OFFICIAL BALLIN NOT PLAYING

[fLIP]

New Zealand Test centre Steve Matai is a late inclusion in the Manly side to play Parramatta at Brookvale Oval tonight.

Matai passed a fitness test this afternoon after being sidelined with an ankle injury sustained in the Sea Eagles' opening round match against Canberra.

Hooker Matt Ballin makes way for Matai's inclusion in the Sea Eagles' 17.

 

[Duff]

THAT IS A FRIGGIN' JOKE.

WHAT THE HELL IS DES THINKING ?

 

[fLIP]

I am speechless.

 

[Guest]

You are fu,cking kidding.

Replacing a hooker with a centre who hasn't played for weeks and will be underdone is a joke.

masterstroke if we win but Des will get strung up if we lose.

 

[fLIP]

According to the bloke who tipped us off about this earlier, Ballin is not playing either grade tonight and he isn't injured.

 

[nodd]

Disciplinary reasons?

 

[SilentBob]

Not surprising at all.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

Must be more too it with Ballin, something must have happened for him not to play at all.

Won't expect any miracles from matai on his return, will be plenty of pressure on him now as well, hope he doesnt get too enthusiastic at the start and just eases back in. PL for at least 1 week to get some fitness and feel for the game back would have been ideal

Apparently Dunley is playing PL

 

[fLIP]

I would say ballin is being kept as an 18th man.

Just in case something goes sour with Matai in the warm up or something.

 

[Canteen Worker]

Monaghan played well and has to be in the 13 on tonight's form.

Who do you drop - Burns who played about 10 mins, Lyon or Matai.

For mine Lyon is not a 5/8.

 

[SilentBob]

He'll be back next week, Lyon out with SOO and Matai will probably be gone for a few weeks for his swinging arm.

 

[Nutzcraw]

I told you ballin would be first drop.. wow we won.. what a surprise.. i have said before.. yeah ballin is good but we don't NEED him... future star - yes.. do we need him to win games now - NO.

Another good win.. it's a great view from the top.

 

[fLIP]

We could win without stewart too but it defeats the point of playing your best possible team.

 

[Nutzcraw]

We played our best possible team right now.. Ballin will be slowly blooded... we are in no rush to get him in right now.. he's had a taste he knows what it's like.. he's ready to go when we need him later this year.

 

[fLIP]

Best possible team?

Questionable. I do believe he is out 'best' hooker. Certainly better in that position than burns.

 

[fLIP]

By that I mean off the bench.

 

[Nutzcraw]

Expect the same next week.

We are 8 from 9 with our only loss being a 4 point loss away up in Nth Qld.. Des knows what he is doing.

 

[JeffK]

Disappointed. If I was recruiting for another club I'd be making Matt and Manly an offer. For say $500k over three years you could get an excellant hooker and pay Manly off.

Jeff

 

[DSM5]

Des playing games will lose us both Burns and Ballin. There was no reason not to bring back Matai through PL. Why give that idiot a saloon ride?