when will we get another marquee signing

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Ballin was at the Broncos put couldn't get a game and Wayne Bennett basically told him he needed to leave as he wouldn't make the grade. Matai not sure.
 
Matai, I'm pretty sure trialled at the Tigers but was knocked back. I think he got a last minute opportunity to trial at Manly, Manly gave him a chance and he never looked back. Gotta love the MATAI!!!
 
Matai went to Brisbane Souths on a scholarship at 15.

He was spotted by a Manly affiliated recruiter and came to us :)

Matty was at the Broncos, and the Master Coach saw no potential :huh:
 
Found this on Wikipedia too:

Stephen "Steve" Matai (born 5 August 1984 in Auckland, New Zealand) is a professional rugby league footballer for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles of the National Rugby League (NRL). He plays as a Centre and is a New Zealand international of Samoan heritage. He is the first cousin of former NRL player and fellow Kiwi international Junior Sa'u, though Sa'u has also represented Samoa.

Matai played rugby league for Mount Albert Grammar in their first XIII alongside Sonny Bill Williams. Matai's junior clubs were the Bay Roskill Vikings, Ponsonby Ponies and Richmond Rovers in the Auckland Rugby League. Matai's senior club was Richmond Rovers before he was selected to play for the Marist Richmond Brothers in the Bartercard Cup, before leaving in 2004.

Matai joined Queensland Cup side Ipswich Jets in 2004, and credits his time spent at the Jets under the coaching of former Queensland, Eastern Suburbs and Brisbane Broncos hard man Trevor Gillmeister for his reputation as the NRL's "Hitman". Gillmeister, known as "The Axe" for his hard hitting defense, changed Matai's tackling style, teaching him to drive with his legs when making a tackle.

In 2005 Matai moved to another Queensland Cup side, but soon left the Wynnum Manly Seagulls after securing an NRL contract with their associate club, the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles.[6]

Matai joined the Manly Sea Eagles from the Wynnum Manly Seagulls in 2005 after impressing during a strong pre season of training and trials at the Brookvale Oval.[6]

On 27 March 2005 Matai made his NRL debut in the round 3 match against the Melbourne Storm at Brookvale Oval.[7]

Matai played in the 2007 NRL Grand Final defeat to the Melbourne Storm.[8]

Matai is an occasional goal kicker for the Sea Eagles.

He played in the 2008 NRL Grand Final victory over the Melbourne Storm.[9]

Matai travelled to England with the Sea Eagles and played in their 2012 World Club Challenge loss to the Leeds Rhinos before the start of the 2012 NRL season. Midway through the 2012 season, Matai was charged with a high tackle in a game against Penrith. It was his thirteenth trip to the NRL judiciary, equaling the record set by Michael Crocker.[10]

With Manly sitting in 4th place after Round 17 of the 2013 NRL season, Matai had played in 14 games and scored 7 tries, bringing his career totals to 164 games and 62 tries for Manly. He was involved in a heated Round 17 clash with Parramatta Prop Mitchell Allgood in Manly's 50-10 win over the Eels at Brookvale Oval. In the 72nd minute of the game Allgood gave away a penalty with a swinging arm on Sea Eagles Second-rower Jamie Buhrer. The Manly centre ran 10 metres out of the line to remonstrate with Allgood who immediately let fly with three right hands to Matai's chin, earning himself 10 minutes in the sin-bin and a two week suspension. Matai, who had already been suspended earlier in the season for a shoulder charge on South Sydneys George Burgess, was placed on report for inciting a melee but did not have to front the judiciary for a record 15th time.
 
Las Vegas Blvd said:
Where did Matai and Ballin play before they came to Manly ?

My understanding is;

Matai was in the QRL prepping to play for Wynnum, when a trial opportunity came up in Manly. He performed and stayed, coming through a few reserve grade games before making firsts (and I don't recall him ever being dropped since).

Ballin was a Broncos developed player through their Colts and highly rated (pretty sure he's a Junior Kangaroo), but not enough by Bennett at the time despite him struggling for a few hooking options at the time. Manly swooped when he was still playing for the Clydesdales, a season he completed with them by winning their best player award.
 
We won't be in the frame to get a big name signing for hopefully a few years because the money just won't be available until some quality players pull the pin on their magnificent careers.
 
Masked Eagle said:
We won't be in the frame to get a big name signing for hopefully a few years because the money just won't be available until some quality players pull the pin on their magnificent careers.

