It took until round nine for big bad Barry Hall to enter the ring but while he didn’t land a knock-out punch this time, his latest brain fade certainly has the football world talking.
And it’s not just Hall’s anger management that’s been brought into question, but also the circumstances surrounding the incident that sparked his retaliation.
In particular, whether Scott Thompson acted within the spirit of the game.
The Kangaroos defender had been niggling away at Hall for most of the first half but it was when he knocked Barry over whilst doing up his shoe lace that Hall erupted in rage, grabbing Thompson in a vice like head lock and dragging him to the ground.
The Bulldogs are adamant Hall was unfairly targeted and Lindsay Gilbee protested yesterday, “he’s well within his rights to defend himself and I’d be disappointed if he missed games”.
On Melbourne radio Leigh Matthews agreed, taking a gentle swipe at Thompson’s integrity, suggesting his actions could possibly be judged as conduct unbecoming.
I doubt that will happen, but it does add to the confusion of what constitutes sportsmanship in the heat of battle.
To me though, the Kangaroos identified a weakness and looked to exploit it at any cost within the rules of the game, so why should they be facing condemnation for the tactic when it had the desired reaction?
Admittedly it didn’t have any bearing on the outcome of the game, but what’s to stop every team now employing a similar tactic?
You can’t help feeling just a little bit sorry for Hall, but at the end of the day he needs to be able to withstand this type of mental and physical pressure.
During the incident, the Kangaroos were at first completely helpless to break open the sleeper hold he had on Thompson, this was no ordinary wrestle!
Sensing the situation Rodney Eade exploded in the box and screamed down the phone to get Barry off; but the Kangaroos had the jump on him, taunting him, willing him to snap.
The Bulldogs runner then tried in vain to get Hall off the ground but again the Kangaroos continued to torment him on his way to the bench.
If you poke the bear for long enough, eventually he’ll get angry and this is exactly what happened.
Luckily and much to the relief of all Bulldogs fans, somehow on the brink of yet another potentially career ending fatality he remained composed. Well sort of anyway.
He’s on report for wrestling and misconduct but there is a chance that misconduct charge will be upgraded to rough conduct, making the matter far worse.
Considering he is carrying a 50% loading and has an existing poor record of 90 plus carry over points, you would have to think he’s in big trouble with the match review panel today.
He’ll have no option of an early plea either and might now end up being rubbed out for up to five weeks. That to me just doesn’t seem fair, but there the rules and Barry knows them.
“It’s disappointing but that’s just part of the game, unfortunately the rules cater for that sort of thing so you’ve just got to cop it” he said after the game.
Should there be any leniency for Barry due to the circumstances leading up to the incident?
Should the headlock sit within a misconduct charge or was the intent and force too strong for that classification?
Has Thompson acted outside the spirit of the game?
Hall left Sydney last year when he was unable to control his anger management issues, and since arriving at the Bulldogs he said less internal pressure has helped him overcome his demons, but if he can’t control external pressure or his fragile temper then what’s the point?
Clearly the chaos that unfolded on Saturday suggests he is still a serious liability on the field.
Unfortunately for Barry and the Bulldogs, it looks to be a case of when, not if, he eventually snaps again.
Michael C
Roar Guru
Redb - how about hit outs, hit outs to advantage, and win loss ratio.
Michael C
Roar Guru
actually, Hille is certainly coming good now - - he was a bit uncertain early days this season, and fair enough too on the come back from his knee injury. Essendon are starting to show some of the 'promise' that a few of us thought made them a good bet to sneak in to the 6-9 area of the ladder, the DONkeys might just do it, especially if say Brisbane and Sydney continue to be blighted by injuries during this critical mid-season period.
JK
Guest
Do you spend alot of time picking out women's clothes?
oikee
Guest
I have got a nice mini skirt picked out for Big Bad Barry's next game, nice pink one. :) A grown man, no-where left to hide, reduced to wearing mini skirts and playing kiss in the ring. :)
Michael C
Roar Guru
I can't believe the mungrel Hall got off. That is an absolute joke. This is a ridiculous move and I hope the AFL sends 'please explain' letters to messers Eade and Ratten. Ridiculous, absolutely amazing. I can only assume the MRC didn't want to send Hall packing for a month, so, instead effectively have given him not even a slap on the wrist!!!! Hall can NOT be allowed to continue behaving in such a way - - there is no place on the footy field for that behaviour. And anyone not happy with Scott Thompson ought, like Mike Sheehan has suggested, be instead questioning the inaction of the 3rd umpire who continues to be dragged away from where we were told the 3rd umpire would be picking up on the free kicks infringements in such areas when they were justified and introduced. Jeff Gieschen you need to accept a heap of blame,....not Scott Thompson......Thommo simply did what he was able to get away with.......seems Barry Hall did too!!!!!
Redb
Guest
$4,000 fine for Hall, no suspension. Good. Thompson got off scot free - joke!
Michael C
Roar Guru
exciting though....ain't it!!
gazz
Roar Pro
Not sure what Barry Hall was supposed to do after being pushed over when tying up his shoelaces. But I do know grabbing the bloke and putting him a 30-second headlock wasn't the right thing. He's gotta go for a couple. Shame really.
