Shane, the short answer is I hadn't seen Matera play for a couple of years, and assumed he was as quick as when he was younger. Perhaps he was never quick, or perhaps the injuries have meant he's lost a yard, but he can't really create separation from his defender when he gets the ball. If you're short, not quick, not an elite tackler and you stop kicking goals, there's really not much need for you on a footy field.
That's amplified when you have Ballas who is short, not quick, a good tackler but not a huge goal scorer in the same team. I thought Matera would be a good replacement for Ballas until a better alternative came along, but I was wrong about that.
