Come Home Luke Ball - all is forgiven ?

[SaintPav]

Why Luke Ball is still critised on here amazes me, we all know it was RL who ended his career with us as well as costing us a flag by refusing to put Luke back on the ground in the '09 grand final when he'd been one of our if not the best in the first half.

Any player worth his salt would've wanted out after that!!!

Saying that , do we want him back the answer is a resounding NO!

"we all now it was RL who .... cost us a flag by refusing to put Luke back on the ground in the '09 grand final".

One of the biggest myths in football. RL didn't put Ball back on because he was cooked - why would he refuse to put him back on and "cost us a flag" if he was playing well and good to go? RL only said it was his stuff-up to not play Ball more to avoid telling the truth, which is that he took an underdone player into a Grand Final. Ball's groin was stuffed. Everyone knew this, including Ross and Ball. Ross took a risk with him because it was wet. If it was dry he wouldn't have played him because his inability to run would've been exposed. Ross just didn't want to admit this publicly so took the hit for not playing him more.

Because master-coach Lyon is a Grand Final choker, Ball's first half stats hardly indicative of a bloke that was "cooked"
On the other hand the Lyon lovers can just read "the bubble" and glory in the genius of the most unsuccessful GF coach in the HISTORY of AFL/VFL!

.

Not sure how this is Lyon loving. I make it clear he picked a bloke in a GF who was underdone - not exactly a super coach move. And don't kid yourself about Ball's first half. He got a lot of ball because he got no attention from Geelong and that was because he did/does no damage. They put time into Dal, BJ and Lenny (after the first quarter) because they hurt teams. Ball didn't and still doesn't. And he walked out on his mates.

Correct. Ball's first half was ok but overrated on here.

[SaintPav]

And why do you love a turncoat like Ball who plays for the filth and took the Saints IP over to them to win the flag off us?

Is this true?

I thought Scott Watters was the architect of the greatest game plan ever. Isn't that how he got the job with us?

[SaintPav]

Why Luke Ball is still critised on here amazes me, we all know it was RL who ended his career with us as well as costing us a flag by refusing to put Luke back on the ground in the '09 grand final when he'd been one of our if not the best in the first half.

Any player worth his salt would've wanted out after that!!!

Saying that , do we want him back the answer is a resounding NO!

He broke from protocol and actually dicked his existing club for the benefit of the new one. He orchestrated to get us nothing back. Usually players come out and ask that their team gets rewarded for all their development and time put in. Luke draft tampered so Collingwood got him for nothing. He was constantly injured for years which we paid for with out very much output. Like Ross Lyon it isn't the move it's the way he left. Even Goddard is more palatable because he was at least paying lip service to the fact we would get rewarded for him going. I met him at my kids footy club and while he's earnest and well spoken he seemed like a bit of a wanker with a huge ego. I don't get why we were told what a great bloke he was. Cloke came across as a much better guy than Luke, shy an unassuming without obvious tickets on himself.

You might be on to something. When Luke was interviewed after his omission in 09 he said something like: "if even someone like me can get dropped, I guess anyone can".

Apparently, private school boys who have a sense of self entitlement are not a favorite of working class coach from Reservoir.





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hlihju nhycde

[farquhar]

Ball is a poor man's Lenny

Was given the honour of captaining the club at a young age and then later left for another club without letting Saints get worthy compensation. He had his opportunity and spurned it.

[bigred]

Ball can go flower himself with a cheese grater.

[sunsaint]

Apparently, private school boys who have a sense of self entitlement are not a favorite of working class coach from Reservoir.





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hlihju nhycde

are talking about Goddard now?

[groupie1]

This thread reminds me of Tim Watson's brilliant recruiting of Tony Francis.

[Furphy]

I wish we'd drafted Judd or Hodge instead of him

[Rosco]

I wish we'd drafted Judd or Hodge instead of him

not much chance of taking hodge at pick 2

but judd yes

[mordiboyz]

I think he played his best football at the Saints in his early years but he seems to be very comfortable with his decision to move to Collingwood.

He is very lucky to have a premiership and will probably be remembered as a Collingwood premiership player than a bloke who played a few seasons for the Saints