Luke Ball in the National Draft

[Bring-Back-Powell 15,257]

With the 18th pick in the 2009 NAB national draft, the Melbourne football club select???

Only Melbourne can control if Luke Ball comes to Melbourne. If anything we control Luke Ball's destiny, not Luke Ball.

I don't see him nominating for the ND as disheartening. Luke Ball is a pro, and if the Dees select him at pick 18, he will give it his 100% and will be one of the central figures to our revival.

I don't buy into this "he doesn't want to play for the Dees". He has put himself into the draft so he understands he's open slather - from Freo to Brisbane and anyone inbetween.

Pick him up at 18, Dees.

1) Scully

2) Trengove

11) Butcher

18) Ball

PSD - Thorp, McDonald or a hidden gem of a kid.

Now that will sign memberships!!!

[Its Miller time 6]

Seems very strange to me that Ball still wants to go to Collingwood. Although he hasn't said anything so maybe now he wants to go to Essendon or the Bears.

He is leaving Stkilda as he thinks he is undervalued there yet seems happy to go to Collingwood who value him worth less than pick 30 and a player who is yet to play a game.

[Tony Tea 2,814]

If Ball is prepared to put himself in the draft, he is prepared to accept he might get picked by Melbourne, which is tantamount to him giving Melbourne the green light.

Take him with 18.

[Adzman 2,154]

Pick 18 for ball? No thanks! Dude could have had the contract he wanted with us by nominating for the PSD. Instead has chosen the risk of the ND.

Ball does not want to play for us, burning pick 18 is not an option. Time to move on and look at drafting a kid that would like to play for us.

[JACKATTACK 17]

If Brock was worth 11, surely ball is worth 18. Which is not to say that I think we should get him, just that I would think he will be well gone by 30. I wonder if Carlton would do the same deal with Brock if they knew ball was available.

[Matt Demon 1,571]

We must take him at 18 If available. This could work out well as we take Ball and get Thorpe In the PSD.

[Theo 276]

Pick 18 for ball? No thanks! Dude could have had the contract he wanted with us by nominating for the PSD. Instead has chosen the risk of the ND.

Ball does not want to play for us, burning pick 18 is not an option. Time to move on and look at drafting a kid that would like to play for us.

I agree.

I'm so over Luke Ball. Please, please, Port Adelaide, Freo or Brisbane pick him up.

By the Bye I saw Mitch Thorpe at training yesterday. He move well and it was clear to me that the players were trying to make him feel welcome. Plenty of hand slaps and encouragement. Tatts all down his right arm looks ordinary though.

[beelzebub 23,390]

Luke Ball , in nominating for teh ND has spoken loud and clear. Not only doesnt he want to play for us he obviously doesnt want to have ANYTHING to do with us. If he wanted , in the most minor of ways to have any respect from this club ( MFC ) then he would have known the path was via the PSD thus maintaining the integrity of our draft choices.

People ,,,see it for what it is..a major NO...and thats fine. He could have gone about it better and in so presented himself as someone with class and smarts. He's playing a long draw here. Every chance exists that he will NOT get to Collingwood either. This demonstrates here somewhat murky logic and poor decision making. Yet he may still find himself at Lexus. This isnt a comment riding on indignation but I realy think hes just not worth all this fuss anymore. Hes good...not brilliant. Hed have been handy but hes no Judd. As a club we will be just fine without him.

Ive come away from this epeisode with new respect for Lyon..and very little for Ball

[jnrmac 20,276]

Pretty interesting he hasn't spoken to us given that he knows we are very willing.

Reading between the lines his Dad seems to have gotten into his ear about spending another four years in a club that's building for a flag.

Given the Aints got Reiwoldt and Kosi in 2000(?) its taken them 9 seasons to get this far. Can understand he doesn't want to do that again. But the Filth? They are going nowhere. Still they might deserve each other

[beelzebub 23,390]

St Kilda took ages to get going becaus of typical off field in fighting and a half time change of coaches and styles etc. They wasted years...many years. what they took 7-9 to achieve we will do in 3-4. Simply because we have a better list going forward ( at comparable time early in journey )

I dont really care why he wants to go to the Filth but hes welcome to go there.. Melbourne players will be able to wave at him as he sits int e stands come future finals time.. Collingwood wont be there

[Neita3000 37]

Part 3 of the sage continues. Ha what a great situation.

