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BALLIN A SEA EAGLE FOR LIFE
THEY may have lost Daly Cherry-Evans and Kieran Foran for next season but Manly are set to receive a major boost with the re-signing of veteran hooker Matt Ballin for the next two years.
The 31-year-old is poised to become a Sea Eagle for life, with his new deal to tie him to the club until the end of 2017.
“Nearly formally done with all the negotiations,” Ballin told Foxsports.com.au.
“That’s a good sign for us and I’m really happy but still just working through a few little things, hopefully it will be done soon. I think I have at least two years.”
Having re-signed Steve Matai for a further two-years at the start of the season, Ballin’s signature will be a timely boost for the club.
Matt Ballin during Manly training.
Source: News Corp Australia
Ballin will be 33 at the completion of his new deal but despite his age, the former Queensland Origin hooker is confident his body is up to the challenge.
“As you age you learn to manage your body a bit better,” he said.
“Our trainers are really aware of the players and how they play on the field and modifying their training to that. We have a great medical staff.”
Despite the Sea Eagles being linked to Brisbane hooker Andrew McCullough for next season, Fox Sports understands the club is also close to extending the deal of Ballin’s back-up hooker Jayden Hodges.
According to Ballin, the 21-year-old is the ideal replacement for him and he has begun mentoring him for the role so Hodges is ready come the time Ballin retires.
“He is a great young player,” Ballin said of Hodges.
“He is 21 and still has some time to physically mature and develop his game. I debuted when I was 23 but I think in the long run that has been great for me. I have played a heap of games consecutively and taking a bit of extra time to let your body form and learn the game at that higher level was real good for me and the same goes for him. He is a great young player and fits into the club perfectly.”
Manly's Daly Cherry-Evans and Matt Ballin.
Source: News Corp Australia
While the club has lost Foran and Cherry-Evans to the Eels and Titans respectively, Ballin said it was a positive for everyone at the club that the star halves have made their decisions and now they can put all their focus into playing football.
“So two guys can say, ‘OK, it’s all over with and announced, the pressure is off us a little bit and we can just go and do what we do best’,” Ballin said.
“The other players have always been supportive of whatever they have wanted to do. Now that those two have announced it, they can move forward and play footy.”
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