Berkeley_Eagle
Current Status: 24/7 Manly Fan
Sea Eagles hooker in quandary
Jason Avedissian
28 May 2008
http://manlydaily.com.au/article/2008/05/28/10321_sports.html
OFF contract Manly hooker Matt Ballin has expressed interest in joining Brisbane next season, but would ideally prefer to stay at the Sea Eagles.
The 24-year-old Broncos junior is yet to hold talks with Manly and has attracted interest from rival NRL clubs.
The Queenslander said he would be prepared to move back home but is committed to the Sea Eagles this season, and possibly for the long haul.
"It's always been a home for me up there (Brisbane), but at the moment I really want to stay at Manly," Ballin said following a training session at Narrabeen yesterday.
"If things don't progress with them (Manly), it (Brisbane) would definitely be an option.
"I guess opportunity is the main thing for my career. I want to be playing the best football I can, whether it be Manly or Brisbane, or another NRL club, but definitely at the moment Manly is my team and I'm happy here.''
Ballin has been sharing the hooking duties in recent weeks with reserve Heath L'Estrange.
The pair have proved the ideal combination, with the bigger Ballin handling the initial heavy hits before L'Estrange comes on to give the Sea Eagles a few more attacking options.
But Ballin's caper is about playing 80 minutes, with his superior fitness levels among the best in the NRL.
"The way the game goes at this stage it's hard to play one hooker the whole 80 minutes," Ballin said yesterday.
"I'm an 80-minute player, that's my game, that's my strength and I want to be playing out there as much as I can.
"I'd like more minutes, but that's the way it goes."
Meanwhile, centre Steven Bell was not named in the Sea Eagles squad of 18 for their round 12 clash with Canberra on Friday night. The ex-Maroons back will have a fitness test tomorrow in a bid to prove his fitness.
Coach Des Hasler named a five-man bench with Vic Mauro the likely man to drop off.
Jason Avedissian
28 May 2008
http://manlydaily.com.au/article/2008/05/28/10321_sports.html
OFF contract Manly hooker Matt Ballin has expressed interest in joining Brisbane next season, but would ideally prefer to stay at the Sea Eagles.
The 24-year-old Broncos junior is yet to hold talks with Manly and has attracted interest from rival NRL clubs.
The Queenslander said he would be prepared to move back home but is committed to the Sea Eagles this season, and possibly for the long haul.
"It's always been a home for me up there (Brisbane), but at the moment I really want to stay at Manly," Ballin said following a training session at Narrabeen yesterday.
"If things don't progress with them (Manly), it (Brisbane) would definitely be an option.
"I guess opportunity is the main thing for my career. I want to be playing the best football I can, whether it be Manly or Brisbane, or another NRL club, but definitely at the moment Manly is my team and I'm happy here.''
Ballin has been sharing the hooking duties in recent weeks with reserve Heath L'Estrange.
The pair have proved the ideal combination, with the bigger Ballin handling the initial heavy hits before L'Estrange comes on to give the Sea Eagles a few more attacking options.
But Ballin's caper is about playing 80 minutes, with his superior fitness levels among the best in the NRL.
"The way the game goes at this stage it's hard to play one hooker the whole 80 minutes," Ballin said yesterday.
"I'm an 80-minute player, that's my game, that's my strength and I want to be playing out there as much as I can.
"I'd like more minutes, but that's the way it goes."
Meanwhile, centre Steven Bell was not named in the Sea Eagles squad of 18 for their round 12 clash with Canberra on Friday night. The ex-Maroons back will have a fitness test tomorrow in a bid to prove his fitness.
Coach Des Hasler named a five-man bench with Vic Mauro the likely man to drop off.