I personally think there might be better kids around at pick 18 however I won't be dissapointed if we pick him.

For me Thorp is a much more exciting option in the PSD

[pantaloons 2,019]

If Ball nominates for the ND, then we can move on. The beauty of picking him up in the PSD was that we got a quality 25 year old, experienced player. He's probably got 5 years left max, so he'd only be a part of our early success. Picking him up in order to get 5 years max at 18 when we could get a 10 year player would be a waste. I can see the other opinion - the 18th pick is speculative whereas we know what we'll get with Ball, but he's made his intent clear by not nominating for the PSD, so let's move on.

I sincerely hope he gets picked up before 30 though. Not because its Collingwood, but I can't stand players shafting their clubs.

[flog 20]

If Ball nominates for the ND, then we can move on. The beauty of picking him up in the PSD was that we got a quality 25 year old, experienced player. He's probably got 5 years left max, so he'd only be a part of our early success. Picking him up in order to get 5 years max at 18 when we could get a 10 year player would be a waste. I can see the other opinion - the 18th pick is speculative whereas we know what we'll get with Ball, but he's made his intent clear by not nominating for the PSD, so let's move on.

I sincerely hope he gets picked up before 30 though. Not because its Collingwood, but I can't stand players shafting their clubs.

I don't think he has shafted his club. In a way R Lyon and the saints football department shafted him by not trading him to his preferred club. He wants more opportunity and the saints can not provide that for him. I don't see a problem with him leaving.

[beelzebub 23,390]

I don't think he has shafted his club. In a way R Lyon and the saints football department shafted him by not trading him to his preferred club. He wants more opportunity and the saints can not provide that for him. I don't see a problem with him leaving.

what..the Saints were just supposed to roll over for pick 62 ??

Nupp... think Lyon has played it as well as he could.. .Ball will be unlikely to getto his preferred club. Yes Saints lose out ..so does Ball.. However StKilda have made a point.. dont pissfart around with stupid trade offerings. make them realistic and they will happen...otherwise..&^%$ off and take your chances.. we're over you.

[Bring-Back-Powell 15,257]

I dont really care why he wants to go to the Filth but hes welcome to go there.. Melbourne players will be able to wave at him as he sits int e stands come future finals time.. Collingwood wont be there

This is what is annoying me about Melbourne supporters lately.

We've won 12 games in 3 years and we're automatically assuming that the MFC are going to be awesome in a couple years on the back of a few high draft picks.

Can we at least wait 12 months too see how 'awesome' we're going to be in the next 5 years.

[JACKATTACK 17]

For those considering the relative merrits of picking up Ball/kid at pick 18.

Previous Pick 18s:

2008 Luke Shuey

2007Alex Rance

2006 Leroy Jetta

2005 Max Bailey

2004 Cameron Wood

2003 Llane Spaanderman

2002 Kris Shore

2001 Shane Harvey

2000Daniel Kerr

1999 Rhys Shaw (F/S) (preceded at 17 by Ezra Bray)

1998 Daniel Schell

1999 Mark Alvey

Source: Wiki "AFL Draft"

[beelzebub 23,390]

This is what is annoying me about Melbourne supporters lately.

We've won 12 games in 3 years and we're automatically assuming that the MFC are going to be awesome in a couple years on the back of a few high draft picks.

Can we at least wait 12 months too see how 'awesome' we're going to be in the next 5 years.

awwww....cant we be allowed to beleive we are actually on the right track.?? go on...you know you want to

The only direction for us is up. There is growing agreement out inthe footy world that Melbourne have done its hard yard and are now well situated to glean much form its young talented list and look toward brighter days come spetember skies. More than a few juries are out on Collingwood.. even amongst some of my more learned Filth mates they are not so sure its happy days ahead.

But if you disagree..thats your perogative

[Nasher 33,617]

I don't understand the rationale behind his decision, but it sends a pretty clear message to us.

Best of luck to him. I think he'll need it.

