http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/ball...f-1225805940036

Did Ball get permission to officially train with Collingwood?

Using the high altitude room is like using a gym etc , is training doing circle work etc only or using a clubs facilities?

Be intresting if the AFl investigate this? Is there a penalty for the team or the player to train without approval

...

I do see where you are going, but I have to ask...

Who cares anymore?

We used his situation to effectively maximize our media presence in the months leading up to the draft.

Opposition supporters would've been sick of reading about us - god knows I was.

I'm happy to forget it and move on. You can keep sharpening your axe if you like...

Well there's a reason why clubs have to seek AFL permission for players to train with them. I just don't know what the reason is.

But yes it stinks. Should be investigated but won't because its the filth.

Well there's a reason why clubs have to seek AFL permission for players to train with them. I just don't know what the reason is.

But yes it stinks. Should be investigated but won't because its the filth.

He used one of their rooms or bits of equipment. That doesn't mean he was training with them. Anyway the AFL will not care less.

the guy can only kick a footy 40mtrs, riddled with OP, if he was any good he would still be at the saints.

TBH I would rather focus on Luke.........Tapscott. He will hopefully be around for 13 + years. Ball will be lucky to still be playing at the age of 30. Move on.

I think the AFL will have to look at the rules relating to player availability for medical testing in drafts. It seems ridiculous that the system enables clubs to have ready access to medical tests for young draftees but someone like Ball is able to avoid having to make himself available. As to the rest of his conduct and that of his manager, there are many similarities between Ball's case and those in previous years when players were found to have tampered with the draft. Ball didn't say he wouldn't play with another club but comments attributed to his manager and his conduct came close to at least meriting an investigation.

Of course, the AFL will look askance as it does with issues raised with the salary cap when players earn fortunes outside the cap for being ambassadors for companies controlled by supporters.

As far as Ball is concerned, I think it's now a dead issue except for the player and his new club. If Ball fails, particularly due to his physical condition, there is likely to be a lot of pressure on him, on Malthouse and on the Collingwood administration. But hey, that's their problem.

TBH I would rather focus on Luke.........Tapscott. He will hopefully be around for 13 + years. Ball will be lucky to still be playing at the age of 30. Move on.

Its funny that Tapscott will now for the rest of his career be known as 'Luke.........................Tapscott'

Luke Ball, the Silvio Foschini of 2010. Expect him to do almost as well.

Luke Ball, the Silvio Foschini of 2010. Expect him to do almost as well.

Nailed it.

I think the AFL will have to look at the rules relating to player availability for medical testing in drafts. It seems ridiculous that the system enables clubs to have ready access to medical tests for young draftees but someone like Ball is able to avoid having to make himself available.

Indeed. I posted about this on Demonology the other day.

Of course, the AFL will look askance as it does with issues raised with the salary cap when players earn fortunes outside the cap for being ambassadors for companies controlled by supporters.

As far as I know, there are rules regarding this and there is some sort of cap/allowance. I recall Smorgan asserting that the WB were hoping to take advantage of this in future, and were hoping Mission would come to the party.

Luke Ball, the Silvio Foschini of 2010. Expect him to do almost as well.

Would we be making statements like this if we drafted him? Lets move on, very happy with how we went, but lets not kid ourselves, we would be equally as happy if we took Ball.

Would we be making statements like this if we drafted him? Lets move on, very happy with how we went, but lets not kid ourselves, we would be equally as happy if we took Ball.

Do you think?

I wouldn't be happy at all.

I'm adamant I didn't want him and I think many are the same.

I think if we did end up with Ball, we would not be making the same statements, but its in that scenario that we'd be experiencing the denial you are alluding to...

Who cares, at the end of the day.

The ball was in our court. We could have had him if we really wanted him.

Do you think?

I wouldn't be happy at all.

I'm adamant I didn't want him and I think many are the same.

I'm with you on this.

There would be no question that MFC would have had Scully and Trengove on some sort of program since October and wouldn't supprise me if Scully has been using our medical staff since his operation.

Its funny that Tapscott will now for the rest of his career be known as 'Luke.........................Tapscott'

That is why I would call him "Pause".

Would we be making statements like this if we drafted him? Lets move on, very happy with how we went, but lets not kid ourselves, we would be equally as happy if we took Ball.

Er, no, because if he'd agreed to talk to us (or to anywhere other than the Pies) he wouldn't have been acting like a latter-day Foschini. The point is that after Foschini went to the extent of taking the AFL (might have evne been the VFL then) to court to allow him to transfer from Sydney to St Kilda, his footy career sank like a stone.

I have a lot of respect for Luke Ball as a player and a person, and for what he's achieved. But he may well find it difficult to break into the Pies' midfield. We would have taken a huge gamble to have taken him; now he's taken a huge gamble going to another club with a strong midfield.

Happy to move on now ...

Er, no, because if he'd agreed to talk to us (or to anywhere other than the Pies) he wouldn't have been acting like a latter-day Foschini.

Yeah, if Ball had talked to us then most MFC fans would accept his decision just like they did Judd's.

Oh wait...

That is why I would him "Pause".

I thought about that too, but "Pause" isn't exactly a catchy nickname...

but I'm warming to it.

Imagine him kicking a goal at the G and the crowd roars "PAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUSSSSSSSSSSSSEEEEE!!!"

Kinda like the "Moons" chant for Mooney... not sure if its right though.

Being a teammate of his you could never call "Pause! Pause! Pause!" for the footy... or could you?

Ball is a [censored]!

He should have grown a set and put his hand up to play for us. Took the low road and I hope he gets what he is after.....shorter career with no flags!

Look forward to seeing Ball blowing out his hammy chasing Scully and Trengove around the park next year.

As for tampering, who cares! S%it happens. This stuff has gone on for years.

I think Gold Coast will be happy with this arrangement. Beams (a Gold Coaster) contract will be up at the end of next season and Collingwood will struggle to compete now they have committed to Ball on $500K for 2011.

I would have preferred Ball over J McDonald but I could not see Ball getting another contract at MFC after the next three years; so I believe he has made the right decision for himself.

Although I can't see why someone would quit a team that has played in a GF (and should have won it); really all StK wanted him to do was get his body right and this will be no different at any other club.

I think Gold Coast will be happy with this arrangement. Beams (a Gold Coaster) contract will be up at the end of next season and Collingwood will struggle to compete now they have committed to Ball on $500K for 2011.

Actually Beams signed a 2 year extension mid way through the year. Fail.

As far as I know, there are rules regarding this and there is some sort of cap/allowance. I recall Smorgan asserting that the WB were hoping to take advantage of this in future, and were hoping Mission would come to the party.

There are rules in place but it's the way in which the AFL allows them to be interpreted. There is no longer any transparency involved in the type of marketing a player is supposed to be carrying out or whether the remuneration for the work is appropriate. Chris Judd is receiving how many 100's of 1,000's for doing exactly what?

We would have struggled to justify paying him $500k when our young brigade was improving and fighting off the advances of GC17. It would have thrown our pay relativity out the window.

FInancially its a great result for the Dees.