RE: Rumoured and Confirmed Signings
Manly set to retain another cornerstone as Raiders give up Ballin chase Michael Chammas
June 18, 2012
HAVING lost the services of Tony Williams and Darcy Lussick for next season, Manly are poised to retain off-contract hooker Matt Ballin, as Canberra resign themselves to missing out on his signature.
Sea Eagles coach Geoff Toovey labelled the former Queensland dummy half a ''priority'' for Manly to secure, despite the best efforts of the Raiders to lure him to the nation's capital next season.
Toovey, who believes the 28-year-old is in career-best form, insists the Sea Eagles are doing everything possible to ensure he remains with the club beyond the end of this season.
Advertisement: Story continues below ''He's a great player Matt Ballin and he's been playing well,'' Toovey said. ''I think the last month he's played some of his best football, so hopefully he'll continue that through the year. We're doing our best to retain all our players and Matt Ballin is right up there as a priority for us. He's a priority, he's a great player and a key member of our team … ''
The Raiders, lacking a quality No.9, were keen to snatch Ballin from the Sea Eagles, who have already retained star halves Daly Cherry-Evans and Kieran Foran.
Ballin never wanted to leave Manly, but with Cherry-Evans, Foran, Steve Matai, Brett Stewart, Lussick and Williams all on rival clubs' radars, his contract negotiations had been put on hold.
But speaking on ABC Radio yesterday, Canberra chief Don Furner said the Raiders were out of the running for Ballin, as Manly were close to extending his contract.
''[It is] pretty much he is going to stay at Manly now,'' Furner said. ''They have lost Tony Williams and Lussick and I think they asked him to wait until they could find room. He always indicated to us that his preference was to stay at Manly and I don't blame him.
''If he got squeezed out he indicated he would come here but he looks like staying at Manly now and we have moved on.
Asked if Ballin's manager had indicated the Raiders were not in the race for his signature any more, Furner said: ''Yeah … that he will stay there.''
In a team packed full of superstars, Ballin rarely gets the recognition he deserves for steering the reigning premiers around the paddock. But his presence and performance this year hasn't gone unnoticed by his coach.
''We need him for the players around him to be at their best,'' Toovey said.
''At the top level, players need a player like Matty Ballin directing the show and controlling the ruck in a football game.
''All hookers don't get the recognition they deserve, I know that. But all the good sides have a quality one and we've got that with Matt Ballin.''
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/manly-set-to-retain-another-cornerstone-as-raiders-give-up-ballin-chase-20120617-20idb.html#ixzz1y5iRbTWb
