I can't see it being possible that Collingwood has room under their cap that no other team has.

And i can't see them paying well over the odds just to get him.

He may not go to MFC, but there is no way he will make it to Collingwood.

Liam Pickering said on SEN that his information is that Ball will put a $1 Million price on the first year of his contract.

You do realise that of all clubs, Melbourne is probably the only one struggling to MAKE the salary cap at 92.5%!

Money, in this situation, is the least of our worries. We can pay him as much as any other club can. Whether we believe he is worth his asking price (which is not going to be $1mil FFS! ) is another story.

Collingwood has a lot less breathing space than Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Essendon.

Liam Pickering said on SEN that his information is that Ball will put a $1 Million price on the first year of his contract.

yep... and can have 150g the next 2 not that theres any reality to the prior suggestion. Am sure Connors will be trying to exact the best deal whilst also suggesting the Dees arent such a bad option .

You do realise that of all clubs, Melbourne is probably the only one struggling to MAKE the salary cap at 92.5%!

You have to make $500 K I believe.

Our highest paid player retired in 09 (he was on $450 K).

It also means we'll be able to utilize our veterans list with 2 spots.

We've got about $800 K free in the salary cap.

I don't really want Ball (I think his body will pack up by the age of 28) so it's irrelevant.

You have to make $500 K I believe.

Our highest paid player retired in 09 (he was on $450 K).

It also means we'll be able to utilize our veterans list with 2 spots.

We've got about $800 K free in the salary cap.

I don't really want Ball (I think his body will pack up by the age of 28) so it's irrelevant.

Jolly playing for free is he ?

If your highest paid player was on $450,000 and that now means you can utilise 2 spots on the veteran's, it means he was on the veteran's and only half of his salary counted in the cap anyway.

You've pulled 800k well and truly out of thin air.

Paul Connors manages Jack Watts and Sam Blease, as well as Miller and other Dees. Connors knows that the Dees will be a powerhouse in the not too distant future (I know this first hand as I'm another Old Xav ), so he'll not bag the Dees. It really gets down to whether Ball wants to go to the reigning wooden spooner coming off a GF. That will be the crux of the matter. He needs to be convinced that we're very quickly a chance of playing Finals footy.

I occasionally chat to Paul because our boys are friends at Primary School. He knows I'm a Dees nut and unprompted recently said to me "you'd want to be a Melb supporter for the next 10 years". This was on the back of getting Scully and Trengove together with our recent acquisitions.

Ball knows we'll be good. Just how quickly is the key ?

You have to make $500 K I believe.

That's the suggestions, but that's only to make the 92.5% cutoff.

The AFL wants us to pay no more than that, however given what is happening with Ball at the moment, I am certain they'll be happy for us to go over if it means we get to secure a big name player like Ball. It'll be very good for our club, which is good for the AFL.

Ball knows we'll be good. Just how quickly is the key ?

the somewhat irony is that Ball himslef could act as a part -catalyst for the fortunes of the club and in so himself.. The Ball is literally in Balls court ..

Paul Connors manages Jack Watts and Sam Blease, as well as Miller and other Dees.

Did he explain to you what the deal is with Miller's 1 year contract?

If your highest paid player was on $450,000 and that now means you can utilise 2 spots on the veteran's, it means he was on the veteran's and only half of his salary counted in the cap anyway.

You've pulled 800k well and truly out of thin air.

We have few "senior" players.

To give you a comparative comparison, the side that Melbourne played on QB was actually younger than Melbourne's side. The bulk of our list is onwards from the 05 Draft.

If Ball doesnt want to be a Dee or is too expensive then I think we look for the next Liam Jurrah! Our midfield will blow teams away without him. I am sure there will be some young kid on BP's list to fall through to the PSD who is worthy.

As someone very close to the Ball family (& another Old Xav), there seems to be a lot of unfounded gossip as to Luke's intentions. His request to join Collingwood was done with the aim of getting more playing game time and achieving a premiership. Knowing Luke (& Matt) personally, he's an intensely proud person and has often recently mentioned that he felt that his development was being hindered by his role and his value at St Kilda. It's of no surprise to me, knowing how competitive his entire family is at sport that Luke sought to leave St Kilda and wished to go to another premiership contender.

The suggestion that Paul Connors has put a price on Luke's head (as mentioned of $800k) is absolute rubbish. The simple facts are that he was offered a 3 yr deal mid year on close to 1/2 his previous salary of just under $600K at St Kilda and delayed accepting it until after the finals to focus on playing.

