News Luke Ball, (Retired 2014)

[Vicky Park]

Sorry fair call

Ok, all good

 

[Scodog10]

Yep, just read what Mark is saying.
Pretty much everything I've heard in the last few days about Bally.

I'm not internal so I'm not passing judgement, but he was pushed, IMO. It's a dangerous slippery slope axing players a year early just ask Melbourne.

For context guys I missed where he said he actually retired. I caught where he said was moving onto a different phase of his life, but that phase could just as we'll be a year or two with GWS as retirement...

 

[soreplums]

Our young leaders really need to step up. Could just well be the challenge H needs to reignite

 

[anshell]

Sad news.I really didn't want to hear this news,although i knew it was going to happen one day.Enjoy your retirement,Luke.You've earnt your place in history by being a Collingwood premiership player,and we certainly couldn't have won that flag without you.You're one of the immortals now.

 

[good4footy]

Mine tells me that once the preseason was mapped out and the likely occurrence of related injuries was discussed, Bally couldn't go ahead knowing that he'd become a liability if spending too long in rehab.
Whose source do we listen to?

Yours and mine.

 

[Collingwood 4 eternity]

5 years at Collingwood

3 Grand Finals

1 Premiership

1 NAB Cup Premiership

Getting Luke Ball for Pick 30

Priceless

TYRL

 

[Pleasedontfail11]

This makes me sad..... Well sadder.

 

[PhiloBeddoe]

No but I think thats a very simplistic view. Lets look at our current middle aged guns most particular Pendlebury and Beams as they hit the 24-26 age. Why would they start signing a longish deal to take them to say 29-30 knowing that if they have a drop in performance at the first second it hits them were going to throw them out the door?

To think that Bucks would pull the trigger quickly and not treat them on a case by case basis is in itself, simplistic.
If you look at his form line
Didak. Only the supreme optimist bordering on delusional would think that he still had something to give.
Jolly. Read Didak
Krak. Well known that there were issues outside of footy that were bothering him. That and age. Right call.
Davis. He hasn't really told why he was moved on. Will wait on that.
Johnson. Cooked.
Maxwell. Cooked.
L. Brown. retired, cooked.
L. Ball. Jury is still out. That's one case that is contentious if you listen to those on this board.
Hardly points to a trend.

 

[good4footy]

Congratulations Bally. A great career. A true Collingwood man.

The minute he went down in 2012, I thought we've just taken a massive blow to our chances at a flag.

He was great in 2010 & 2011. Unfortunately age takes it's toll on all sportsmen especially when they put their bodies on the line like Bally did.

Bally said in his interview, "despite all the rubbish that's been in the papers, I won't be going on".

Gee, it's possible Bally never said he wanted to continue but more so, hadn't decided yet.

Thanks Champ.

Note: what a surprise this thread has turned into another Bucks bashing thread? Great stuff mods you've really gotten on top of this epidemic. 76woodenspooners & Vicky Park reading this thread, do you think there isn't much sniping of Buckley now? Every ****ing thread gets polluted with this crap.

So the bit bolded above direct from Ball's mouth is the only thing that gets ignored by some posters whose narrative or motive it does not suit.

 

[HeathySure]

Great career Luke, you are a superstar without the ego of some of the other people at the club. (and i am not talking about the players}. Great player and even better person.

 

[DAWESOME!!]

Avatar tribute initiated.

 

[rose jam]

Had to move on, you don't keep a guy on your list for 14 games a year anymore

 

[SnakePlisskin]

He'd have to be on the footy show tonight wouldn't he?

 

[Old Spice]

Champion in every regard.

Thanks for the memories BallBags

 

[DAWESOME!!]

Since he came to the club, Bally has been my favourite Pie.

 

[#gosaintas]

Glad you guys loved him - so did we.

Always walked tall IMO

 

[iGNITER]

Thank you Luke Ball.
Without you we would never have celebrated a premiership in 2010.
One of my favourite players to wear the Collingwood guernsey.
All the best in retirement.

 

[iGNITER]

Will always be remembered as a Pie.

 

[rand corp]

Loved this guy at our club, great club man, leader, mentor and example to young men and he played his own big part in bringing us the ultimate glory

 

[Chief Ten Beers]

 

[HARKER]

Hard to dislike this guy irrespective of the colours he wore.

An individual that added more to the team than for the sum of his parts.

Great career Luke and a medal to cherish for life.

 

[regpies]

Seriously we better not have pushed him into retirement.

Absolute hero who did all the hard stuff

 

[DAWESOME!!]

As always, gangsta rap says what we're all thinking.

 

[76woodenspooners]

Hard to dislike this guy irrespective of the colours he wore

Absolutely: Voted AFLPA President by his peers, says it all really!

 

[regpies]

Well According to Bucks we have lot of good young Leaders.

I say Bucks no we are bit away from a Flag and he is Bulding a Side to do so in the future

Pretty obvious from the way we performed against Brisbane when Pendles was out we have no young leaders, no one stood up at all. Going to massively miss Ball.

He can be added to the list of guys pushed out 1yr early, Leon, Dids and now Ball.