Ball will be critical to the Magpies’ hopes when they take on the Western Bulldogs in Saturday night’s qualifying final at the MCG.
The former St Kilda captain, who left Moorabbin last year in search of greater opportunity, was reluctant to say if he had made the right decision to quit his old club, but acknowledged an improved output this season.
“I think I’ve sort of built my form up [as the year has progressed],” Ball said from the Westpac Centre on Monday.
“I think I have been able to contribute pretty well in the areas that the coaches want me to and slowly have got the body to a pretty good point as well.
“So I’m looking forward to the next four weeks; hopefully, next four weeks.”
While statistics are oft-overused in football, Ball’s numbers this season make for impressive reading.
He missed just two matches in the home and away rounds. From 20 matches he has averaged almost 22 possessions and more than six tackles.
Last year he seemed out of favour with Saints coach Ross Lyon, and many wondered whether the former No.2 draft pick still had the ability to cut it at a high level, especially after he appeared to struggle with a persistent groin complaint.
But since joining Mick Malthouse’s squad, he hasn’t looked back.
“It wasn’t about silencing doubters or anything like that for me; it was just a fresh start and trying to get back to enjoying my footy,” the 26-year-old said.
“Part of that certainly was about getting the body in a state to be able to cope with playing AFL footy ... I’ve just really enjoyed the year.”
Ball says his finals experience, along with that of his Collingwood teammates, will serve them well as they prepare for the Bulldogs this weekend, an opponent he says will be as hungry as the Pies after some misses in recent seasons.
Ball, a member of St Kilda’s losing grand final side last year, says he is not one to look back on the past and prefers to live in the moment.
And for that reason he believes 2010 may well be his best chance to earn his first premiership medallion.
“It is [my best shot] because it’s here now,” he said.
“Who knows what’s going to happen next year and we can’t change what’s happened the year before.
“So we’re here, we’re in a good spot and we’ve worked hard to get ourselves a double chance in a massive game on Saturday night against a side who are going to be as hungry as us.”
