The ink is barely dry on his contract extension but already Ballin has been told he is surplus to requirements. After months of bumbling and innuendo, Manly management finally forced Geoff Toovey out the door and now they have another hard sell to supporters as they tap another favourite son on the shoulder.

Ballin was Manly's good news story when they were in desperate need of one. Having lost their star halves - although the round 13 rule and a $10 million pay cheque ultimately ensured Daly Cherry-Evans will never come off contract again - Ballin signed a one-year extension.

That deal allowed him an additional season if he played a set number of matches for 2016. However, that is unlikely to happen now that new coach Trent Barrett is bringing rake Apisai Koroisau with him from the foot of the mountains.

The writing was on the wall for Ballin well before then though. Fairfax Media revealed in March that Ballin didn't figure in the plans of the entire Brookvale brains trust and would likely be squeezed out. And so it has come to pass.

Recruiter Dave Warwick and his assistant, instrumental in the Ballin deal, are gone and the 31-year-old has been told to follow. It's understood there is the lure of an off-field role if he leaves quietly, but Ballin has no intention of budging.

"Nothing has really changed with me," Ballin said. "I am still committed to the club and still want to be here at the club. When I signed at the start of the year, I wanted to make the club a better place and to play for the club.

"I'm still of the same opinion that I'm a good player here at the club and have every right to stay."

Word from the Super League suggests Leeds are looking to replace their current dummy half, Paul Aiton, with Ballin. However, the one-club man wants to remain just that.

"There are circumstances behind [Manly's backflip]," Ballins said. "The coaching staff has changed and some decisions have changed.

"My decision was to stay at the club and players were leaving and the place wasn't going that well at the start of the year so I decided to stay in those times.

"Now the club is going better, I am still of that same opinion. I want to stay and play my football here. I want to play for a club that I really love and enjoy playing for."

Ballin and Barrett are yet to speak about the impasse, nor has Ballin floated the prospect of moving on with his agent.

"Not at this stage. I just want to stay and play for Manly," he said. "If it ever gets to that stage, I will have a look at that but at this point, I am really committed to the club.

"I want to make the finals this year. I don't want to miss out on the finals. We have been there for 10 years in a row and I want to continue that with the Manly club."