Ballin to fight for his Manly future

Matt Ballin has vowed to fight for his future at Manly after being told he was unwanted for next year despite being under contract.

Trent Barrett’s appointment as Sea Eagles coach for 2016 has ushered in an era of change at Brookvale, with as many of half the current NRL squad unlikely to be on the northern beaches next season.

But veteran hooker Ballin, who brought up his 200th game for Manly earlier this season, wants to stay.

“I am still committed to the club and want to be at the club,” Ballin said on Wednesday.

“When I signed at the start of the year I wanted to stay at the club and to make the club a better place and that hasn’t changed for me.

“So I am still of the same opinion that I am a player with the club and I have every right to stay.”

Ballin’s position as Manly’s long-serving hooker will come under threat from signing Apisai Koroisau, and the 31-year-old said he understood the situation had changed at Brookvale since he re-committed for two more seasons in April.

“There are some circumstances behind that, the coaching staff has changed,” Ballin said.

“But my decision was to stay when players were leaving and the place wasn’t going too well.

“I decided to stay and now that the club is going better I want to stay and play my football here and stay for a club I really love and love playing for.”

Ballin said he was yet to speak with Barrett about his plans for Manly for next year and beyond.

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