Club Statement- Luke B- :(- wants to go to pies

[ace]

I'll add that I think I can understand his reasoning... he flogged his body and has probably shortened his career with us, yes he was well paid but no doubt was going to get a massive haircut if he stayed... maybe he thought he had one good contract left in him.

Cant have been an easy choice... I'll miss the character, but sadly not the player he had become.

He had the contract offered to him in June.
He wasn't dropped rom the side until much later.
He has either been playing brinkmanship for more money or had decided to leave back then.

Under the salary cap, every dollar he didn't earn is a dollar he stole from a team mate.
Now he will have the adoration of his new club supporters but like Chris Judd he will lose many peoples respect.

I bet he hasn't got the guts to look GT in the eye.

[SuperSaint]

Tough news to take right now but has been coming for a while. I would just like to thank Luke Ball for his years of service to the St Kilda Football Club playing through immense pain and continually selflessly putting his body on the line for the benefit of the team.

It is an unfortunate set of circumstances and you can bleat all you like about loyalty but footy is ultimately a business these days and players must keep one eye on later life. If you were offered twice the amount of money to do the same job (with perks in extra game time) only at a different place it is a hard offer to refuse. No doubt he has had discussions with Ross about where he stands for next season and with Armo, Steven etc pushing through this could well have impacted his decision.

I am sure this has been a very difficult decision for Luke and would like to wish him well in his future endeavours and hope that he gets his body right and becomes the player he once showed the potential to be (except when he plays us). His service to this club will not be forgotten.

well said Grant. Shame you flogged him with OP.

+10

+100

Thanks Grant.


Bally, good luck to you mate, but I'll be booing you as hard as the next Collingwood player. Leave your mates and a chance at a flag, and you get judged as harshly as the next bloke in a Pies jumper.

St Kilda can work this to their advantage -- if we play it right, involve another club for a three-way deal, we might end up coming out of this trade the big winner.

Ross the Boss and Drain will need to be hard at work now to get this one moving.

And he forgot to mention that if you get the chance to sue the club you bled for... go right ahead.

Folks, 'ThomasR' is NOT Grant Thomas even though his post may make you think that way.

[Spinner]

I'm absolutely shattered.

[Richter]

This is purely a monetary decision IMO.
It has absolutely nothing to do with game time.
Luke Ball and his manager have decided that Collingwood will offer him more money than the Saints.

In any case we should just play hardball now and get the deal we want.
He's walked out on us - we are under no obligations to secure him the deal he wants at our expense.

If no deal can be done, then let him go to the PSD. Let's see how much he enjoys playing at
Melbourne
or Richmond
or Freo
or North Melbourne.

.........

As far as I'm concerned, you're either a Saint or you Aint - Luke Ball as of this afternoon is an Aint.

I don't agree Mr M. Luke Ball had a 99% (?) VCE score. The bloke's studying at Uni part-time. He'll be some sort of highly paid professional after he finishes. I'm quite sure he's already salted away a good million bucks or so from his earnings, he hardly seems the big spending/high rolling type.

No. He knows what he gave up (maybe a high-flying law or medical career?) to play football. So he wants to play at the highest level he can so that sacrifice is not wasted. And what this year shows at St Kilda is that he is slipping. He is no longer an automatic pick in our midfield. We are, simply, too good for him. Sad, but the truth.

Luke Ball, captain courageous, in skill terms at AFL level is a GOP. The reason why other courageous players like Lenny Hayes and Nick Riewoldt are so good is because they also have skill. Luke no longer does. FACT: HE IS A GOP. He's around 20th on our list and going backwards. That will be factored in to trade negotiations. If Farren Ray, a 4th pick for the Bulldogs was traded for a second roun pick, then I can hardly see that LB is worth more than that. And let's be honest, Farren, though a different type of player, is picked ahead of Luke Ball in our midfield.

Oh, and I will not boo Luke. Once a St Kilda soldier, always one.

[Gilbert The Great]

bitterly dissapointed if i may say so, he is leaving a team with genuine premiership chance to the filth. This decision is mafe all the worse by the fact he is going to the filth. It will be a sad day when he leaves all i can say is that the deal better be effing sweet for st. kilda.

[mightysainters]

Football is a 'business' people aresaying well it's time for the club to play hardball like a million dollar business. Luke we don't give a damn where you want to go you have put us in an awkward position nominating because now Collingwood will try and screw us over royally.

* Weak draft
* Gibson got a mid 2nd round and 3rd round
* Mclean at pick 11

We need to get a first round pick! If not you can piss off to north, melbourne or freo

[Goose is king]

Has anyone got a cute little kid that can write with a 20cent piece for Luke.

[Gilbert The Great]

Football is a 'business' people aresaying well it's time for the club to play hardball like a million dollar business. Luke we don't give a damn where you want to go you have put us in an awkward position nominating because now Collingwood will try and screw us over royally.

