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Luke Ball

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Yeah I was happy enough with Ball's game. He did what he was there for, win clearances and the contested ball. Should be right for the prelim hopefully, although if we play a quick running side like the Dogs his lack of pace may count against him.

Eddy was OK too, didn't really do anything special but didn't do a lot wrong either. The likes of Dempster, Armitage and Geary still deserve to be in the mix for the prelim, although I can't see Lyon making too many changes to a winning side.
 
Squizzy1970 said:
Good thing Ross Lyon notices Horse's efforts to keep the ball locked in. If people don't realise that's his job, they never will. Collingwood lacked run from defence, and it's the tackles and implied pressure that does it. Game high 7 tackles should not be ignored.

But I think on a dry deck (not sure how it didn't rain yesterday) Dempster would be in the mix.
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Not saying I disagree with you Squiz, but Armitage did have 13 tackles against the Roos, had more touches and kicked a goal I think...

:mad:
 
Armo was stiff, but came in late for Hayes who is the centre square master.

We've tried him in Eddy's role this year, and it hasn't worked.

Whilst I feel for the guy, I already struggle to see Lenny and Bally in the same team against a quick opponent (which Collingwood wasn't).

Dempster was unlucky too this week.
 

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I watched the game againt last night paying particular attention to Ball, Raph and McQualter. We all know how well McQualter played and I am pleased to say Ball played well as well. I think he was spreading behind the ball carrier rather than out wide or in fron (which hayes did perfectly). Even so, he was good enough to keep his spot apart from the occasional blind kick forward when perhaps he should have consolidated possession by a handball or kick to possession. Very hard to judge on TV though.

Raphs game was average, second half better and will keep his spot if he keeps his feet (as another poster has said).
 
Bump.

Just go back and read the first few pages of this thread.

Friends, we have not lost much.
 
Persevering Saint said:
Friends, we have not lost much.
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He will shine at Collingwood. His medical evaluation at Collingwood showed a clean bill of health and he was immediately sent to Arizona to join the main group instead of remaining behind on a modified programme. St.Kilda know it too, and that is the reason that he was a required player that they wanted to keep.
 
Oh Persevering Saint, I should really give you a yellow card for bumping a thread that has resulted in KissStephanie returning to our board. :p

In all seriousness it's an interesting thread. I've seen a number of Collingwood supporters make the comment that they have never seen a player written off so much since he left a footy club than in this instance but I think this thread is evidence that many of the opinions about Bally from our supporters have remained consistent thoughout.

It remains to be seen who is right KS. We're just fortunate to have a stronger list and a number of ready-made replacements crying out for an opportunity.
 
I think, it doesn't matter anymore... a big "whatever" tbh. A bit of a lol at KS pouncing on any LB related mention on St Kilda's forum. People and their obsessive fetishes...
 

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Thanks for the bump, Pers. Great reading.

There are those who - like the Carlton supporter near the beginning of this thread (nought5, I think) - think it's all downhill for Ball and those who - like good ol' Steph - think that he'll have an Indian summer.

No one knows until he plays of course, but I was hopeful that - after an injury-free 09 - he'd finally bounce back in 2010. It's not unreasonable to think that may happen, although he'll probably never fully recover that amazing agility he had as a youngster. On the other hand, thinking that Ball will finally turn it around feels a bit like thinking that Sammy Hammill would eventually regain fitness.
 
Luke Ball:

"My fitness levels and the quality of my game are paramount to ensure I can add maximum value to the team.

"I'm going to concentrate on getting my body right and re-establishing myself as a valued member of the midfield."













































Feb 2008
 
Fehring said:
Thanks for the bump, Pers. Great reading.

There are those who - like the Carlton supporter near the beginning of this thread (nought5, I think) - think it's all downhill for Ball and those who - like good ol' Steph - think that he'll have an Indian summer.

No one knows until he plays of course, but I was hopeful that - after an injury-free 09 - he'd finally bounce back in 2010. It's not unreasonable to think that may happen, although he'll probably never fully recover that amazing agility he had as a youngster. On the other hand, thinking that Ball will finally turn it around feels a bit like thinking that Sammy Hammill would eventually regain fitness.
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excellent post F. :thumbsu:
 
Wow, two whole posts before KS came on... :rolleyes:

I'd hoped that it was long enough after the incident that I could bump this thread, and no Collingwood poster would still be trawling for anything even resembling a Luke Ball thread. But no.

Sainter, if this thread needs to be killed, just like all the others, thanks to the wonderful people at Pieland inflicting their venomous, unwanted, tedious, ill-informed, and repetitive arguments upon us, yet again, well, I don't blame you, Boss.

Just sad that somebody can't take the hint.
 
