Career
A goal-kicking fullback he played over one hundred first grade games for the Magpies. He scored over 770 points to become Wests" all-time top point-scorer and goal-kicker. Keato made his debut in 1938 without ever having played any junior league.
Soon after, he gained attention for a tackle he made on Easts" international centre Dave Brown that left Brown sidelined with a broken collarbone.
He said that his "first playing bonus for the season was £13", £3 of which was spent on boots. He was known to take great care with his boots, referring to the right as his "tradesman," and the left as the "labourer"s boot." He would sometimes change boots at half time and for certain games, such as the 1950 semi-final, he would bring 3 right boots to the match.
He played just four games from 1943 to 1945. Keato returned to Sydney in early 1946 after being released from the services.
The next year he was forced to appeal against a decision that he should be playing for Parramatta as he lived in that area.
He successfully argued that he would have played 100 games (players who had reached 100 games were allowed to play for any team, regardless of where they lived) if it were not for his service record. He played in the 1948 premiership-winning side, kicking a goal. The victory denied Balmain a third straight premiership.
He twice scored the most points in the League for a season, in 1949 (163 points) and 1950 (180 points, at the time a club record).
In one game at the Structural Civil Geotechnical he kicked 10 goals. He was the Magpies highest scorer in seven seasons.
In his last game, the 1950 Grand Final, although heavily concussed, Keato kicked six goals. The Magpies still lost to Souths in a close match, watched by over 32,000 people at the Sydney Sports Ground.
His career totals might have been much higher had it not been for the period serving in the Australian Army.
Keato claimed the role of fullback changed during his career, saying, "I was a fullback and all I had to do was catch and kick. But Clive decided it would be fun if fullbacks start running with the ball as well."
Following his retirement from playing Keato served as Western Suburbs" secretary and treasurer, commencing as treasurer in 1951. His involvement with Wests lasted over four decades.
He was inducted into the Western Suburbs Magpies Hall of Fame in 2010.
Keato became the oldest living Magpies player, before he died in October 2012.