Strangely enough his manager's another Old Xav. I'd expect Luke to be only considering options 2 and 4, where I'd expect him to be offered a 3 yr contract on around $400K yr. For what it's worth, I think this could end up being a bargain if (as I hope we do) MFC pick him up the draft. Knowing how driven and motivated Luke is (not only in a sport sense), I see enormous benefits from drafting him, not simply from adding another talented player who's a proven contested ball winner but his leadership and example as a role model on and off the field in a manner similar to Judd at Carlton.

So you know him personally and obviously spoken footy with him and i assume that he knows your a melbourne supporter... which leads to my question has he ever indicated that MFC could be a club he would consider to play for obviously he would never have directly said this but has he spoken of them??

Hmm the more I think about this the more I like the idea of Ball coming our way....perhaps !! . Now he's off on two weeks r & r Im sure he will do little else in all reality but contemplate his options.

if he nominates for the ND ..even with conditions , then he is NOT the master of his destiny and is in all reality no better off in that regard than should he stay at Linton Ave. His only real chance of securing a gig on basically what amounts to is agreed terms but based on his desires IS to come to Melbourne.

We really arent too shabby. Forget the drivel about being the current spooners.. Come round one all bests are off etc. You make the best of what you have and deal with it. Ball has been a captain. He is a leader. Quite frankly Lyon must have rocks in his head in respect to his treatment of Luke ,let alone the (possible ) lost opportunity of his greater involvement in the GF

A midfield with the seasoned experience of Ball, with Jones and Moloney together with the injection of Scully and Trengove ought to be quite apetising I would have thought for someone like Luke. He has the opportunity to see success and be a major contributing player in it rather than an inconvenience elsewhere.

Whomever are the leading lights of selling the MFC , they ought to be polishing up their act !!

Ball is not brilliant..but he;s very good... He's consistent and stable..a good head.

Where's Barass ?? lol :D

when does melbournes pre-season start? is it two weeks from now? it would be great if he came back for the start of our preseason...especially if we are going to pay Ball 500k plus...

he should be showing up on the 1st day on would expect/think

but given he did play in the GF....two weeks holiday is fair...before he comes and starts preseaon wit the demons :lol:

when does melbournes pre-season start? is it two weeks from now? it would be great if he came back for the start of our preseason...especially if we are going to pay Ball 500k plus...

he should be showing up on the 1st day on would expect/think

but given he did play in the GF....two weeks holiday is fair...before he comes and starts preseaon wit the demons :lol:

This monday i believe. Earlier the Better, We have much to learn still.

Ball can not train until 6 weeks have lapsed from the GF

Ball is not brilliant..but he;s very good... He's consistent and stable..a good head.

Where's Barass ?? lol :D

I am fairly sure that was meant as humour but its actually a brilliant idea. Ron Barrassi would be the perfect person to get to recruit players to our club. Let him sit down with Ball and give him a talk and im sure he will want to sign

I am fairly sure that was meant as humour but its actually a brilliant idea. Ron Barrassi would be the perfect person to get to recruit players to our club. Let him sit down with Ball and give him a talk and im sure he will want to sign

... and give him the number 31!

hmmmm...wat to have for dinner....meat-'ball's for dinner?

Why is the ND in 6 weeks time? We start training now and most other clubs will start soon and our new draftees have to wait 6 weeks before they even meet our playing group and pull on a footy boot and train with us,starting preseason behind the 8 ball,i'm sure Scully would like to start training with us now,i know they'll be training their own program but it's not the same.

Ball will be playing with us next year,he won't return to the Saints now,nor will he risk the ND and end up at Richmond or Freo.

Luke Ball nominated to be traded to collingwood......

Luke coming to MFC will depend more on his desire to leave the saints, than any desire he has to play for the MFC.

Hopefully MFC can convince him to move, would love to see him in red and blue...

Why is the ND in 6 weeks time?

It's because the majority of draftees (especially now with the new age restrictions) will be at the end of year 12, with their VCE exams. Such an important stage of their lives needs as little distractions as possible.

http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/rfnews/de...5019653288.html

dees will offer ball vice captaincy and then take over from junior in 2011 what do people think about this

It does not say he will, it's "perhaps"

The more I think about it, the more I like it.

He trains hard, gets the ball, is a leader and will help the younger kids hugely to have a very highly rated player of the comp to match themselves up to.

And us landing Ball means that the year after some one else might be more inclinded to nominate us, I think him coming will do wonders for the clubs image as well as on field.