Robert Walls questioning whether Ball is in Coll's best 22

Milan Faletic · Mon 05 Apr 2010 8:46pm

On One Week at a Time, they analysed his kicking and showed three kicks on the weekend with little penetration. Said he is good in and under and probably suited to GF day with wet weather but according to Walls, he is not effective with his kicking. Quartermaine said that it was one of RL's criticisms. Darcy said he is still probably good enough to be in their top 22 but only just.

I think he had approx 26% kicking effectiveness.

Wasn't sure if this is an opposition forum thread but they did comment on Ross Lyon's criticism of Ball.

bigred · Post: # 900843Post **bigred** » Mon 05 Apr 2010 8:50pm

Who would have thunk it.....

St Loxton · Post: # 900874Post **St Loxton** » Mon 05 Apr 2010 9:55pm

Sort of refreshing to hear his comments on Ball, nothing we didnt already know. Was also asked about a replacement in the filths side for Ball, said would definetly take Dick over Ball at the moment.

Moccha · Post: # 900879Post **Moccha** » Mon 05 Apr 2010 9:58pm

I think ppl should leave the guy alone. Everyone knows he's not the player he should be because the previous coach flogged him while he should have been resting with OP.

Enrico_Misso · Mon 05 Apr 2010 10:00pm

Enjoyed the accompanying footage of 3 nothing kicks from Ball.

Bernard Shakey · Mon 05 Apr 2010 10:03pm

Who cares? He is a Collingwood player and will miss out on a premiership this year.

Legendary · Post: # 900884Post **Legendary** » Mon 05 Apr 2010 10:03pm

Moccha wrote:I think ppl should leave the guy alone. Everyone knows he's not the player he should be because the previous coach flogged him while he should have been resting with OP.

Yeah agreed.

Ball's first 2 years of AFL footy were better than Joel Selwood's first two years of AFL footy.

Ball was played through agony and against medical advice. I have spoken to doctors and assistant coaches who have confirmed this in person to me.

He will never again be the same, and it is a crying shame for the football world, because I hate seeing anyone's career ruined by injury.

I don't like his decisions and actions at the end of last year, and I see his character in a different light as a result.

But there's no doubt what curtailed Ball's career.

saintspremiers · Mon 05 Apr 2010 10:21pm

Legendary wrote:
Moccha wrote:I think ppl should leave the guy alone. Everyone knows he's not the player he should be because the previous coach flogged him while he should have been resting with OP.
Yeah agreed.

Ball's first 2 years of AFL footy were better than Joel Selwood's first two years of AFL footy.

Ball was played through agony and against medical advice. I have spoken to doctors and assistant coaches who have confirmed this in person to me.

He will never again be the same, and it is a crying shame for the football world, because I hate seeing anyone's career ruined by injury.

I don't like his decisions and actions at the end of last year, and I see his character in a different light as a result.

But there's no doubt what curtailed Ball's career.

I'll give it under 24 hours for B4E to hijack this thread.....

Moods · Post: # 900907Post **Moods** » Mon 05 Apr 2010 10:34pm

Legendary wrote:
Moccha wrote:I think ppl should leave the guy alone. Everyone knows he's not the player he should be because the previous coach flogged him while he should have been resting with OP.
Yeah agreed.

Ball's first 2 years of AFL footy were better than Joel Selwood's first two years of AFL footy.

Ball was played through agony and against medical advice. I have spoken to doctors and assistant coaches who have confirmed this in person to me.

He will never again be the same, and it is a crying shame for the football world, because I hate seeing anyone's career ruined by injury.

I don't like his decisions and actions at the end of last year, and I see his character in a different light as a result.

But there's no doubt what curtailed Ball's career.

You've got to be kidding re Ball's first 2 years and Selwoods. Ball's best year was in 2005. He was very good in 2004. Was still learning the game and playing reasonable footy in 2003. Selwood has been an out and out star from the get go. Best 1st couple of years since Judd and Jon Brown for mine.

Having said that I agree with everything else you wrote. I'm sure GT left the decision up to Ball whether he should run out on the ground. Very sad situation if what you say is true. He could have been a champion.

Legendary · Post: # 900910Post **Legendary** » Mon 05 Apr 2010 10:39pm

My mistake, I thought 04/05 were Ball's first two years, didn't realise he played in 2003.

ace · Post: # 900918Post **ace** » Mon 05 Apr 2010 10:43pm

Ball is not in any team's best 22.

Correct disposal.
Just punch him with a closed fist whilst holding in an open palm, or kick him.

Burkey 1 · Post: # 900922Post **Burkey 1** » Mon 05 Apr 2010 10:46pm

How much influence will Ball's intimate knowledge of our midfield be to collingwood on friday night and will lyon change things up a bit because of it or just go with our tried and true method ??

Just thought I would throw it up as it was already mentioned at malthouse's press conference.

Also on one week at a time walls suggested things are a bit tense down at the filth between buckley, malthouse and maguire, so sucked in I reckon.

Think we can have a real good win here if we are on top of our game friday night.

ace · Post: # 900925Post **ace** » Mon 05 Apr 2010 10:47pm

Bernard Shakey wrote:Who cares? He is a Collingwood player and will miss out on a premiership this year.

