Demons to make a line-Ball decision

Melbourne's decision on whether to swoop on former St Kilda captain Luke Ball and
ruin his bid to join Collingwood will go down to the wire.
The Demons are the main obstacle to the 25-year-old former Saints' best and fairest
joining the Magpies, an ambition he was initially denied when the two clubs could
not reach a trade deal.
Melbourne have committed to youngsters Tom Scully and Jack Trengove with the first
two picks of Thursday night's national draft, but could take Ball with their fourth
selection, No.18.
Collingwood's first pick is No.30.
Demons recruiting manager Barry Prendergast said they could not make a firm
commitment, with the decision resting on which players were left when the time came.
"You rate and rank the draft as to how you think it should fall," Prendergast said.
"He'll be part of that consideration and he's part of that strategy as to where he
fits.
"He's the most interesting player in the draft obviously because there's so much
speculation about him, but in terms of a recruiting manager, you rate and rank him
with the rest."
Essendon, who have two picks in the 20s, have also canvassed the possibility of
thwarting the Magpies.
But, while the Bombers refused to comment on Wednesday, they are believed to be
leaning towards youth, meaning if Ball gets past pick 18 he should reach
Collingwood.
Regardless, Ball stands to be picked as early as any recycled player in the past 13
years.
The most recent experienced player snaffled earlier than pick 30 was John Rombotis,
taken by Port Adelaide at No.7 in 1996, after his former club Fitzroy merged with
Brisbane.
Saints coach Ross Lyon said Ball's eventual draft position would determine whether
his club was vindicated in turning down the Magpies' trade offer of picks 25 and 62,
instead losing him for nothing.
"What we're about to find out at the national draft is Luke Ball - where's he rated?
Ask me the question afterwards and see whether it was fair and equitable or not,"
Lyon said.
Meanwhile, Prendergast said the Demons' swathe of early picks - partly due to two
years of poor performance - were a timely boost in a draft rated as lacking depth,
particularly with expansion club Gold Coast having already stripped out some of the
nation's best teenagers.
"It's particularly useful, there's no question about that," he said.
"This is a really powerful position in this draft and we want to make the most of it."
At the other end of the spectrum, Hawthorn do not enter the draft until pick 39,
after trading for Port Adelaide's Shaun Burgoyne and North Melbourne's Josh Gibson.
But Hawks player personnel manager Chris Pelchen remained confident they would still
acquire some talented youngsters, although he said planning was difficult, given
they were at the mercy of other clubs' decisions.
The Hawks are set to use one pick on a recycled ruckman, with Adam Pattison
(Richmond), Cameron Cloke (Carlton) and Chris Bryan (Collingwood) among their
options.
Ex-Saints defender Matt Maguire, who has trained with Carlton, is also under their
consideration.