Adelaide United star winger Ben Halloran revealed he has roots steeped in Kangaroo Island
Adelaide United has locked down star Ben Halloran to a two-year contract extension, and said he feels incredibly connected to the state.
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Cairns-born Ben Halloran felt so connected that he penned a two-year extension with Adelaide United.
Halloran, 27, said it stems back to 1952 when his grandparents Clive and June Halloran bought a huge farming property on Kangaroo Island where his father Jon Halloran was born.
His late uncle Robert Halloran was also in the Royal Australian Navy.
Robert’s first ship was HMAS Voyager where he survived a collision with HMAS Melbourne in Jervis Bay in 1964 where 82 men lost their lives.
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Ben and his brother Hardey have visited their traditional family roots, the Halloran Farm near Vivonne Bay where the family farms cattle and sheep.
“That definitely was a small reason for coming here to Adelaide,’’ Halloran said.
“I’m hoping to get over soon given the recent bushfires that have been there and we’re lucky it didn’t hit the farm.
“I’m keen to go across in the off season.”
Halloran said he was delighted to continue his football journey with Adelaide.
He landed in SA in 2018 down on confidence and out of love with the game continually staving off melancholy during his contract with Japanese club VV Nagasaki.
The FIFA 2014 World Cup Socceroo played himself back into form in SA.
First under former Reds German boss Marco Kurz for a season before becoming Dutch coach Gertjan Verbeek’s most powerful attacking weapon.
Scoring a professional career high seven A-League goals with three assists and one FFA Cup goal and an assist to date is proof Halloran is the key outlet to Adelaide’s attacking game plan under Verbeek.
Halloran’s German partner Helen – they met in Dusseldorf where he spent about four years of his career – was also influential in his decision to stay with the Reds he added.
“I bounced around for a little bit for different reasons but pretty much since I arrived my partner and I felt like really at home here,’’ Halloran said.
“They’re a great bunch of boys at the club and the lifestyle is really easy going.
“When I was looking at going into having chats about the contract, you entertain thoughts about going abroad but I wasn’t too keen about moving abroad at this point.
“And when I kind of looked at the other A-League club (offers) I couldn’t picture pulling on a different jersey that wasn’t Adelaide.
“It seems like the right time to lay roots and build something at this club.
“When I negotiated with (football director) Bruce Djite and I was happy with the offer, it became an easy decision.”
And with Halloran locked down for two more years he hasn’t thought about wearing the Reds captain’s armband in future – should it become available as current skipper Michael Jakobsen is off contract in June.
Halloran has never captained a professional side.
“I have never considered myself as a captain but the older you get, you do think about it a bit more,’’ Halloran said.
“I’m very passionate about the club but I wouldn’t say it’s a goal of mine
“I’m happy to be a leader within the team I don’t necessarily need an armband to do that.”