Ball kicks on without doubt

By NIKKI TUGWELL

March 4, 2004

SWANS No. 1 ruckman Jason Ball will begin his 13th season of senior football tomorrow resigned to the fact that his AFL career is a year-to-year prospect.


The afternoon game against the Kangaroos at Optus Oval will be Ball's first hitout since July, when he had a shoulder reconstruction.


Until then, Ball, who missed the 2002 season with a groin injury, had been one of the form ruckmen of the competition.


His contract expires at the end of this season.






"I'm 32 this year. If I'm playing good footy, getting a kick and my body feels good, I'll go on," Ball said. "If for some reason I'm not getting a kick or my shoulder is sore then I'll re-assess through the year, but at this point in your career you don't look too far ahead."


Sitting in a hospital bed in July he was unsure about returning to AFL. Retirement was a plausible option before a heart-to-heart with coach Paul Roos, and the inspirational efforts of his teammates against Port Adelaide in the qualifying final, changed his mind.


"I remember sitting in the hospital room, thinking 'Why am I going through this?' " he said.


"I couldn't lift my arm and I thought maybe it is time to give it away. It had been 12 years in senior footy. But that disappears pretty quick once you've had the operation and once I saw the boys playing in the finals and playing in front of 70,000 at Telstra Stadium.


"You want to be a part of it and you put those thoughts away and go back through all of the steps to get strong again and get your mind strong. So far I've achieved all of my goals to get to this stage where I can play my first game three or four weeks before the season starts.



"You've got to go out there and get hit and fall over to know where you're at, and my shoulder feels fine. Once the game starts everyone crosses the white line and everyone is fit.


"You do get nervous about playing again. You don't want to go out there and embarrass yourself. You want to get a kick and be part of the team. It becomes a pride thing and you come back and make sure you can still play footy and repay some of the faith the club has given you by keeping you on the list."


 SWAN Ben Fixter will be out for four weeks after tearing a hamstring against Collingwood.



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