Caro's Arrow...

[matrix]

he was gone half way thru the year.....

managed to escape to pick 30 because he had a crazy first year pay figure on his head that no one wanted to fork out....except collingwood

we can hate them and eddie etc as much as we do, but you have to admit, they do things smart and do them well (usually)

[joffaboy]

[we didn't take that because Lyon's opion of ball changed overnight at, or just before, the commencement of the trade period. Prior to that Lyon considered him barely good enough to be in the 22.

So bad, in fact, that he was chosen to play in the 2009 Grand Final.

Finally the conspiracy comes out. Ross Lyon want us to lose the 2009 GF by choosing players he thought were terrible and not good enough.

Yup - it all makes sense now, thanks elivs.

[stinger]

Re Ross, point is: if you run the team into the ground trying to win a GF, don't develop the youngsters, recruit a small army of other club rejects, stuff up with Lovett, and cheese off a sizable chunk of team stalwarts (Ball, Hudghton, Maguire, etc.) ... if you do all that, and still don't win a flag, then by God you should have the integrity to stick around and see it through. When the club is offering you a generous contract (non-provisional on making the finals), that is.

Nope. He bailed out and headed for greener pastures citing all sorts of rationalisations.

So when does Freo arrive at the same place that St Kilda was at in 2011? Maybe 2015? The second last year of Ross's contract? Be interesting to see if he bails out again.

Why would we want to hope a guy hangs around who as you put it didnt develop players. recruit a small army from other clubs rejects, stuff up with Lovett and get rid of stalwarts? If I felt that way i would so happy he left.

fair comment imho......just be glad the doggie doo left....

[stinger]

Ball was on the outer no doubt. However his form was not good either relative to is desired contract.

However BigMart you have obviously forgotten that Ball's manager found a loophole that allowed them to rort the system. They front ended Ball's contract for the first 2 years so that other clubs to match would have to pay over the odds. Only the Pies got the benefit of a cheaper last year.

That plus refusing to do medicals with any club bar the pies meant no other club would touch him.

Lyon and Ball both left the Saints by dubious means.

That Ball and Lyon did not get on was well known by insiders. Coaches and players fall out regularly.
Hall GT
Stewart Jeans
etc etc

in two out of three of those cases the player had serious issues that they failed to deal with.....lyon was just an arsehoke and ball forever the gentleman.....