Matthew Rosa Biography

West Coast adds former Eagle Matt Rosa and Hawthorn premiership player Chance Bateman to its coaching panel.

Rosa will be in charge of stoppages and structures, while Bateman will be the forward line development coach.

Nathan van Berlo, who previously held the role Rosa has taken up, has become the midfield coach.

Tom Lynch and Steven May will again co-captain Gold Coast in 2018.

Ruckman Jarrod Witts and midfielder Pearce Hanley have been added to a leadership group that again contains David Swallow, Matt Rosa, Michael Barlow and Touk Miller.

Michael Rischitelli has stepped aside from the role.

"Both Tom and Steven have been extremely invested in the program since my arrival," Suns head coach Stuart Dew said.

"The eight-man leadership group will work closely with myself and the entire football department to ensure we can create an environment that is aligned to our values and provides the best possible opportunity for growth both on and off the field."

Jarrod Harbrow and Gary Ablett are dropped from the Suns' leadership group for 2017.

Harbrow and Ablett are replaced by off-season recruit Michael Barlow and midfielder Touk Miller.

Michael Rischitelli, Matt Rosa and David Swallow have held their spots in the group, alongside co-captains Steven May and Tom Lynch.

"Michael Rischitelli, Matt Rosa and David Swallow are already established leaders at our football club and in Michael and David's case they've been playing that role for some time," Suns coach Rodney Eade said.

"Similar to Matty Rosa last year, Michael Barlow has made an immediate impact on the playing group, leading by example on and off the field, and his elevation to the player leadership group demonstrates the influence he has had on the team in a relatively short period of time."

The arrival of mature-aged recruit Matt Rosa has been a double-edged sword for Gold Coast survivor Matt Shaw.

On one hand, Rosa's arrival during last year's trade period forced the 24-year-old to fight for the wing spot, something he had not had to do since arriving at the club in 2010 as a 17-year-old zone selection.

However Rosa brought so many positives that Shaw now sees his experienced teammate's presence as one of the best things to have happened in his time at the Suns.

"We never had a winger to learn from when I came into the AFL, so it has been really good to have him, learn from him and see things from a different perspective," Shaw said.

"Rosa has got some really good experience and he is not afraid of letting all the boys in on that experience."

Matt Rosa has the fresh start he craved after West Coast agreed to trade him to Gold Coast.

The Suns gave the Eagles pick No.31 in exchange for the 28-year-old midfielder, who will add much-needed experience to Gold Coast's on-ball division.

Eagles say they are surprised by Matt Rosa's trade request and insist he will remain an Eagle in 2016.

"I was surprised and we were as a club that we're in this position," West Coast list manager Craig Vozzo said.

"Having said that, we have to respect that's what he's requested, but he has to respect as well he's a contracted player and we prepared and planned our list around him being on it.

"We had discussions with Matthew and his management over a year ago when he was an unrestricted free agent around where the club was heading and where he fitted in and nothing's changed in our view."

Matt Rosa is understood to have attracted interest from several clubs and is believed to be considering making a fresh start at a new home.

The 28-year-old Victorian, who has one year remaining on his contract, was a substitute for the Grand Final and was on the fringes of the strong Eagles midfield in 2015.

He could potentially slip further down the pecking order in 2016 after the Eagles used pick No.17 to recruit Brisbane Lions midfielder Jack Redden and have targeted Sydney Swans' speedster Lewis Jetta.

Matt Rosa has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a torn pectoral tendon.

Rosa was injured laying a tackle during the third term of the Eagles' 28-point loss to the Sydney Swans at Patersons Stadium on Sunday.

He immediately came from the ground and did not return. Scans on Monday revealed a tear in the right tendon and he will require surgery later this week.

Matt Rosa in danger of missing the rest of the year with a pectoral injury.

Rosa was injured laying a tackle during the third term of the Eagles' 28-point loss to the Sydney Swans at Patersons Stadium.

"He is in a bit of strife," West Coast coach Adam Simpson said.

"We think he has hurt his pectoral muscle. So it will be multiple weeks. We will find out tomorrow. It's early stages but it is not good."

Matt Rosa has signed a new two-year deal with West Coast.

Rosa, who would have become an unrestricted free agent at season's end, will remain at the Eagles until at least the end of 2016.

The 27-year-old opted to remain in Perth despite strong interest from clubs in his home state of Victoria.

"I was here in 2005 and 2006 when the club played in grand finals and won a premiership, and I have been around for some other exciting finals campaigns," Rosa said.

"I am confident we can build towards that with this group and I want to be a part of it."

Matt Rosa will become a West Coast life member this week when he plays his 150th game and says he has no interest in leaving the club despite being an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year.

"I would definitely like to be a one-club player so hopefully it works out that way," Rosa said.

"There is still a little bit of work to do, but that would be great to say at the end of your career that you're a one-club player."

Matthew Rosa is set to miss the first five rounds of the season after having surgery on his thigh.

West Coast are expecting Andrew Embley and Matt Rosa to feature strongly in 2013 after injuries affected their output in 2012.

"You've got to remember that Embley hardly played last year through his injuries and Rosa missed a fair chunk later in the year," West Coast assistant coach Scott Burns said.

"Those two boys, physically right now, are probably in the best nick they've been in since I've been here."

Matt Rosa could miss the finals for a second straight year if scans confirm a likely fractured collarbone after the Eagles' win against the Magpies.

"He's devastated. It's bad timing for him. He's disappointed to be missing out on the next few weeks but he'll support the team through it," Eagles coach John Worsfold said.

"Coming off a jaw that was fractured only three weeks ago, it was a credit to him to play his role for the team."

West Coast midfielder Matt Rosa sees missing out on the 2006 premiership team as a positive as he heads into his 100th game.

"I was only 19 at the time, so looking back now I realise how hard they are to come by," Rosa said.

"Who knows, if I had have played would I have taken it for granted? I don't know that. I definitely won't take it for granted now if I get that opportunity."

Midfielder Matt Rosa has re-signed with the Eagles.

"He's an important player for us," West Coast general manager of football operations Neale Daniher said.

"We've got a very young team and we don't have many 100-gamers, let alone 150 or 200. He's been at the club five or six years, so he brings some leadership to our young blokes."

Daniel Kerr is on the sidelines for a match after an attempt to have his hit on Carlton's Marc Murphy characterised as a bump, rather than a strike, was tossed out by the AFL Tribunal last night.

Kerr told the tribunal by videolink that in knocking Murphy to the ground at the opening bounce of last Friday night's game, he was merely copying an earlier hit by Bret Thornton upon Matt Rosa.

"I proceeded to bump the closest Carlton player in the same fashion, and that happened to be Marc Murphy."

Matthew Rosa was one of a number of significant midfield contributors in West Coast's big win over Port Adelaide.

The Eagles return from their community and training camp in South Africa with coach John Worsfold declaring that the trip had been an educational experience for the playing list.

"The players we've got on our list now are outstanding young men who saw a different culture, a different society and community," Worsfold said. "They certainly understand the opportunities that they've got here are pretty lucky."

Time in Africa was spent on pre-season training as well as visiting townships, mingling with locals and teaching AFL skills to the children.