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Sydney coach Paul Roos has asked the media to lay off Barry Hall after saying the press had unfairly highlighted an “innocuous” incident involving the centre half-forward in yesterday’s AFL game against the Western Bulldogs.
Hall was in the spotlight again during the 16-point loss when Bulldog Lindsay Gilbee fell back after an apparent challenge to the head from the Swan.
Hall had previously been suspended for eight games this year over two separate striking incidents as well as having a highly-publicised club-imposed spell to allow him to deal with some psychological issues.
The AFL match review panel today cleared Hall of any wrongdoing in Canberra yesterday, as it ruled his high contact on Gilbee was a push and not a strike.
Roos said he was “pretty disappointed” that the Gilbee incident had been raised at all.
“Incidents that happened with Hally probably happen ten times in a game. So it’s all getting a little tedious and boring,” Roos told reporters today.
“No one at the footy club even knew about it,” Roos added.
“He pulled his arm away … it was an innocuous thing.
“As a footy club we probably cop it sweet if we’ve done the wrong thing, but this is really just a Barry Hall fixation.”
Roos said he was pleased with Hall’s performance, which included three goals at Manuka Oval.
“Six scoring shots and in the second quarter we only went inside 50 metres seven times so it was hard for him to get hold of the ball,” he said.
“He ended up kicking three and he could’ve had six.”
Roos believed it was now time for the media to move on.
“It’s laughable and this is becoming a bit farcical,” he said of all the attention on Hall.
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