Brandon Matera is an Australian rules football

Australian rules football

Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...

er for the Gold Coast Football Club. He was recruited as one of twelve 17 years olds made available to Gold Coast under the AFL's

Australian Football League

The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...

 draft concessions.

Matera is the son of former Fitzroy

Fitzroy Football Club

The Fitzroy Football Club, formerly nicknamed The Lions, is an Australian rules football club formed in 1883 to represent the inner Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy, Victoria and was a foundation member club of the Victorian Football League on its inception in 1897...

 and West Coast

West Coast Eagles

The West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. The club is based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 and played its first games in the 1987 season. Its current home ground is Subiaco Oval...

 player Wally Matera

Wally Matera

Wally Matera is a former Australian rules footballer of Indigenous and Italian heritage. He played with the West Coast Eagles and Fitzroy in the AFL and for South Fremantle in the WAFL...

 and the nephew of former West Coast

West Coast Eagles

The West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. The club is based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 and played its first games in the 1987 season. Its current home ground is Subiaco Oval...

 footballers Phil

Phillip Matera

Phillip "Phil" Matera is a former Australian rules footballer of Italian-Aboriginal heritage.-Career:Beginning his career in 1996, the 171 cm forward pocket was one of the Australian Football League's best small forwards....

 and Peter Matera.

Junior career

Matera came up through the junior system of the South Fremantle Football Club

South Fremantle Football Club

The South Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed the Bulldogs, is an Australian rules football club, based in Fremantle, Western Australia, playing in the West Australian Football League...

 and represented Western Australia at under 16 and under 18 levels.

Matera was named in the 2009 Under-18 All Australian team following the 2009 AFL National Under 18 Championships

2009 AFL National Under 18 Championships

The 2009 AFL National Under 18 Championships is the 2009 series of the AFL National Under 18 Championships, a state and territory based Australian rules football competition which showcase the best junior footballers in Australia, primarily with the aim for them to be drafted into the Australian...

.

AFL career

Matera made his debut in round 2, 2011 in the Gold Coast Suns inaugural AFL match against Carlton

Carlton Football Club

The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...

 at The Gabba.

In round 5, Matera was part of the first Gold Coast Suns victory over Port Adelaide

Port Adelaide Football Club

The Port Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club based in Alberton, South Australia, which plays in the Australian Football League and the South Australian National Football League...

 at AAMI Stadium

AAMI Stadium

Football Park is an Australian rules football stadium located in West Lakes, a western suburb of Adelaide, South Australia...

. He kicked 4 goals and for his efforts was the round 5 nomination for the 2011 AFL Rising Star

2011 AFL Rising Star

The AFL Rising Star award is given annually to a stand out young player in the Australian Football League. The 2011 Ron Evans Medal will be awarded to one of the 24 nominees. The 2011 award was won by Dyson Heppell of the Essendon Football Club....

.