Carlton should draft Luke Ball

[cammo78]

Well. He did an interview with Robbo on Monday, and pretty much said he was keen to go on.

Two days later, after meeting with the coach, he's retired.

Read into that what you will.

 

[MarkP]

Bit like ROK

Could he play on next year - yes

Would he be a contributor - in patches

Has the game passed him by - to an extent and will keep getting further away

Was he pushed - 100% guarantee with that, lock it in Eddie

Would he be good at Carlton re the OP - no way - between Judd, Daisy, Gibbs, Murphy et al you have heaps of leadership experience. Importing it doesn't work miracles. It needs to be internal and organic. Ball would not help here for the 12 months and 15 or so games he has left in him.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

LOL

 

[outabounds]

He has been cooked for a few years now. No way would we want him.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

Well. He did an interview with Robbo on Monday, and pretty much said he was keen to go on.

Two days later, after meeting with the coach, he's retired.

Read into that what you will.

David Parkin in his career says he has had two players retire voluntarily under his watch. Every other player he had to encourage to hang the boots up (apart from David McKay and David Rhys Jones).

Ball has admitted he will need a back operation if he plays on. If Buckley and team helped him to come to the decision to retire, so what....its the clubs prerogative.

Balls better to retire gracefully than to try and hang on past his useby date. Ryan OKeeffe should take a leaf out of his book. Scott West is remembered as a petulant sook for the way he left the game rather than being a great player of over a long period of time.

 

[Xtreme]

Normally I'm against Carlton drafting experienced players but seriously, how has this guy been allowed to retire?

A wealth of talent and leadership set to retire because the Pies want to go down a different path. Come to the Blues Ball, we could do with you right now.

Carlton should stop emulating what Collingwood has done - Mick's not working nor are the Collingwood listed players that played/now play for them (hi D.Thomas).

Becoming Collingwood 2.0 is not the answer to Carlton's woes.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

D Thomas is not available right now, hes gone surfing

 

[didaksrightfoot]

Bit like ROK

Could he play on next year - yes

Would he be a contributor - in patches

Has the game passed him by - to an extent and will keep getting further away

Was he pushed - 100% guarantee with that, lock it in Eddie

Would he be good at Carlton re the OP - no way - between Judd, Daisy, Gibbs, Murphy et al you have heaps of leadership experience. Importing it doesn't work miracles. It needs to be internal and organic. Ball would not help here for the 12 months and 15 or so games he has left in him.

^yep - I think that is a fair assessment.

I think last nights game was a great microcosm of where Ball is at: could get to the contest but then seemed to have difficulty following it up. Maybe it was just the knowledge that he was retiring - but kinda looked like a guy who was spent but running on fumes.

I think Ball probably did want to try another year - but the conversation with Bucks would've been about bowing out at the right time and not going on "one year too many"... and Bucks is someone who can very clearly talk about the subject. (personally I felt he made the right decision staying in 2007 - playing an important role in our final 5 games, including a 5-pt loss in the prelim to Geelong (I forgot how close we got) - but there were many that called him selfish for doing so).

If the story is true about being told he needed back surgery (and no reason for Ball to make that up) - then that can pretty much makes the decision for you at that stage of your career.

The decision probably was rushed - and it probably came down to (as they said in the presser) - doing it the right way (ie. not depriving himself of the moment/experience that he deserves... because had he made the decision in a few weeks, it would pass without barely a mention and he wouldn't really get to say goodbye")

 

[tigs2010]

His back is ****** has kept him out so often this year and he is going to need surgery to fix it up.

My understanding was he only needs the surgery if he wants to play on. Hence he retired instead. Good call IMO.

 

[Pie in the Sky]

I wanted him to go on because we need his leadership, but in reality he looked pretty cooked. He will always give everything he has, but the body isn't really up to it anymore.

 

[Ashton Agar]

Would have definitely been pushed. He is finished as an AFL footballer and he would know it. Great career but his time is up, and credit to him for realising it. Leaves the game with his head held well and truly high.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

As much as I'd love to see Carlton make another recruiting error, I wouldnt wish that ill will on Luke Ball.

If he intended to play on next year he woudl have already declared that intention. He is a man of his word.

 

[Richo83]

If Ball was to play on it should be at GWS or the Saints (that would be something) or Collingwood!

Collingwood obviously think that despite losing leaders like Maxwell, Hudson, Lynch, (probably Goldsack) that Ball's game is declining and they need a list space more than his value.

Carlton have Judd, Murphy, Gibbs, Thomas, Curnow, (maybe McLean), Everett. They shouldn't benefit from Luke Ball. He'd be a waste of a list space.

Not to mention Carrazzo, Cachia, Cripps, Bell, Ellard, Graham, Robinson and a few others who may have escaped my memory. The list is chock full of players who either are inside midfielders or can play inside.

 

[Remon Tea]

Fairly sure Luke Ball said on triple m that he wasn't keen on coaching.

 

[BluesMan]

Most definitely pushed. And no thanks

 

[BEEG]

How gullible are people?

Ball was retired because he's passed it.

Love the bloke but this he was going struggle get a game over Adams next year and would have missed all the pre season with back surgery

 

[JohnnyFontane90]

this is a joke about how dumb our recruiters are right?

 

[TassieSaint]

This is a brilliant idea, and whilst they're at it they should bring in Lenny Hayes, Jono Brown, Dean Cox and Ben Rutten. Add in those blokes and suddenly Carlton are 2008 premiership favourites! Do it Blues

 

[Borussia Teeth]

Well. He did an interview with Robbo on Monday, and pretty much said he was keen to go on.

Two days later, after meeting with the coach, he's retired.

Read into that what you will.

In an ideal world Luke Ball would like to play another season of AFL football, however his body won't allow him to play a full season without significant limitations and Collingwood can't accommodate that situation next year. Therefore Ball retired.

I also read into that, that Slobbo is an idiot.

 

[Smokeyr67]

Could be worth a punt for 6-700 k per year

 

[Blue Heart]

ah No !!!

 

[Plugger35]

Haven't Carlton taken enough washed up Collingwood players?

Ball's body is shot, he could barely get a game for Collingwood this year even with all their injuries this year.

He's better off bowing out now rather than playing for the Bullants or whatever Carlton's VFL side is.

 

[FRUMPY]

Normally I'm against Carlton drafting experienced players but seriously, how has this guy been allowed to retire?

A wealth of talent and leadership set to retire because the Pies want to go down a different path. Come to the Blues Ball, we could do with you right now.

Do we need a player who cant kick the ball over 30m?

 

[Hrovat24]

How gullible are people?

Ball was retired because he's passed it.

Was passed it after his first season

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

Could be worth a punt for 6-700 k per year

Assume the Pies get another first round pick in as compensation?