Michael C
Roar Guru
This is a snippet from an article describing the Denmark vs South AFrica international cup match down at Geelong in 2008. witnessed incidents of the sort that would have been taking place on hundreds of grounds around the country at the same time. Khaya Sikiti cheekily nudging opponent Rene Damborg and unbalancing him as he attempted to tie his bootlaces during a break in play. I could hear the smack of flesh as Erik Krolmark bumped his minder Odin Williams in the side while play was confined to the opposite end of the field. ........now, let's say Barry Hall hadn't carried on like a big sook......and we might describe how Thompson cheekily nudged Barry Hall off balance whilst he was attempting to tie his bootlaces,...........somehow, me thinx there's something about Barry that would never allow it to not progress past that....... Scott Thompson 1 Barry Hall 0.
adam
Guest
I am most certainly a Dogs supporter, and was dubious, actually upset about the signing of Barry Hall (made no sense as we had the number 1 offence in the competition last year) at the end of last year. Having said that I think, unfortunately, Barry Hall has to go down (maybe for two games). His aggresive reaction was ten fold that of Thompson's provocation. I know he was trying to ignore it at first but if every player who is being niggled attempts to tear a guys head off, we'd be reporting deaths not injuries. Also Barry has showed overt aggression in every one of his nine games this year for the Doggies, it was only a matter of time. Even when he was supposedly trying to innocently make his way from the field he was heading towards onrushing Norths players with a raised elbow trying to make surreptitious contact. Last week against the Swans after he took a mark he came down and raised his elbow toward a Swanee who stood too close, for too long, near his landing path. The guy just doesn't know passive humility, every time I've seen him play this season, he looks like he is seething...against Zac Dawson in the NAB cup final he was gesturing to him, and squaring up and carrying on, same with a few other defenders who seem genuinely scared of him because he is liable to throw an unannounced punch to the chops or attempt to choke them to death....Hall(marks) of a bully.
Redb
Roar Guru
Not always, Ryder struggled in the ruck at times on Sat night, as soon as Hille went back into the centre we got the clearance. Good to have alternate mobile ruckmen who can also take contested marks and kicks goals.
Redb
Roar Guru
career stats: Dean Brogan 47 goals (150 games) David Hille 117 goals (158 games)
Redb
Roar Guru
To put Hille's all round contribution in perspective against the ruckmen with similiar experience as you listed: David Hille 117 goals (from 158 games) Dean Cox 97 goals (188 games) Aaron Sandilands 55 goals (144 games) Darren Jolly 75 goals (175 games)
Michael C
Roar Guru
the dilemma is to have these incidents adjudicated in real time to avoid a build up situation. In this case, if Thompson used illegal niggle tactics prior to the 'explosion', then, that would've been nipped in the bud,......however, if Thompson was within his rights, then,....simply a case of judge the incident on it's merits. One thing we know for sure - - - had it been Nick Riewoldt being bumped over, he'd have ensured that the umpire saw it and that he got a free kick out of it!!!
Michael C
Roar Guru
does that justify Hall's A. initial response? (perhaps??) B. the length of Hall's response? (to me, not at all, and that's what'll get Hall done).
BennO
Guest
"Perhaps the Goal umpires — who in the past had the power to report – - might be given the power to pay a free kick??" that sounds like a good idea but I imagine the continuity of the game would be hammered if the goal umps were making calls for off the ball incidents happeningg 80 metres from the play? Perhaps they could get booked by the review panel and only get some carry over points so if they niggle too much game after game then they might accumulate points for a one match ban for a collection of stupid niggles over a few weeks. I dunno if that would work really.
Michael C
Roar Guru
that's not to say retaliation was not warranted...(or that Thompson shouldn't also be cited,...for something)....but, Hall went on with it for too long, plain and simple. that will see him miss games. However, given 2 weeks back was it that he suggested that he might need a bit of a break......well......he get's to do with and keep his 'hard man' reputation intact!!!! Everyone's a winner!! ;-)
Michael C
Roar Guru
Ess play their best clearance footy when Ryder is rucking.
Michael C
Roar Guru
Redb - are you picking on us for home crowds?? Keep mindful our home matches this year - - - 11 games to host in Melb........there's 15 teams in the league, and we get to host the following WCE, Syd, Ade, Bris, Port and Fremantle. So, 6 of our 11 games to host are the 6 interstate teams out of 15. Gonna suggest we might have an ordinary home attendance this year!!! and of the Vic teams we get to host Melb, Doggies, and not until Rnd 12 do we get Carlton, Ess in Rnd 17 and StK in Rnd 20. Now - - just ask, people with busy schedules.......what games are you going to mark down at the start of the year as priority games to attend?? Last year home avg was just under 28K, so far this year, just over 23K. We'll do well to improve on that!!! The Bris, Port and Freo games......total of 50K between them?? btw - we also have 5 interstate trips. (last year 6).
manny
Guest
Are you allowed to put people in headlocks if you're provoked? Wouldnt have thought so?!