Ballin played in Manly's record breaking 40–0 victory over the Melbourne Storm in the 2008 NRL Grand Final where he was the game's first try scorer.

Coming off contract at the end of season 2012, rumours were rampant that Ballin would be a casualty of Manly's post-premiership(s) salary cap pressures, with the Canberra Raiders the front runners to secure his signature.

[4] However, after the departure of test back rower Tony Williams to the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, Manly were able to re-sign Ballin, and Fullback Brett Stewart, to new long-term contracts keeping them at the club until the end of the 2015 and 2016 seasons [citation needed] respectively, effectively ensuring both remain one-club players.

However, in Manly's shock 20–16 home loss to Parramatta in Round 24 of the 2015 season, Ballin suffered his second season-ending injury in consecutive years when he tore the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee.

[5] On 3 November, despite earlier stating he would fight for his spot at the Sea Eagles,[6] Ballin signed a 2-year contract with the Wests Tigers starting in 2016.

[10] In April 2009, he was named in the preliminary 25-man squad to represent Queensland in the opening State of Origin match for 2009.

In 2010, with injury to Melbourne's Cameron Smith, Ballin was named in the Queensland side and played in Game 1 of the series at the ANZ Stadium in Sydney, won 28-24 by the Maroons.