Ball getting ready to roll

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  • Syd
    On the Rookie List
    • Mar 2003
    • 31

    Ball getting ready to roll

    An article just up on the AFL site for those of you interested.



    Sometimes you have to go backwards to go forwards.

    Sydney?s number one ruckman Jason Ball will be hoping this theory will prove true after yet another frustrating end-of-season injury.



    After a magnificent 2001 where he finished fourth in the best-and-fairest, Ball tore his groin muscle from his pelvis during the 2002 pre-season, ending his season prematurely after three failed comebacks in the VFL and Sydney AFL.

    However, the 30-year-old made an astonishing return this year surprising many with his fitness, form and combination with ruckman/forward Adam Goodes.

    Sadly a dislocated shoulder causing tendon damage sustained early in the round 17 match against Fremantle saw him go under the knife preventing him from playing a part in the Swans? finals campaign - a stunning two-goal victory over minor premier Port in Adelaide, and a heart-breaking 44-point loss to eventual premiers, the Brisbane Lions, at Telstra Stadium in the preliminary final.

    Ball told afl.com.au he hopes to return stronger and looks forward to making up for lost time.

    ?My recovery is coming along really good,? Ball said.

    ?The doctor?s say I am ahead of schedule so I should be on track for full training in January.

    ?This year was my most enjoyable year of football, let?s hope (it continues next year). If I can get a good pre-season under my belt, go from there, and if we (Sydney) can carry on from where we finished this year it should be great.?

    Sydney physiotherapist Matt Cameron told afl.com.au Ball is out of a sling now and has virtually a full range of movement.

    ?Jason has commenced light weight training. He is also due to begin running when back in Sydney (from a holiday in Fiji) after only light cross training up till now,? Cameron said.

    Ball won the ?Barry Round Trophy? for Best Clubman at the Swans? Club Champion dinner which he saw as a small consolation.

    ?It?s good to still feel part of the team. Even though I missed the finals matches and the big games against Collingwood and Brisbane, it is nice to still feel part of the team when you are sitting on the sidelines,? Ball said.

    ?I felt pretty ****ty about missing the Port Adelaide win (in the qualifying final) actually, it?s one of those games that will never be forgotten and they are the games you want to play in the most.

    ?The guys had a never-say-die attitude. It was huge relief when they won so it was really good.

    ?I played the first 17 games and did all the hard work in the pre-season (so I do feel part of the team) a little bit. I mean it is not the same when you are not playing.

    ?I just like to play footy and you like to play footy with your mates and the year we had was just sensational.?

    A memorable part of September for Ball was Goodes? Brownlow Medal win, admitting he feels ?privileged? to play with him.

    ?I had a tear in my eye (when he won the Brownlow) it was just amazing,? Ball said.

    ?Goodesy is just a magnificent Brownlow winner and best-and-fairest winner and all the credit must go to Goodesy.

    ?The guy?s ability is enormous, his work ethic is enormous and his attitude is just sensational so there could not be a more deserving winner.?

    Another aspect keeping Ball excited about the season ahead is the chance to play alongside Sydney?s blooming youngsters.

    ?The young guys are great. Their want to work is really good.

    ?Players like James Meiklejohn, Lewis Roberts-Thompson are phenomenal, they keep you young. They keep me thinking and it makes me want to play more footy with them
  • Jimmy C
    On the Rookie List
    • Jan 2003
    • 366

    #2
    I've had the crappiest day ever, with nothing but atrocious news. This eases the burden-a little.

    Comment

    • dimelb
      pr. dim-melb; m not f
      • Jun 2003
      • 6889

      #3
      Top news, the attitude as well as the fitness. Go JB!
      He reminds him of the guys, close-set, slow, and never rattled, who were play-makers on the team. (John Updike, seeing Josh Kennedy in a crystal ball)

      Comment

      • desredandwhite
        Click!
        • Jan 2003
        • 2498

        #4
        I think from here on in, Ball will be used as the "backup ruckman" pinch hitting in the last 10 minutes of a quarter, or resting in the forward pocket... I don't think he can run out full games in the ruck any more. He still IS a very important player to the club if he gets himself right.

        177th Senior AFL Match - Round 4, 2009 - Sydney vs Carlton, SCG. This is obviously out of date. I suppose I'll update it once I could be bothered sitting down with the fixture and working it out....
        Des' Weblog

        Comment

        • lizz
          Veteran
          Site Admin
          • Jan 2003
          • 16763

          #5
          Not sure I agree with that Des. Once he got into the swing of things this season he didn't seem to have too many problems with stamina and even though he's moving into the veteran class I'm not sure that should become an issue yet. Of course he's never going to have the mobility as a ruck of Goodes, but then who does?

          The beauty of the ruck set up is that we have three very capable and very different types, and they're all capable of contributing around the ground as well. I know Goodes seems to play his best footy in the ruck but I hope he's only used in short bursts, at least at centre bounces, or his body will take a huge battering from the much bigger bodies he is pitted against there.

          Comment

          • TheHood
            On the Rookie List
            • Jan 2003
            • 1938

            #6
            Originally posted by desredandwhite
            I think from here on in, Ball will be used as the "backup ruckman" pinch hitting in the last 10 minutes of a quarter, or resting in the forward pocket... I don't think he can run out full games in the ruck any more. He still IS a very important player to the club if he gets himself right.
            He was the front-line ruckman for MOST of 2003 with Goodes doing the last 10 minutes of the Quarter.

