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Luke Ball

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Rustin Cohle

Rustin Cohle

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I'm sorry to say it, but he's done at AFL level. Offers nothing on the inside any more and is too slow to impact on the outside.

And the worst thing is we don't have a replacement for him. Blair is shit and should be dropped, Adams is not at the required standard and Thomas doesn't do enough.

Hawthorn, Sydney, Freo and Port will slaughter us at the contest.

Someone is going to have to step up right now to replace him.
 
Time to hang up the boots I reckon but there's just nobody to replace him.

Adams and Thomas not good enough at the moment.
 
Err, no.

When he came into the centre square he had some big plays with his hardness.

It was a mistake to not start him and leave him in there for longer periods. I've got no idea why he spent most of the day at half forward.
 

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Shade said:
WTF.

Certainly not our worst out there plenty of others in the firing line before him.
Click to expand...
That's my point. There's always players in the gun before him but the rot starts with the clearances. His poor season goes unnoticed because there's always a worse player than him on the day. I'm not saying this as a reaction to this game alone, it's the entire season.

It's just like O'Bree in 2010.
 
Last edited:
I think he's cooked. Kind of reminds me of or Lockyear/O'Bree in 2010. Decent player, massive history with the club - but it's just time to gamble on youth. Pies CLEARLY aren't a flag threat this year anyway, what is there to lose?
 
I agree but I don't think he was bad today.

I just don't think he can play consistent enough like he use to. He will still have good games but he is on the decline and there is no doubt about that.

The comparison to Lockyer is spot in that Lockeyer could still play AFL at decent level but not with the same output as he use to and you knew we were a good side when he became a depth player.

Sadly for us though, we don't have players that can replace him and do a decent job. Adams and Thomas are far off what Ball can still offer us.
 
Agree with the OP. At the moment, he's a 20 possession midfielder, who isn't damaging with the footy. He doesn't have the pace or endurance to be accountable. He isn't winning large numbers of first possessions or laying particularly large numbers of tackles. I'd be shocked if he gets the option to run around again next year and surprised if he sees out the year in the seniors.

He was incredibly important when we had the structure of having him and Wellingham crash the contest causing the ball to spill out to Pendlebury and Swan. But that time has passed.
 
Played off the forward line when he isn't a forward. Can't play ball, Blair, Adams and Thomas all in the same side
 

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Outstanding guy, but time waits for no one... In the cold light of day Ball is found wanting. He isn't having the impact he needs to.
 
You guys have got to be kidding. You do realise Ball played half forward the whole game, we gave Adams and Thomas game time in the middle and lost the game! Ball is an inside mid and an inside mid only, our current best team still has him in that position. And atleast for the rest of this season he will be in our side because we don't have anyone who can play the inside role better than he does.

It is up to Adams and Thomas to displace him and at this stage they both look a fair way off that. Put Ball in the middle and you know what you get, a tough hard nut with plenty of hard ball gets and contested possessions. To me he is the same Luke Ball as he has always been but due to the fact for many of the games this year we have put development time into other mids he has been played out of position and therefore his stats aren't reflecting his previous levels of output. Due to a career of injuries and mismanagement at St Kilda he has learnt to play within his limitations and play at a very effective level during his time at the pies.

Bally is an extremely good onfield leader and at times seems like he is the only one in our midfield who wants to do the hard stuff and get his hands dirty. This guy is all class and is someone the younger mids can look up to on and off the ground, he is super intelligent and humble, he will know when his body is no longer up to it and at that point I think you will find he will be the first person to put up his hand if he thinks he is no longer adding value to the team and is holding a young player back etc.

Ball is only 30 years old but due to the role he has always played he was never going to play for a long time. The club will review his position at years end to deem whether he can add any value going forward and if he plays on he will always have my full support because I know he will always put his team first and will be impacting our side positively in some way.
 
Ball is a great sub though
 

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Rustin Cohle said:
That's my point. There's always players in the gun before him but the rot starts with the clearances. His poor season goes unnoticed because there's always a worse player than him on the day. I'm not saying this as a reaction to this game alone, it's the entire season.

It's just like O'Bree in 2010.
Click to expand...
And Lockyer too.
Medhurst as well.
 
Ball should be sub in all our important matches and finals
 

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