Australian Football

Jason Ball was a tall, hefty key forward who commenced his senior League career with Swan Districts in 1991. He would play the last of his 61 games for the club in 1997, but from 1992 his WAFL career ran in tandem with his career at the game's top level with West Coast where, after struggling initially to find his feet, he developed into a key member of the side. A premiership player with the Eagles in 1994, he was the club's top goal kicker with 48 goals the following year and was a West Australian state of origin representative twice.

Towards the end of his time with West Coast Ball suffered from a series of injuries and it was therefore something of a surprise when he was traded to Sydney after the 1999 season. During his time with the Eagles he had played 103 AFL games and kicked 114 goals. His stint with Sydney was also undermined by injury to some extent but when fit and firing he was a formidable force, playing many games as a ruckman rather than the key forward role he had undertaken with West Coast. 

Jason Ball's League career came to an end in the most satisfying way imaginable when he was an important member of the Swans' 2005 grand final defeat of his former club West Coast. His Sydney career comprised 90 games in which he kicked 45 goals.

Author - John Devaney