Luke Ball

[BigMart]

No carl.....it was a negotiation, ball refused our offer, it was not renegotiated....it was taken off the table.

Yes he made the decision to refuse our offer, he's not insane.......

Malthouse made him a better offer, financially and football wise...... From there he wanted out.....fair enough

Where was our compensation.......pick anything would be better than FA

[bigcarl]

No carl.....it was a negotiation, ball refused our offer, it was not renegotiated....it was taken off the table.

Yes he made the decision to refuse our offer, he's not insane.......

Malthouse made him a better offer, financially and football wise...... From there he wanted out.....fair enough

Where was our compensation.......pick anything would be better than FA

Collingwood offered us two-fifths of FA from memory. You've got to have your pride, so I can understand our club's stance on it at the time.

Free agency is still on the horizon, it's true, but as it has stood if someone wants out there's really no stopping them.

Bottom line is he was a required player and did not want to continue with us.

We don't have Collingwood's financial resources and probably couldn't match their offer ... and it seemed exorbitant going on what he had been producing.

Footywise he had the challenge laid down to him and didn't want to continue with that, either.

[Saints43]

Can you tell me why he didn't play well for a couple of years at St Kilda though, do you honestly believe he was beyond being dropped?

He surely isn't the first player to be told that he has things to work on?

Almost the whole team didn't play well during 2007-2008. Even Hayes spent a relatively (compared to prior years) significant amount of time off the ground in 2007.

Why would you think I thought he couldn't/shouldn't be dropped? There was a period in 2008 when he was pretty poor - even taking his apparent inability to spread into account - in his clearence work.

As things turned out he didn't have to work on the things RL wanted him to. Other options became available to him.

But, when RL came to the club his best three to start in the centre would have been Harvey, Hayes and Ball.
Thompson, NDS, Montagna, Goddard, Gram in the rotation.

Now it's Hayes (when fit obviously), Montagna, Jones.
NDS, Goddard, Gram, Steven, Armo in the rotation.

We are still spending the maximum of our cap so I'm not sure he's managed the midfield all that well anyway.

[BigMart]

Wrt to player spend.....collingwood have exactly the same finacial resources as us......a capped tpp of which you must spend 95%.....

Football wise
Malthouse believed he could be better utilised....which has been illustrated since...

What i am talking about is being compensated for giving up a 25yo 150game starting onbaler.....

Our pride, please tell me pride is not what cost us a player

Why did we not ask for wellingham in a straight swap, if we did not
Why were we hell bent on everitt....another 190cm non kpp
Or
Why did we not accept pick 30....who was that btw
We fcud up thats why

[BigMart]

Oh yeah, it was ball....

[bigcarl]

He left us.

Couldn't cop being justifiably dropped for poor form and went and wailed like a baby to the enemy.

Stuff him.

[tweedaletomanning]

He left us.

Couldn't cop being justifiably dropped for poor form and went and wailed like a baby to the enemy.

Stuff him.

Quoted for truth.

He's an absolute bastard. Nothing less. Did what was best for him without one slight thought of his teamates and the club.

Judd showed more class when he wanted to leave.

Ayone defending ball can not seriously support St.kilda

[Moccha]

He left us.

Couldn't cop being justifiably dropped for poor form and went and wailed like a baby to the enemy.

Stuff him.

Quoted for truth.

He's an absolute bastard. Nothing less. Did what was best for him without one slight thought of his teamates and the club.

Judd showed more class when he wanted to leave.

Ayone defending ball can not seriously support St.kilda

Good point. At least he could have stated that there should be a fair and equitable trade

[Con Gorozidis]

I cant believe we have another Luke Ball thread.
People need to move on. The relationship is over. He dumped us and is now sleeping with someone else. Suck it up and forget it.

[meher baba]

I cant believe we have another Luke Ball thread.
People need to move on. The relationship is over. He dumped us and is now sleeping with someone else. Suck it up and forget it.

Those who can't move on seem to me to be excessively "tribal" in their attitudes. Anyone who is expelled from the club or who leaves in hostile circumstances, is instantly branded an enemy forever. If they succeed in their exiled state, then the hatred becomes more intense.

Ball was "meant" to be a dud at the Pies, consigned to the VFL and then delisted. Unfortunately he has done well.

Interestingly, the people who manage the Saints all realise that the departure of Ball was a stuff-up. That, plus the Lovett fiasco, is why a certain Mr Drain has gone elsewhere.

It's time for the fans to accept it was a bad call. And then, as you suggest, move on. Blaming Ball himself for it all seems utterly pointless.

[sRaf]

Sour grapes. That is all.

