The 27-year-old says that the playing list has quickly moved on from the 2011 Grand Final defeat, and has been reinvigorated by the challenge of reclaiming their title as the best team in the land in 2012.
“We certainly haven’t been dwelling on the Grand Final,” Ball told collingwoodfc.com.au.
“The group’s really looking forward to this year and is pretty excited about almost starting from scratch again. New coach, new challenge.
“Most other sides if not all sides are going to improve from last year so we’ve got to be no different. If we can keep everyone healthy and hungry - which we should be after a losing Grand Final - we should be around the mark again.”
One of the last players to leave the club after another gruelling week on the track, Ball has been impressed by the fitness levels the Magpies have shown, with the vast majority of the playing list in full training.
“There’s been a bit more of a footy focus so we’ve been out on the track more than we have been in previous years, which I think is a good thing.
“The more time you’re out there with the footys in your hands, the better, for our young group especially. But all the guys are responding really well. Their general health and the fitness levels in the group are pretty good. There aren’t too many blokes walking laps in rehab so that’s always a good sign.”
Having played 48 of a possible 51 matches in his two seasons at Collingwood since crossing from St Kilda, Ball has established himself as a vital leg of Collingwood’s four-pronged midfield combination. Along with Dane Swan, Scott Pendlebury and Dale Thomas, he has helped elevate the club’s onball brigade to the same level reached by other dominant teams of recent years such as Geelong, St Kilda and Hawthorn.
But now, he says, is the time for players such as Steele Sidebottom, Dayne Beams, Sharrod Wellingham and Jarryd Blair to take their careers to the next level and reach the standards of consistent excellence set by the existing quartet.
Click here to read Sidebottom's declaration of his desire to become a senior midfielder.
“That’s the challenge. They need to,” admits Ball.
“The guys who are coming into their third and fourth, fifth or sixth year really know what it’s all about now. They’ve got 50 games under their belt, most of them, so they need to step up.”
Thankfully for supporters, the early signs indicate that the youngsters are ready to fly.
“So far their pre-seasons have shown that they’re ready to do that. They’re all fitter, and probably bigger and stronger. The influence of Harves (midfield coach Robert Harvey) will hopefully help them as well. Especially from a midfield point of view, adding a lot more guys into that mix will help the team.”
On the subject of Robert Harvey, and indeed all five new additions to the coaching panel, Ball offers nothing but praise. He is confident that even the senior players will be able to add to their repertoire under the tutelage of their new leaders.
“They’re all young coaches and really enthusiastic and pretty keen to make their mark on the group.
“Obviously knowing Harves from playing with him a fair bit is good. It’s been good for me to have him as a midfield coach and he’s pretty keen to find out what we did last year and bring his slant on things and what made him such a good player.
“He’ll be able to impart on especially the younger players in the group but also us older guys who will learn a lot from Harves with the way he went about it. Not only him, but Ben Hart and all these guys have had long and successful playing careers so they’re all really good role models for the group.”
As for his own form, Ball is yet to miss a training session since the players returned last October and is chomping at the bit with less than a month remaining until the club’s opening NAB Cup fixture in Blacktown.
Ever the team man, he happily deflects the attention to others who are enjoying strong pre-seasons.
Ball names Jackson Paine and Jamie Elliott as new recruits who are set to make an impact on the senior side this season, and nominated a forgotten star of the 2010 premiership as the man who may make the biggest difference of all to Collingwood’s fortunes in 2012.
“I think Brent Macaffer is a guy who was forgotten about last year. He had a tough year with injury and he’s training really well. It’s really good to see him back out on the track.
“I think he was such an important player in 2010, especially toward the latter end of the season and in the finals with his big strong body, his pressure skills down forward and his ability to kick goals.
“He’s one guy I’m really looking forward to seeing step back into that forward line.
It’s doubtful that Ball’s prediction will provoke too many arguments from the Magpie Army.