            I think another year has passed but he has been training well and unless another injury prevents, I can see a mirror of 2003 looming in Roosy's mind.

            IF we get Ry Hall and Doyley can string more than 3 games together, then this may shake things up.

            In fact, can someone theorise our line-up if we have 5 talls?

            Adam Goodes (HF)
            LRT (CHB)
            Steve Doyle (FF)
            Jason Ball (No 1 Ruck)
            Ray Hall (rotating with all of the above)

            ?????

            We would be challenging Richmond for height with this tall timber.
            The Pain of Discipline is Nothing Like The Pain of Disappointment

            Comment

            • jixygirl
              On the Rookie List
              • Jun 2003
              • 432

              #7
              Jason Ball will definitely be a very important player next year as he was last year. I expect that Roos will still have Ball do most of the Ruck work, with Goodes doing the ruck for short devasting bursts. Of course, I'm only guessing.
              Sydney Swans Premiers 2005 - The Mighty Bloods

              Comment

              • Red
                Foreign Correspondent
                • Jan 2003
                • 651

                #8
                If Doyle can finally get to the stage where he's available every week (or even most weeks), the relief on JBall will greatly reduce his chances of getting injured.
                To all those people who waited 72 years to see a South Melbourne/Sydney Swans premiership HERE IT IS!!

                Comment

                • stellation
                  scott names the planets
                  • Sep 2003
                  • 9718

                  #9
                  if he doesn't have the stamina for long rucks stints should he perhaps return to playing CHF as he did to some fair degree of success at West Coast? or would that require him to be fitter than rucking?!?!?!?

                  I don't see why he wouldn't be okay to be No.1 ruckman, he seemed fine last year and the injury was to his shoulder so he should still run okay... and it was his non-prefered shoulder... I think...
                  I knew him as a gentle young man, I cannot say for sure the reasons for his decline
                  We watched him fade before our very eyes, and years before his time

                  Comment

                  • Roscoe
                    Warming the Bench
                    • Jan 2003
                    • 458

                    #10
                    There was a game this year when Ball took some critical marks in defence in the last quarter. No doubt we can use him in 2004 in the ruck and also in defence to take the big grab when needed.
                    We suffered in the kicking out dept. late last year without Ball and Saddington as marking targets. Some people were a little unfair in being critical of Nicks, Tiger and Maxi when kicking out when our only 2 marking targets were Leo and Goodes.

                    In addition he can be a marking target up front and he is an excellent kick for goal. When he played for Swan Districts in the WAFL he kicked bags most weeks

                    Roos is a smart coach and will use Ball to the best advantage of the team. I'm looking forward to the development of LRT, and I will take Ray Hall if we get him in the PSD
                    September 24th, 2005 5.14pm
                    What a great moment in all of our lives

                    Comment

                    • sharpie
                      On the Rookie List
                      • Jul 2003
                      • 1588

                      #11
                      Originally posted by TheHood

                      In fact, can someone theorise our line-up if we have 5 talls?

                      Adam Goodes (HF)
                      LRT (CHB)
                      Steve Doyle (FF)
                      Jason Ball (No 1 Ruck)
                      Ray Hall (rotating with all of the above)

                      ?????

                      We would be challenging Richmond for height with this tall timber.
                      Goodes will be ruckman with Doyle and/or Ball as his backup. Two of these guys will be on the ground at all times with one at full-forward. The third will be on the bench having a rest. LRT and possibly Ray Hall will compete for the fourth tall position in the team, possibly occupying a key defensive position.

                      Or could Goodesy be the next CHB?
                      Visit my eBay store -

                      10% off for mentioning RWO when you buy. Great Christmas presents!

                      Comment

                      • penga
                        Senior Player
                        • Jan 2003
                        • 2601

                        #12
                        Originally posted by sharpie
                        Or could Goodesy be the next CHB?
                        no way!

                        we need other teams worrying about goodesy and not goodesy worrying about an opponent, to restricting for his flare...
                        C'mon Chels!

                        Comment

                        • robbieando
                          The King
                          • Jan 2003
                          • 2750

                          #13
                          Originally posted by stellation
                          if he doesn't have the stamina for long rucks stints should he perhaps return to playing CHF
                          No I think you'll find him at Full Forward, we do have Barry Hall to play at CHF and I think lets keep him there.

                          Goodes will be the Number 1 ruckman next season. I don't understand people on here who think Goodes should go back to the Half Forward line. He has played his best football for the club in the ruck or at least in an on ball capacity. If Goodes wasn't to play ruck next season I would try him as a Ruck-Rover, before trying him elsewhere.
                          Once was, now elsewhere

                          Comment

                          • Ryan Bomford
                            On the Rookie List
                            • Sep 2003
                            • 652

                            #14
                            Robbie,

                            Correct. Eade failed miserably in trying to make Goodes a KPP and it almost ended his career with the SWANS.

                            Adam must have license to have the run of the ground in some sort of roving commission, this will leave Doyle and Ball to play front or back, with a spell in the ruck in between at the coach's discretion.

                            Comment

                            • penga
                              Senior Player
                              • Jan 2003
                              • 2601

                              #15
                              Originally posted by robbieando
                              Goodes will be the Number 1 ruckman next season. I don't understand people on here who think Goodes should go back to the Half Forward line.
                              as lizz has stated, goodesy needs to stay out of the ruck to keep his body healthy...

                              and im one that wants to see goodesy on the HFF, but from there he would be rotated through the middle

                              and while at HFF, he would have license to roam freely up the ground...
                              C'mon Chels!

                              Comment

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