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Sydney’s frustration with spearhead Barry Hall is simmering after his latest brain snap cost his AFL side the chance to beat Hawthorn at the MCG on Sunday, and cast new doubt over whether the 32-year-old will continue into 2010.
Hall conceded three successive 50-metre penalties at a crucial stage of the last quarter, which gifted Hawthorn a goal and caused a seismic shift in the game, which the Hawks won 12.14 (86) to 11.9 (75).
Hawthorn’s gutsy win, with several players hurt, earned the reigning premiers a 6-5 win-loss record at the halfway point of the season, while Sydney (5-6) are now in the negative and outside the eight.
Sydney were docked the huge penalty when Hawthorn’s Jarryd Roughead out-marked Hall inside the Swans’ attacking zone, and Hall abused the umpire, slung Roughead around the head and then remonstrated with Hawks skipper Sam Mitchell.
The penalties took Roughead to the goalsquare, from where he booted a simple goal which gave the Hawks a 10-point lead halfway through the last quarter, after the Swans had grabbed the lead early in the term.
As Hawk fans jeered and Hawk players clapped sarcastically, Sydney coach Paul Roos immediately dragged Hall to the bench to let him cool off.
Roos, who was on the sidelines, did not say anything to Hall, only because television cameras were focused on him.
But afterwards he said several Sydney players “mentioned something” to Hall, and that the indiscretion was the moment the game changed.
“You can sit here and dream up fictional reasons or you can get to the source of the problem, but that was clearly a massive turning point in the game,” Roos said.
“It’s surprising because he’s been in good form and we were doing really well as a team and we had the momentum going our way and everything was looking pretty good.
“It was surprising, clearly it’s disappointing.
“… the group’s disappointed, the coaching staff is disappointed and I’m sure the fans are disappointed, so there’s no point painting a rosy picture about it. Everyone saw what happened.”
Roos doubted Sydney would impose a club suspension like they did last year, when they put Hall into anger management classes after he was twice suspended, for striking West Coast’s Brent Staker and attempting to strike Collingwood’s Shane Wakelin.
But Sydney are likely to consider the incident when it comes to reviewing Hall’s future.
“Everything a player does impacts on whether they want to be at the club, but it’s not just Hally,” Roos said.
“It’s Kirky (Brett Kirk), Mick (O’Loughlin), Leo (Barry), (Jared) Crouch are all out of contract and older players.
“But everything goes into making a decision, both from their points of view and the club’s point of view.”
Hall conceded four free kicks, and one appeared harsh, as he was denied a mark in the goalsquare when deemed to have held on to the jumper of opponent Robert Campbell.
Roos was unsure why Hall snapped, but said he got frustrated at being penalised so often.
“We’ve addressed that with the umpires department on many, many occasions,” he said.
“We’re at the stage where we know nothing’s going to change and he knows nothing’s going to change, so you’ve got to accept the way it is and you’ve got to play accordingly.”
Hall was also involved in an incident in which he accidentally kneed Xavier Ellis in the head while running in to tackle, which left the Hawk concussed and bleeding from the mouth.
Hawthorn were hit by injuries, as they lost backmen Campbell Brown (hip) and Tom Murphy (knee) before the game and young star Cyril Rioli (hamstring) eight minutes in.
Ellis played out the game under duress but booted two goals, while Luke Hodge also played a significant role in defence despite rolling an ankle early.
Roughead, Lance Franklin and Mark Williams all booted three goals to steer Hawthorn to just their second win over Sydney in nine attempts.
Adam Goodes, with three goals, was Sydney’s best player, and was supported by Jarrad McVeigh, Ryan O’Keefe and Darren Jolly.
In contrast to Sydney, Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson admitted he felt “elation” when Hall lost it.
“In games that are a real arm wrestle, to get a goal like that puts a smile on our faces, but you like to get your goals from your own good play more so than the mistakes by opposition,” he said.
Snapshot of round 11 in the AFL.
THEY SAID IT: “I don’t think I’m quite as ashen-faced tonight as when I’ve sat in this (press conference) room on quite a few occasions over the last few years.” – Terry Wallace admits the pain of losing was not as great knowing he would no longer be coaching Richmond.
HIGHLIGHT OF THE ROUND: The efforts of key forwards. Justin Koschitzke marked strongly and booted six goals for St Kilda, Carlton super boot Brendan Fevola’s eight goals sunk Brisbane, and Adelaide’s Kurt Tippett bagged seven against Essendon.
STAT OF THE ROUND: Eleven wins on the trot. The unbeaten Saints of 2009 are boldly going where no other St Kilda side has ever been.
TALKING POINT: Can The Tigers lift under caretaker coach Jade Rawlings?
KEY INJURIES: Adam Simpson (NM, calf), Ben Warren (NM, fractured cheekbone), Daniel Wells (NM, hip), J Drummond (Bris, calf), Travis Boak (PA, knee), Cyril Rioli (Haw, hamstring), Luke Hodge (Haw, ankle), Simon Goodwin (Adel, knee), Craig Bolton (Syd, knee), Jared Crouch (Syd, knee).
REPORTS: Nil.
UNDER PRESSURE THIS WEEK: Barry Hall. Can the Sydney forward put aside his anger to respond to his teammates in the right way?
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