Luke Ball calls on Geelong and Western Bulldogs to avoid sending Bailey Smith through the draft

Fifteen years after he was forced to go through the draft to reach Collingwood, Luke Ball has urged the Cats and Dogs to come to terms to trade Bailey Smith and avoid the anxiety he felt while in limbo.

Premiership Magpie Luke Ball has urged Geelong to trade for Bailey Smith instead of dragging him through the national draft, admitting he briefly pondered retiring as he waited in limbo back in 2009.

Smith might have to run the gauntlet of the national draft 15 years on as the Dogs and Geelong haggle on his worth.

St Kilda would not trade Ball to Collingwood for pick 25 and stood its ground, with his manager Paul Connors eventually orchestrating the move that saw him put into the national draft where every club overlooked him until the Pies swooped at selection 30.

Collingwood believed it had a fair offer for 25-year-old Ball and while he got to the Pies and became a premiership hero he admits it was an anxiety-ridden two-month wait.

The Cats are standing firm on the offer of pick 17 for departing Dog Smith, adamant no club would pick the No. 7 draft pick if he was put into the national draft.

But for Smith, who has been open about his mental health battles, it would be by far the worst-case scenario given he would need to wait until late November for his future to be decided.

Ball, who coached Smith at Xavier College as a teenager, told the Herald Sun there were times he wondered if he might just return to local footy during that unenviable period.

“I wish I had half the appeal of Bailey Smith on or off the field, but from a player’s point of view, it wasn’t a nice period in my career. You are in limbo and while he has a good man by his side in Paul Connors, you are relying on them a bit,” he said.

“He would have lots of time for his thoughts. From a physical point of view there is no issue with training by himself for a long period of time.

Luke Ball as a Pie. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

Bailey Smith is in trade limbo. Picture: Michael Klein.

“But I remember thinking, ‘Maybe this is the world telling me I need to go back to St Kilda’.

“By the end of November I would have been happy to go anywhere. I was sick of it. I wanted to get on with it.

“It was tough. I went through a range of emotions and I was working with a personal trainer and having a kick with the guys from Old Xavs and there were moments where I was thinking, ‘F*** it, should I get on with my life and play with these blokes?’ It was challenging but he will trust his manager and he has to get his head around the fact that a curve ball might be thrown in at the last minute.”

Ball is a huge advocate of Smith’s potential and believes while both clubs are right to stand their ground early in the trade period they will find a win-win deal.

“Is the onus on Geelong or the Dogs, who don’t want to get nothing for him? If I was Richmond I would be taking him. They will have multiple picks inside 17. But Geelong have a pretty good record of getting their man,” he said.

“I had a bit to do with him when my brother and I coached the Xavier school team when he was there. He is as good an athlete as I have seen. We can forget that and he’s still a young 23 so it will just be good to see him out there next year regardless of his colours.”

Ball’s career had a happy ending when he was part of the 2010 premiership side with Collingwood, also kicking the iconic goal that put the Pies into the 2011 Grand Final against Geelong.

“I was sitting at home with my now brother-in-law Matt Maguire, who was hoping to get a second chance (and got one at pick 91 with the Lions). It was almost like draft night all over again as a 17-year-old. Melbourne were the one club who had four early picks and they called out Luke …. Tapscott after pausing on the first name but it was a nervous wait.

“Like anything there is uncertainty when you are in limbo and it is never nice but I got there in the end and the next day I was on a plane to Arizona (for a training camp). Fingers crossed for Bailey, I hope he gets there in the end and everyone can win from the deal.”

Originally published as Luke Ball calls on Geelong and Western Bulldogs to avoid sending Bailey Smith through the draft