* Weak draft
* Gibson got a mid 2nd round and 3rd round
* Mclean at pick 11

We need to get a first round pick! If not you can piss off to north, melbourne or freo

i agree screw what he wants now send him to west coast or even the GC who ever gives the best option to st kilda

[Mr Magic]

Oh, and I will not boo Luke. Once a St Kilda soldier, always one.

Richter, you and I will have to disagree on this one.
I never considered booing Matty Lappin becasue he didn't choose to leave us. Stan Alves chose to move him on.
I never booed Shane Wakelin becasue the Club chose to delist him - he didn't go looking before that.

Luke Ball is different.
He's chosen to leave us and therefore I have no issue with treating him as what he's chosen to be.
AN OPPOSITION PLAYER who wants to take our premiership dream away from us.
To me, he is no different on that football field than any other Collingfilth player. And he'll receive the same response from me as the rest of them.

[claystreet]

Cant wait to hear the crowd 1st time he goes near the pill BOOOOOO!!

[flyingwhale18]

Cant wait to hear the crowd 1st time he goes near the pill BOOOOOO!!

and when he crunches one of our players into the turf, its going to be great.

[Milton66]

Cant wait to hear the crowd 1st time he goes near the pill BOOOOOO!!

Instead of BALLLLLLLLLLLLLL. YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSS!

it will be:

BAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLL.. AAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRSEEEEEHOLE!

[desertsaint]

fortius quo fidelius didn't apply for max, the club has changed - it's our damn motto and we've ignored it. max was much loved by the players and no doubt many were hurting for him. the group has begun to break up now as the club is putting success before loyalty, and the players, as individuals, will do the same. karma? or simply modern footy?

who knows - better recognition of what ball gives us may have resulted in more game time and maybe a different result last week and ball staying a saint. maybe better recognition of what max gave us, above and beyond the obvious, may have resulted in game time and a flag.
who knows.
all i know is neither happened, and we lost. more than just a flag. karma?
i'm hoping it'll be worth it and we claim the prize next year.
if not, we've lost more than just the opportunity.
good luck to luke.

[kosifantutti23]

Cant wait to hear the crowd 1st time he goes near the pill BOOOOOO!!

But what if he gets tackled and doesn't dispose of the ball in the correct manner. Can't call out BALLLLL!

[claystreet]

Cant wait to hear the crowd 1st time he goes near the pill BOOOOOO!!

and when he crunches one of our players into the turf, its going to be great.

If his groin holds up or can catch one on the run.

[Gilbert The Great]

this may of been covered but what do you rekon the filth will offer us?

[suss]

Wow, this sucks; maybe even more than losing Hall, Everitt or even Plugger. All of those blokes had more talent, but Luke is such a ripping bloke. It's devastating.

I'll never boo him though - he’s spilt way too much claret for the club. I can remember him getting a kick in the face from Goose in Sydney a few years ago. It ripped open his cheek really badly but he still went back on. He gave his heart to the club, but if he thinks he'll not getting enough game time it’s hard to begrudge him.

I wouldn't get too hung up on Collingwood though. I'm sure the club will accommodate him by sending him to a Melbourne club, but beyond that they'll be looking for the best deal.

Essendon, Melbourne and Hawthorn could all deal with a player like Ball and might be willing to part with a first rounder.

If the club does end up dealing with the Filth, then surely it would have to be a pick (sourced via a trade, given that #14 is gone on Jolly) because Sidebottom or Pendlebury are the only players I'd take - and I bet they won't give up either.

Bye, bye Bally. You will be missed.

[flyingwhale18]

in the gf, he made 8 tackles in 46% game time.
one was a very good chase down.

i will hate to see the little tank running down Hayes.

[claystreet]

this may of been covered but what do you rekon the filth will offer us?

11/10ths of Jack s***

[Winmarvellous]

i will hate to see the little tank running down Hayes.

But I'll love watching the two go head-to-head and Lenny ripping him a new one for leaving

[claystreet]

in the gf, he made 8 tackles in 46% game time.
one was a very good chase down.

i will hate to see the little tank running down Hayes.

I dont think he has the leg speed to drop Lenny in full flight, Hayes is one very tough cooky himself.

[flyingwhale18]

he will hurt us, like he has hurt opposition before.
really dont want to see him leave.
hopefully he will shut everyone up and return to form.

[saintjake]

i'll miss bally, but armo is a ready made replacement IMO.
pies really dont have anything we are after, so you would think it would have to have multiple clubs involved?

btw, nice first post

[SainterK]

What concerns me the most, is that he must of fallen out of love with the club

One of my favourite players, very much so...

[SaintWodonga]

I reckon RL has squeezed him out. I get the feel RL is happy tonight. I jst hope we come out of this well. Buygone or Fev (I know we would have to give out more for one of them).