Fehring said:
Thanks for the bump, Pers. Great reading.

There are those who - like the Carlton supporter near the beginning of this thread (nought5, I think) - think it's all downhill for Ball and those who - like good ol' Steph - think that he'll have an Indian summer.

No one knows until he plays of course, but I was hopeful that - after an injury-free 09 - he'd finally bounce back in 2010. It's not unreasonable to think that may happen, although he'll probably never fully recover that amazing agility he had as a youngster. On the other hand, thinking that Ball will finally turn it around feels a bit like thinking that Sammy Hammill would eventually regain fitness.
Click to expand...

I was hoping that after a relatively injury free, but disapointing performance wise 08, ( his hamstring from the crash with Kosi should have been well and truly fixed by 09 preseason ) he would bounce back in 2009.

Towards the end of the season I considered that what he was, was what he was. A midfielder who would very occasionally get 30 possessions, but sometimes only 15, and not a great user of the ball when he got it.
I still thought he was best 22, though it shouldn't be a huge leap for David Armitage or Jack Steven to improve enough to fill his shoes.
His poor kicking was an issue, primarily becasue (IMO) the Saints don't have a lot of good goal kickers, and Ball was probably one of the worst.
I think he will perform similarly at Collingwood, though he may put in a bit of extra effort to impress in his first season there ( could he be more motivated that the potential rewards he at StKilda last season ?).

I believe he was cleared of OP at the end of 2006, so I'm not sure what he might have been carrying or what has been weakened to stop him playing the way he did earlier. By all accounts he has passed StKilda medical tests for some time now, and probably the Collingwood test as well.
 
Wonder if the doc who examined Ball is the same one who checked out Steve Johnson?

Had to be said :p
 

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sainter said:
Oh Persevering Saint, I should really give you a yellow card for bumping a thread that has resulted in KissStephanie returning to our board. :p
Click to expand...

As soon as I saw it bumped I thought the same thing, "she's going to post her dribble and piss people off and we're going to start Luke Ball discussion #79" seems some people fail to get the hint that their vitriol is not welcome, their opinions not welcome and they just need to stfu in at least one section of the forum where they are not welcome.

In any event, it will be interesting to see his actual ToG in comparison to his time here as we know he was never the same player since the OP in '06 regardless of what surgery he underwent or how hard he trained to do so. He could sustain it for bursts and parts of play (the instances where he did make good potion and had kicking penetration) but there are also times when he just seemed like a shadow of himself and was obviously limited.

An obvious reason to the player management in '09 could be tied into injury management on the field, when you think of '08 you think of Ball and several others twinging hammies as well on higher ToG, so someone with an injury history who may feel fine (as not everything bad is associated with pain) may still be carrying. Should Collingwood up his ToG, in this view they'd up his potential to re-injure elements which are his problems; groin & hammy and I can't help but think they're going to end up doing just that like we might have overplayed Lovett.
 
SaintsSeptember said:
Towards the end of the season I considered that what he was, was what he was. A midfielder who would very occasionally get 30 possessions, but sometimes only 15, and not a great user of the ball when he got it.
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agree. i rewatched the dogs prelim the other night and specifically focussed on ball. I noticed he did some great stuff but nothing really along the lines of the run and carry of say a lenny hayes or BJ and his great stuff was matched but some "usual run of the mill" stuff as well.
 
krusden said:
agree. i rewatched the dogs prelim the other night and specifically focussed on ball. I noticed he did some great stuff but nothing really along the lines of the run and carry of say a lenny hayes or BJ and his great stuff was matched but some "usual run of the mill" stuff as well.
Click to expand...

I did the exact same thing brother! I was of the opinion there is nothing Ball has done, that Armo couldn't possibly do.
 
krusden said:
agree. i rewatched the dogs prelim the other night and specifically focussed on ball. I noticed he did some great stuff but nothing really along the lines of the run and carry of say a lenny hayes or BJ and his great stuff was matched but some "usual run of the mill" stuff as well.
Click to expand...

I thought Ball did just enough to hold his spot after the Collingwood final, but feared that he'd be dropped again as he was certainly not in the best 12 or 15. In the prelim he was solid but not spectacular but I was confident he'd retain his spot. Then he had a blinder on GF day. Which Luke Ball will turn up next year? If we have a wet winter, then playing at the 'G may really help him but otherwise...
 
Even if Luke does perform well next season, we can be perfectly comfortable in the belief that his absence will be covered by some talented and hungry young players.

If Armitage and Steven in particular aren't having the biggest pre-season of their careers I'd be very disappointed.
 
Wasn't the last Luke Ball thread, the last Luke Ball thread?

Wasn't it's pockets of resistance wiped out by stukas?

Mind how you go.
 

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