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NRL veteran Matt Ballin concedes Robbie Farah still No.1 Wests Tigers hooker
May 18, 2016 - 6:00PM
Adam Pengilly
The man meant to be Robbie Farah's replacement has conceded he will have no problems playing reserve grade for the rest of the season if coach Jason Taylor desires, with Matt Ballin conceding the State of Origin veteran deserves the No.1 hooking job.
Having been edged out the door after 12 seasons at Manly, Ballin will play his first NRL game for the Tigers on Saturday after being wooed to the joint venture in preparation for Farah's ultimately failed exit after a summer soap opera at Concord.
But just as Ballin returns to full fitness in time for the visit of the cellar-dwelling Knights, Taylor's hooker-inducing headache has momentarily been put on hold. Farah will skip the clash at Campbelltown due to the effects of a bad head knock against the Bulldogs, but how will Taylor juggle the veteran rakes going forward given Dene Halatau and Manaia Cherrington are also in the mix?
"I wouldn't have come to the Wests Tigers if I didn't want to play hooker," Ballin said. "Robbie and I both understand that. [But] I think there's no issue with both of us playing. I don't care if he starts and I'm sure he doesn't care if I start. We've both been around and have played a lot of footy, we're both mature guys that understand the situation so I think by having us both in the team it could be effective.
"The way the game is played these days as it opens up and the big boys get tired towards the back end of the half there's no reason why we can't have Robbie, myself and Dene Halatau around the middle of the field. We're all good workers and we can all pass, tackle and run. That could be one of the strings to our bow. If the coach doesn't think that I'll play reserve grade. I'm really just enjoying myself. For me that's the main thing and that's how I want to finish my career, whether it's here or somewhere else."
Ballin scored a try in a 45-minute hitout for the Tigers' Intrust Super Premiership side last weekend, enough for Taylor to call him into the NRL squad for a pivotal clash against struggling Newcastle. After more than 200 top grade games for Manly, Ballin had a belated start to life as a Tiger recovering from a knee reconstruction. It has helped him better understand the plight of Farah, who also enjoyed a lengthy stint on the sidelines earlier this year.
"We talk and we've been in rehab together, we've been out on the field together and we're different style of players," Ballin said. "Having us both there we can learn off each other and be effective that way. We're both the same age and have been around for a long time and we're guys that love challenges. We're looking at it that way and learning new things and trying to make ourselves better.
"I'm sure he won't be rushed back into the side if he's not ready and when he's ready to come back he'll be back in that starting position. He deserves that. In the first 10 rounds he's been a really, really good player for us."
Halatau has been named to start against the Knights with Ballin due to make his Tigers bow from the interchange bench. But it is his combination with off-contract halves Luke Brooks and Mitchell Moses which is what he's really looking forward to developing during the State of Origin period.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/nrl-veteran-matt-ballin-concedes-robbie-farah-still-no1-wests-tigers-hooker-20160518-goxrea.html#ixzz495DFQSnM
Follow us: @smh on Twitter | sydneymorningherald on Facebook
May 18, 2016 - 6:00PM
Adam Pengilly
The man meant to be Robbie Farah's replacement has conceded he will have no problems playing reserve grade for the rest of the season if coach Jason Taylor desires, with Matt Ballin conceding the State of Origin veteran deserves the No.1 hooking job.
Having been edged out the door after 12 seasons at Manly, Ballin will play his first NRL game for the Tigers on Saturday after being wooed to the joint venture in preparation for Farah's ultimately failed exit after a summer soap opera at Concord.
But just as Ballin returns to full fitness in time for the visit of the cellar-dwelling Knights, Taylor's hooker-inducing headache has momentarily been put on hold. Farah will skip the clash at Campbelltown due to the effects of a bad head knock against the Bulldogs, but how will Taylor juggle the veteran rakes going forward given Dene Halatau and Manaia Cherrington are also in the mix?
"I wouldn't have come to the Wests Tigers if I didn't want to play hooker," Ballin said. "Robbie and I both understand that. [But] I think there's no issue with both of us playing. I don't care if he starts and I'm sure he doesn't care if I start. We've both been around and have played a lot of footy, we're both mature guys that understand the situation so I think by having us both in the team it could be effective.
"The way the game is played these days as it opens up and the big boys get tired towards the back end of the half there's no reason why we can't have Robbie, myself and Dene Halatau around the middle of the field. We're all good workers and we can all pass, tackle and run. That could be one of the strings to our bow. If the coach doesn't think that I'll play reserve grade. I'm really just enjoying myself. For me that's the main thing and that's how I want to finish my career, whether it's here or somewhere else."
Ballin scored a try in a 45-minute hitout for the Tigers' Intrust Super Premiership side last weekend, enough for Taylor to call him into the NRL squad for a pivotal clash against struggling Newcastle. After more than 200 top grade games for Manly, Ballin had a belated start to life as a Tiger recovering from a knee reconstruction. It has helped him better understand the plight of Farah, who also enjoyed a lengthy stint on the sidelines earlier this year.
"We talk and we've been in rehab together, we've been out on the field together and we're different style of players," Ballin said. "Having us both there we can learn off each other and be effective that way. We're both the same age and have been around for a long time and we're guys that love challenges. We're looking at it that way and learning new things and trying to make ourselves better.
"I'm sure he won't be rushed back into the side if he's not ready and when he's ready to come back he'll be back in that starting position. He deserves that. In the first 10 rounds he's been a really, really good player for us."
Halatau has been named to start against the Knights with Ballin due to make his Tigers bow from the interchange bench. But it is his combination with off-contract halves Luke Brooks and Mitchell Moses which is what he's really looking forward to developing during the State of Origin period.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/nrl-veteran-matt-ballin-concedes-robbie-farah-still-no1-wests-tigers-hooker-20160518-goxrea.html#ixzz495DFQSnM
Follow us: @smh on Twitter | sydneymorningherald on Facebook