[saint tash]

He left us.

Couldn't cop being justifiably dropped for poor form and went and wailed like a baby to the enemy.

Stuff him.

Quoted for truth.

He's an absolute bastard. Nothing less. Did what was best for him without one slight thought of his teamates and the club.

Judd showed more class when he wanted to leave.

Ayone defending ball can not seriously support St.kilda

Good point. At least he could have stated that there should be a fair and equitable trade

Why should he? He has a manager to do all that.

[Dan Warna]

Yes and we all know that Collingwood has a better capacity that st kilda to do 'environmental ambassadorship' like stuff as Carlton did to WCE.

If you don't believe that shiz goes on, you are pretty naive.

That said, Ball who is intelligent, has set himself up for a career after football with a couple of million from collingwood and a premiership medal, and maybe two.

[The Fireman]

I cant believe we have another Luke Ball thread.
People need to move on. The relationship is over. He dumped us and is now sleeping with someone else. Suck it up and forget it.

Those who can't move on seem to me to be excessively "tribal" in their attitudes. Anyone who is expelled from the club or who leaves in hostile circumstances, is instantly branded an enemy forever. If they succeed in their exiled state, then the hatred becomes more intense.

Ball was "meant" to be a dud at the Pies, consigned to the VFL and then delisted. Unfortunately he has done well.

Interestingly, the people who manage the Saints all realise that the departure of Ball was a stuff-up. That, plus the Lovett fiasco, is why a certain Mr Drain has gone elsewhere.

It's time for the fans to accept it was a bad call. And then, as you suggest, move on. Blaming Ball himself for it all seems utterly pointless.

But I will always see him as someone who let us down, someone that lacks loyalty, someone who has turned his back on a club who did their best to look after him during his dark days of OP, poor form...that's how I will remember him and wish him nothing but bad luck for the future. Going to the Skunks amplifies the whole thing then seeing him represent the players for more money just about settled the whole Ball deal for me.
Rat.
I reckon Saint supporters are well within their rights to bag the barstard from here till doomsday.

[Leo.J]

I wonder if he still would have gone to the Filth had the AFL been tougher on 3rd party deals 2 years ago.

And Judd for that matter.

Luke may not be that happy with his pay at the Pies after all.

[plugger66]

I wonder if he still would have gone to the Filth had the AFL been tougher on 3rd party deals 2 years ago.

And Judd for that matter.

Luke may not be that happy with his pay at the Pies after all.

Havent seen to much evidence of third party deals for Ball.

[saintbrat]

Ball will be eligible (just) for free agency at the end of 2012. It would suck pretty hard being on the back end of the deal he negotiated. It will be interesting to see what colours he pulls on for 2013.

I was of the understanding you had to be at the one club for 8-10 years to be egilible for free agency?

[InkerSaint]

Ball will be eligible (just) for free agency at the end of 2012. It would suck pretty hard being on the back end of the deal he negotiated. It will be interesting to see what colours he pulls on for 2013.

I was of the understanding you had to be at the one club for 8-10 years to be egilible for free agency?

Haha, yep, I just yanked the post after realising he's not eligible after all, but not for seasons served. He did 8 years at St. Kilda, and won't be in the top 10 paid players. But: you need to be coming out of contract for the first time.

[Mr Magic]

I wonder if he still would have gone to the Filth had the AFL been tougher on 3rd party deals 2 years ago.

And Judd for that matter.

Luke may not be that happy with his pay at the Pies after all.

Havent seen to much evidence of third party deals for Ball.

Agreed.
But who cares anyway? He's a good and loyal Magpie now.
Even playing for minimum base salary next season just to help them out of any salary cap problems.

I'm sure he offered us similar loyalty over the period he was a good and loyal Saint.

[Johnny Member]

I wonder if he still would have gone to the Filth had the AFL been tougher on 3rd party deals 2 years ago.

And Judd for that matter.

Luke may not be that happy with his pay at the Pies after all.

It's interesting, isn't it.

I find it very, very hard to believe that Collingwood can lure these guys to the club and keep them - just because they want to be part of the wonderful Collingwood family!

I just wonder how hard the AFL will look when it doesn't directly involve their beloved GWS.

[plugger66]

I wonder if he still would have gone to the Filth had the AFL been tougher on 3rd party deals 2 years ago.

And Judd for that matter.

Luke may not be that happy with his pay at the Pies after all.

Havent seen to much evidence of third party deals for Ball.

Agreed.
But who cares anyway? He's a good and loyal Magpie now.
Even playing for minimum base salary next season just to help them out of any salary cap problems.

