights officials are worried about his welfare.

After being one of the Knights’ most effective forwards last season, Mataora has played just one NRL game this year.

Last week against the Tigers, he was listed to make a return to the big time - and pulled out just hours before the game.

The Cook Islands international is now on 'indefinite leave' and won’t be re-signed by the Knights for 2018.

But the club and the NRL won’t abandon the troubled former Raiders star, who was born in Rarotonga, and struggled to come to terms with the fast pace of life in Australia.

They will provide support and counselling in a bid to get Mataora in a good state of mind again.

There will be some who say this story should not be written - that it is a private matter for Mataora to sort out.

But this is one of the main problems with depression - people want to keep it a secret, in the dark, as if it is something to be ashamed of.

Too many players have kept it a secret - and the consequences have been devastating.

It is an illness, like cancer or heart disease - and I know that by bringing it out into the open, Mataora will have the league community rallying around him and giving him the support he needs.