Ball could roll on with Magpies

Brent Macaffer’s long-term knee injury could lead Collingwood to re-contract Luke Ball beyond this year.

The 30-year-old’s future is in the spotlight ahead of a potential season-ending clash with Hawthorn on Friday night.

Ball told Triple M radio after looking at both playing on and finishing up, he was inclined to keep going.

“I still feel like I’ve got enough competitive juice in the body to go again but the club might decide that’s it’s time to go another away,” he said.

Coach Nathan Buckley said the discussion would also take into account the club’s needs.

“We’ll sit down and he’ll have a chat to me about where he feels he’s at and where his body’s got to, I’ll speak to him on behalf of the club and we’ll make a decision from that,” he said.

“When we sit down in the cold hard light of day and we consider and go through what the future looks like for the club and his opportunities, we’ll come to a decision after that.”

Since leaving St Kilda after their 2009 grand final, Ball was a mainstay of the Collingwood midfield that made the 2010 and 2011 deciders.

He managed just 16 matches over the next two seasons combined but will play his 17th game of 2014 if he takes the field against the Hawks.

Buckley acknowledged Ball’s return to more consistent fitness.

“He’s played important roles for us. We can never ask Bally for any more effort or endeavour, he lets it all hang out and turns himself inside out to provide for the footy club and his team-mates,” he said.

“We know the character of the bloke and know exactly what we’re going to get.”

Buckley said Macaffer’s injury would be “part of the conversation”.

“That’s part of it, it all goes into the mix,” he said.

After missing the 2012 season with a reconstruction of his right knee, Macaffer’s left knee will now go under the knife.

Buckley said his side cried in the three-quarter time huddle when told of the injury and Macaffer was crushed.

With the Magpies’ untested No.6 draft pick Matthew Scharenberg suffering a similar knee injury in the VFL on the weekend, the pair will share a road to recovery.

“Those two will end up doing their recovery together and (Macaffer) has already determined that he’s going to be there to help (Scharenberg) through as he’s been there before,” said Buckley.

“They’ve got a long road ahead of them but that’s part of the game.”

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