I'm sure he offered us similar loyalty over the period he was a good and loyal Saint.

I have no idea about his contract at either club apart from what was written but I do know he gave his best at our club when he was there. That is all I expect from any player. If a player wants to leave then they leave just as if a club wants to trade a player or delist them they get rid of them if there are takers in the trade.

[Leo.J]

I wonder if he still would have gone to the Filth had the AFL been tougher on 3rd party deals 2 years ago.

And Judd for that matter.

Luke may not be that happy with his pay at the Pies after all.

It's interesting, isn't it.

I find it very, very hard to believe that Collingwood can lure these guys to the club and keep them - just because they want to be part of the wonderful Collingwood family!

I just wonder how hard the AFL will look when it doesn't directly involve their beloved GWS.

It's probably going to make it harder for the Filth to keep Daisy Thomas and the likes now.

Thats most probably why Eddy is now crying about the potential compensation that Melbourne will get for Scully...just making sure they get something.

[Mr Magic]

I wonder if he still would have gone to the Filth had the AFL been tougher on 3rd party deals 2 years ago.

And Judd for that matter.

Luke may not be that happy with his pay at the Pies after all.

Havent seen to much evidence of third party deals for Ball.

Agreed.
But who cares anyway? He's a good and loyal Magpie now.
Even playing for minimum base salary next season just to help them out of any salary cap problems.

I'm sure he offered us similar loyalty over the period he was a good and loyal Saint.

I have no idea about his contract at either club apart from what was written but I do know he gave his best at our club when he was there. That is all I expect from any player. If a player wants to leave then they leave just as if a club wants to trade a player or delist them they get rid of them if there are takers in the trade.

And I agree with you on this again.

I've got absolutely no issue with him wanting to leave us.

Over the years there have been plenty of players who have left us to go to other clubs - some far greater players for us than Luke Ball.
Some arguably in our top 5/10 of all time - Lockett, Stewart. Ditterich spring to mind.

What makes the Ball defection cause so much more angst amongst the fans?

[Dr Spaceman]

I wonder if he still would have gone to the Filth had the AFL been tougher on 3rd party deals 2 years ago.

And Judd for that matter.

Luke may not be that happy with his pay at the Pies after all.

Havent seen to much evidence of third party deals for Ball.

Agreed.
But who cares anyway? He's a good and loyal Magpie now.
Even playing for minimum base salary next season just to help them out of any salary cap problems.

I'm sure he offered us similar loyalty over the period he was a good and loyal Saint.

I have no idea about his contract at either club apart from what was written but I do know he gave his best at our club when he was there. That is all I expect from any player. If a player wants to leave then they leave just as if a club wants to trade a player or delist them they get rid of them if there are takers in the trade.

And I agree with you on this again.

I've got absolutely no issue with him wanting to leave us.

Over the years there have been plenty of players who have left us to go to other clubs - some far greater players for us than Luke Ball.
Some arguably in our top 5/10 of all time - Lockett, Stewart. Ditterich spring to mind.

What makes the Ball defection cause so much more angst amongst the fans?

Probably because he promised so much and delivered so little (and yes there were excuses for that), got paid well above what his performances warranted (and yes there were excuses for that), decided to leave when the going got tough (and yes there were excuses for that) and chose the most hated club as his new home (no excuse for that).

I’m not buying into the whole "who is right", "who is wrong" argument MM. Just simply responding to your angst query.

[maverick]

I cant believe we have another Luke Ball thread.
People need to move on. The relationship is over. He dumped us and is now sleeping with someone else. Suck it up and forget it.

Those who can't move on seem to me to be excessively "tribal" in their attitudes. Anyone who is expelled from the club or who leaves in hostile circumstances, is instantly branded an enemy forever. If they succeed in their exiled state, then the hatred becomes more intense.

Ball was "meant" to be a dud at the Pies, consigned to the VFL and then delisted. Unfortunately he has done well.

Interestingly, the people who manage the Saints all realise that the departure of Ball was a stuff-up. That, plus the Lovett fiasco, is why a certain Mr Drain has gone elsewhere.

It's time for the fans to accept it was a bad call. And then, as you suggest, move on. Blaming Ball himself for it all seems utterly pointless.

But I will always see him as someone who let us down, someone that lacks loyalty, someone who has turned his back on a club who did their best to look after him during his dark days of OP, poor form...that's how I will remember him and wish him nothing but bad luck for the future. Going to the Skunks amplifies the whole thing then seeing him represent the players for more money just about settled the whole Ball deal for me.
Rat.
I reckon Saint supporters are well within their rights to bag the barstard from here till doomsday.

+1