Lot of back ended contracts soaking up much of the salary cap
 
Las Vegas Blvd said:
Masked Eagle said:
We won't be in the frame to get a big name signing for hopefully a few years because the money just won't be available until some quality players pull the pin on their magnificent careers.

Lot of back ended contracts soaking up much of the salary cap
I thought the heavily back ended deals kinda stopped being signed once hasler left, surely that means 2014 should see the end of most of the suffering with the remainder in 2015. It can't haunt us for ever
 
MissKate said:
Las Vegas Blvd said:
Masked Eagle said:
We won't be in the frame to get a big name signing for hopefully a few years because the money just won't be available until some quality players pull the pin on their magnificent careers.

Lot of back ended contracts soaking up much of the salary cap
I thought the heavily back ended deals kinda stopped being signed once hasler left, surely that means 2014 should see the end of most of the suffering with the remainder in 2015. It can't haunt us for ever

Not until Watmough and the Stewart bros retire
 
I guess the other question here is, what Marquee player do we really want or need?

Fullback and wings are well covered in my mind (with Hiku giving superb coverage), centres and halves are the best in the comp.

Back Row of Horo, Gift and Choc (with Buhrer and Symonds) doesn't look like it needs a big signing.

So probably the front row could be where a big name signing, I remember Aaron Woods was being touted recently, could be an option. It's one spot I wouldn't be upset if we bought a quality expensive player, but with Lawrence about to get even better, Kingy back, Starling, Lui and Jake T in the wings......the question will look a lot easier at the end of the season.

I for one can certainly live with the current policy, considering how great some of the 'lesser; buys in recent years have been ie Glenn Hall, Joey G, Lawrence, Horo, Hiku. All pretty much discards or over the hill etc, and all have been superb.
 
Killer03 said:
I guess the other question here is, what Marquee player do we really want or need?

Fullback and wings are well covered in my mind (with Hiku giving superb coverage), centres and halves are the best in the comp.

Back Row of Horo, Gift and Choc (with Buhrer and Symonds) doesn't look like it needs a big signing.

So probably the front row could be where a big name signing, I remember Aaron Woods was being touted recently, could be an option. It's one spot I wouldn't be upset if we bought a quality expensive player, but with Lawrence about to get even better, Kingy back, Starling, Lui and Jake T in the wings......the question will look a lot easier at the end of the season.

I for one can certainly live with the current policy, considering how great some of the 'lesser; buys in recent years have been ie Glenn Hall, Joey G, Lawrence, Horo, Hiku. All pretty much discards or over the hill etc, and all have been superb.

Thought Buhrer left
 
As good as our team is I'd like to see us with a tall winger, such as Edrick Lee, because most attack these days is the 'bomb' to the corners.
 
Las Vegas Blvd said:
Killer03 said:
I guess the other question here is, what Marquee player do we really want or need?

Fullback and wings are well covered in my mind (with Hiku giving superb coverage), centres and halves are the best in the comp.

Back Row of Horo, Gift and Choc (with Buhrer and Symonds) doesn't look like it needs a big signing.

So probably the front row could be where a big name signing, I remember Aaron Woods was being touted recently, could be an option. It's one spot I wouldn't be upset if we bought a quality expensive player, but with Lawrence about to get even better, Kingy back, Starling, Lui and Jake T in the wings......the question will look a lot easier at the end of the season.

I for one can certainly live with the current policy, considering how great some of the 'lesser; buys in recent years have been ie Glenn Hall, Joey G, Lawrence, Horo, Hiku. All pretty much discards or over the hill etc, and all have been superb.

Thought Buhrer left

Has Buhrer gone? Where to?
 
I have a quick question. Who not currently in the Manly line up would you consider a marquee player? Remember, these days Manly creates the marquee players so not sure where to look for one.
 
Townsville Eagle said:
I have a quick question. Who not currently in the Manly line up would you consider a marquee player? Remember, these days Manly creates the marquee players so not sure where to look for one.

Good question, I think it's someone who would be considered the best player in their position (or top 3), as certain positions like fullbacks and half backs have a lot of quality.

I would say Inglis, but then I would not swap Snake for him. Or Killer for him if he was in the centres.

Cameron Smith, I think Matty needs to make more runs out of dummy half, but give me Matty Ballin anyday.

Slater (same as for GI), Cronk (DCE is already starting to eclipse him).

SBW who is a game changer, but I'd take Gift. Especially the 2011 Gift (which we will see this year) as he was an 80min workmachine with the brilliance of a 5/8.

Maybe Paul Gallen, (for sheer workrate), but again I believe Watmough offers just as much.
 

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