AND they have to pay him a small fortune for two years against their salary cap.

Saint Mik · Post: # 900930Post **Saint Mik** » Mon 05 Apr 2010 10:51pm

Burkey 1 wrote:How much influence will Ball's intimate knowledge of our midfield be to collingwood on friday night

Probably about a 50% chance of knowing our midfield structures going on the last game he played for us

ace · Post: # 900931Post **ace** » Mon 05 Apr 2010 10:51pm

Legendary wrote:My mistake, I thought 04/05 were Ball's first two years, didn't realise he played in 2003.

He was on the list in 2002 as well but still at school.
Unlike Jack Watts he didn't play any games while still at school.

Spinner · Post: # 900936Post **Spinner** » Mon 05 Apr 2010 10:53pm

Burkey 1 wrote:How much influence will Ball's intimate knowledge of our midfield be to collingwood on friday night and will lyon change things up a bit because of it or just go with our tried and true method ??

Just thought I would throw it up as it was already mentioned at malthouse's press conference.

Also on one week at a time walls suggested things are a bit tense down at the filth between buckley, malthouse and maguire, so sucked in I reckon.

Think we can have a real good win here if we are on top of our game friday night.

What was his reply?

Burkey 1 · Post: # 900948Post **Burkey 1** » Mon 05 Apr 2010 11:04pm

From memory, usual standard line of not talking to Luke specifically about that but would talk to him through the course of the week about usual tactics but nothing specific because it was st.kilda.

But of course he will use Luke you can back it in.

Spinner · Post: # 900952Post **Spinner** » Mon 05 Apr 2010 11:09pm

Burkey 1 wrote:From memory, usual standard line of not talking to Luke specifically about that but would talk to him through the course of the week about usual tactics but nothing specific because it was st.kilda.

But of course he will use Luke you can back it in.

I reckon he'd be using Luka all preseason!

rexy · Post: # 900955Post **rexy** » Mon 05 Apr 2010 11:12pm

St Loxton wrote: said would definetly take Dick over Ball at the moment.

Was Riccardo Robert Walls

Joke people b4 anyone gets offended

Saint Bev · Post: # 900970Post **Saint Bev** » Mon 05 Apr 2010 11:49pm

I find the whole Luke Ball saga quite sad. However, I am tired of the media etc going on about how we got rid of him. For me it was refreshing to hear Walls talk about the situation as it really is.

bigred · Post: # 900995Post **bigred** » Tue 06 Apr 2010 12:36am

That flog Grant Thomas still thinks he is elite.

I lol'd...

Teflon · Post: # 900997Post **Teflon** » Tue 06 Apr 2010 12:40am

bigred wrote:That flog Grant Thomas still thinks he is elite.

I lol'd...

I reckon Grants feeling guilty....he stuffed Ball no doubt.

Saint Mik · Post: # 901000Post **Saint Mik** » Tue 06 Apr 2010 12:45am

bigred wrote:That flog Grant Thomas still thinks he is elite.

I lol'd...

GT looked like a goose the way he answered the question of good call bad call about Luke getting a game this week if he was still at the Saints, his reply was that he is still an elite midfeilder somewhere in the top 5 or something along those lines (tuned out to be honest), Hutchy's call was not bad saying that his reply was a stubborn call

GT went very red in the face, what is it with over paid hacks sticking up for each other

plugger66 · Post: # 901019Post **plugger66** » Tue 06 Apr 2010 7:45am

Teflon wrote:
bigred wrote:That flog Grant Thomas still thinks he is elite.

I lol'd...
I reckon Grants feeling guilty....he stuffed Ball no doubt.

When did GT become the Doctor at the Saints. People just dont get it. Also the one thing I have learned from this forum is you never leave under any controversial circumstances because you then lose ability as a player or ability as a coach. I am now amazed Bally was good enough to even get a game at Sandy last year the way some talk about him now and those same people still think pick 30 wasnt enough for this hack. As for GT, how this hack was even allowed to coach for 5 years when we obviously finished last every year is beyond me. We must have finished last every year under him, didnt we?

meher baba · Post: # 901021Post **meher baba** » Tue 06 Apr 2010 8:09am

I love the way the myth about Ball's OP being incorrectly managed under GT steadily becomes more and more elaborate. Soon it will be that GT marched him out on the field with a gun held to his head while a posse of leading medical specialists held on to GT's legs begging and screaming for him not to do it.

OK, Mr (aptly named) Legendary, tell us all the names of these these doctors and assistant coaches who you talked to. Or does this comment have the same degree of credibility ascyour view that Ball was as good as Selwood in his first two years of AFL?

My recollection is that Ball's mobility problems first really came to the fore in 2007. Ball and the club (with GT already consigned to the dustbin of history) denied that the cause was OP. And I'm not sure that a diagnosis of
OP has ever been publicly stated.

Ball's condition didn't improve under Lyon, Misson and co: it just seems to have gotten steadily worse. I have heard via the rumour mill that Ball and his medical advisors aren't totally sure what the cause of the problem is.

On here, of course, our renowned group of experts are 100% certain it was OP and all GT's fault. Perhaps one of you might like to contact Luke and give him the benefit of this expert diagnosis. He might find it helpful.

Jesus wept........