[beelzebub 23,390]

I don't understand the rationale behind his decision, but it sends a pretty clear message to us.

youre not alone.. seems very odd...out of the frying pan into the fire.. and the message is loud and clear....strangely many of us might have one for himin return

Best of luck to him. I think he'll need it.

yep he'll need it.....but cant bring myself to award him any salutation. Am sure the karma faeries have him lined up already

[Guest]

If Ball is prepared to put himself in the draft, he is prepared to accept he might get picked by Melbourne, which is tantamount to him giving Melbourne the green light.

Take him with 18.

Doesn't taking Ball at Pick 18 force us to pick a KKP at Pick 11 and unless it is Butcher we could be picking a kid well ahead of his station.

Goes completely against the 'best available' rule than many subscribe to.

Could mean we waste more than one pick in this draft!

[Harry Manback 2]

If Ball nominates for the ND, then we can move on. The beauty of picking him up in the PSD was that we got a quality 25 year old, experienced player. He's probably got 5 years left max, so he'd only be a part of our early success. Picking him up in order to get 5 years max at 18 when we could get a 10 year player would be a waste. I can see the other opinion - the 18th pick is speculative whereas we know what we'll get with Ball, but he's made his intent clear by not nominating for the PSD, so let's move on.

Spot on. Even with the apparent shallowness of this years draft we should still be able to get someone pretty decent with pick 18. I'd much rather take a punt in the draft on a kid who could potentially give us 10 years service, and look at picking up Thorp in the PSD as he fits the age profile and is a KPP.

[Choko 493]

Due respect to you and some of the other posters, but you don't get it at all.

If Luke Ball nominates for the ND, not only does he NOT want to come to Melbourne, he is sticking his middle finger up at us because if we pick him, we are doing it despite our best interests being to pick him up in the PSD. That is, he would be coming to a club weakened by him coming, relative to what it would be if he was interested in the MFC.

The MFC needed to go one of 2 ways: Tell Ball and the world that we were gonna get their man, and then paint Ball out to be selfish by not nominating for the PSD (forcing him to see he had no choice), or tell the world that we don't want someone who doesn't want us. For better or worse we chose the latter. We need to stick to it.

With the 18th pick in the 2009 NAB national draft, the Melbourne football club select???

Only Melbourne can control if Luke Ball comes to Melbourne. If anything we control Luke Ball's destiny, not Luke Ball.

I don't see him nominating for the ND as disheartening. Luke Ball is a pro, and if the Dees select him at pick 18, he will give it his 100% and will be one of the central figures to our revival.

I don't buy into this "he doesn't want to play for the Dees". He has put himself into the draft so he understands he's open slather - from Freo to Brisbane and anyone inbetween.

Pick him up at 18, Dees.

1) Scully

2) Trengove

11) Butcher

18) Ball

PSD - Thorp, McDonald or a hidden gem of a kid.

Now that will sign memberships!!!

[deestroyers 0]

If Luke Ball wanted to become a Demon, he knew the way to do it which would help strengthen the club and give us more quality youngsters. He has chosen the wrong way, which if we did select him, would see us lose pick 18, when we could have had Luke Ball and pick 18.

People, get over it. I dont want to have to read about how he has turned his back on us, how he has owed it to us. Nobody ever said he wanted to come to the Dees. He never expressed public interest and put us through a knock out phase ala Judd.

He just is not that good a player. His body is struggling to keep up with modern footy, and cant kick more than 35 metres. Id rather take the gamble on a Ben Griffiths or Vardy if still available.

[torpedo 33]

Doesn't taking Ball at Pick 18 force us to pick a KKP at Pick 11 and unless it is Butcher we could be picking a kid well ahead of his station.

Goes completely against the 'best available' rule than many subscribe to.

No, assuming we must pick a KPP with one of our top 20 picks goes completely against the 'best available' rule.

[Guest hangon007]

Doesn't taking Ball at Pick 18 force us to pick a KKP at Pick 11 and unless it is Butcher we could be picking a kid well ahead of his station.

Goes completely against the 'best available' rule than many subscribe to.

Could mean we waste more than one pick in this draft!

I would have thought some would argue the complete opposite.

Best player available pick 01 ND = T Scully

Best player available pick 02 ND = J Trengove

Best player available pick 11 ND = TBA .... maybe L Ball maybe not

Best player available pick 18 ND = L Ball

Best player available pick 1 PSD = J MacDonald or Thorp