Keating to sign new deal as coach gives him the nod
CHRIS BARRETT
April 14, 2010
IN-DEMAND Eels playmaker Kris Keating is poised to put an end to speculation about his future by re-signing with the struggling side in the next fortnight.
In a bright note amid the doom and gloom surrounding Parramatta's poor opening to the season, the 21-year-old says he is close to making a final call after finally being elevated to the Eels' starting side by coach Daniel Anderson.
Keating acquitted himself well against Canberra on Monday night despite his side's 24-14 defeat to the Raiders, which left the former premiership favourites equal last on the premiership ladder with two points from five games. Anderson had for the first time this year promoted him from the bench to partner Daniel Mortimer in the halves, with Jeff Robson starting at hooker and Matt Keating moving to the bench.
Keating has been courted by other clubs, most notably Canterbury and North Queensland, but his background as a local junior is expected to count decisively in the Eels' favour now that he is back in the top 13.
''I've grown up here, I know everyone around here. I'm a local junior and it's a big thing,'' Keating said. ''I'll make my decision probably in the next couple of weeks
get that out of the way and hopefully start playing some good footy.''
The expected re-signing of Keating comes only a week after Parramatta chief Paul Osborne said that contract negotiations with their off-contract top-liners - Keating, Feleti Mateo, Krisnan Inu, Eric Grothe, Fuifui Moimoi, Brendan Oake and Justin Horo - were on hold as a result of their poor early-season record. Osborne's remarks prompted a terse reply from David Riolo, whose Titan Management firm represents Keating, Mateo and Inu.
Osborne has not spoken to Riolo since last week but an offer for the halfback was already on the table. Keating said he had been unconcerned about Osborne's statement, which followed their embarrassing loss to Cronulla 11 days ago.
''We all sort of knew it wasn't really [directed] at the players who are off contract but more to the team and that's the way it came across,'' Keating said. ''I understood that and I'm pretty sure the other players did too.''
Keating's season was ended prematurely last year by a broken jaw, with Robson going on to partner Mortimer in the halves as the Eels made the grand final. Anderson stuck by the same combination for the first four rounds this season, causing Keating to delay a decision on his future.
He now appears ready to stay, and is determined to forge a top partnership with former under-20s teammate Mortimer with Anderson retaining the same line-up for Sunday's meeting with South Sydney at ANZ Stadium. Keating was yesterday named at five-eighth to play the Rabbitohs, with Mortimer at halfback, Robson at hooker and Matt Keating again beginning from the bench.
''[Anderson] just told me I had to be patient and just bide my time,'' he said. ''I've been waiting for four or five weeks now. I want to get a good combination with 'Morts', that's my goal. I thought we worked pretty well. There was a few good signs there so in the next couple of weeks we'll be right.''
