WAGGA born and bred rugby league talent Nick Skinner’s career has been given the ultimate revival after the powerful prop was signed by NRL premier Manly.
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Skinner yesterday revealed the opportunity to join the premiership winning club’s ranks was giving his football fortunes a fabulous fresh start.
The former Turvey Park junior is hoping the move will see him crack into first grade and eventually help him cement a full-time position in the Sea Eagles star-studded line-up.
Skinner was approached by the NRL heavyweights in the later stages of the NRL season, but the contract was only recently finalised.
“They approached me before the end of the season,” he said.
“I saw it as a very good opportunity.
“In my position, I was finding it pretty hard to get a foot in at the Raiders so the move to Manly is very exciting.
“It’s just the fresh start I needed.”
Skinner has signed a two-year contract with the Sea Eagles but he hopes to make an immediate impact at the club.
“The hope is to start playing first grade next year,” he said.
“I have signed for two years but I hope to get a crack next year and get a foot in the door.
“If I don’t crack the first grade team I will be playing with the Manly reserve grade side in the NSW Cup competition.”
For the past four years Skinner has been signed to Canberra and playing for the club’s Queensland-based club South Logan.
Despite missing out on playing first grade with the Raiders in 2011, Skinner was happy with his performance with South Logan.
“For me personally I was pretty happy with how I played this year,” he said.
“Our club actually played in the finals so I did get the chance to play some good footy.
“Queensland Cup is a very tough competition.
“I’ve played in the under 20s competition and this is much stronger.”
While Skinner played for South Logan, the 23-year-old was based in Canberra and trained with the Raiders.
“There were six or seven blokes that were based in Canberra and flown to Queensland each week to play and the rest relocated up there,” he said.
“I am looking forward to staying in one place next year.”
Skinner is yet to train with his new Manly teammates, but he has met with coaching staff in preparation for the move.
“I’ll start training with Manly in November,” he said.
“At the moment I’m just enjoying a bit of a break at home (in Wagga).”
