Barry Halls K.O.

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no one likes biffo more than me, but a cheap shot is the work of a coward. pity he didnt hit his head harder on the rail. it may have knocked some sense into this dog.

[SubJimbo]

Go the Blues! Yeahhhhhh!

I tipped Freo to win over there... So I got 7/8 this week for tips

[CADSKY]

Originally Posted by Woz

In the short video that's been repeatedly shown of Barry belting Brent Staker, Barry tries twice to break Staker's hold. Everyone's argument has been that Barry hit Staker behind play. If it's so far behind play, why was Staker holding Hall? And if you watch where Staker's hands end up just before Barry turns around and swings, Staker grabs him by the throat.

Barry shouldn't have thrown the punch, but Staker was asking for a reaction. To say it was unprevoked or that Staker was unsuspecting or innocent is way out of line. He got more than he deserved, but he knew who he was hassling and probably would have been better off expecting the worst. They didn't dub him "Big Bad Barry" for nothing.

finally, someone that can read the play the way it was, someone who can see ALL the details, not just the obvious. 100% agree

[uranium_death]

Originally Posted by xr8svo

Barry hall is a player up there with the likes of Anthony Rocca, Jeff Farmer, Brendon Fevola and the like who show up one in ten game if they lucky and rarely perform on the big stage when it needed but for some reason they get all this hype about how great they are. I have no problem with 2 bloke throwing punches and the like but a cheap shot like that is just cowardly he should be banned for the rest of the season.

Rubbish.

Brendan Fevola for a long time has been one of few Carlton players to perform consistently.
Yes, he lacks discipline on a massive level, but he won a Coleman medal, and has come close to a couple more. That's not flash in the pan stuff. He's been a good player for years.
Over the past two weeks, he has kicked a total of 15 goals. I don't call that "turning up one in every 10".

Your claims on Rocca and Farmer are fairly accurate though, with Farmer being hot and cold for years, and Anthony Rocca would be considered mediocre if he didn't play for Collingwood. Saverio was far better. Sav would have been rated far higher had he played his entire career for Collingwood, rather than a comparatively obscure club such as the Kangaroos.

But Fevola is a player I would easily put in my club. He's a bloody good player, and he's shown it many times over many games.

[tel408]

If barry hall needs to smack people out to get the ball, shows how much of an ape and f%$#ing moron he is. We all like a bit of biff now and again, but that was an idiot at his hight. He should fight mundine if he cant play!

[Woz]

Where did all the people come from who decided to say Barry Hall can't play? I do believe his stats speak for themselves. Yes, he did the wrong thing. Yes, he deserves to be suspended. Yes, the West Coast Eagles had every right to wanna rough him up any chance they got. And yes, perhaps it was even karma that saw him run into the barrier and break his wrist. But no, he's not a dud, he's not an ape and he's actually quite good at what he does. He's not the first player to do this sort of thing and he won't be the last.

It's comments like those that just go to show the quality of lifeform that decide to offer their opinion on these sort of topics.

And not one person who's commented on Hall's lack of ability or his ape-like demeanor has made comment of the actions that provoked the punch. Considering how just last year alone saw the Eagle's in the paper for Michael Braun's dropping of the F-bomb behind a microphone infront of thousands of viewers, Adam Selwood's comments to Des Headland about his six year old daughter and of course Ben Cousins being banned from the league after repeated offences, I wouldn't be surprised if it was part of the sides gameplan to get Barry Hall to flare up in an attempt to get him off the ground. It certainly suits the non-chalant way in which they've approached the game lately and perhaps, missing so many quality players through injury and whatnot, they decided it'd be better for them to get a few decent Swans off the ground as early as possible (it was a first quarter incident).

Saying that Barry Hall had to hit Brent Staker because it's the only way he could have an affect on the sport is ridiculous and pathetic. The words of simple minds.

[DirtyHarry]

Barry's a big boy.

Staker had it coming. 4 seconds before Hall hit him he was massaging Hall's left breast and dry humping him like he was in love.

LOL at the way Adam Hunter took a run at him after he decked Staker. Hunter just bounced off Hall and landed on his behind as though he'd run into a brick wall. Then Hall pushed Waters out of the way like a wet towel.

[SubJimbo]

The people that are calling Barry Hall a "Brute", And it being a "Cowardly", Are the same people that have helped shaped this modern football era into a bunch of soft. These days, A player hits a player straight down the middle, One of the most sweetest hip and shoulders you will ever see, And they will get pinged for it.

They should just bring in a rule called "Excessive Force", Hit somebody too hard, And the free is against you.

These days are stupid, Did you heard the crouds reaction in the Carlton game when ther was a bit of biff going around after Marc Murphy got hit? They went nuts..! Players getting into scuffles reallly gets the adrenaline pumping, and provides a great level of entertainment for the fans.

We cant bring up our kids in an ideal world, Where there is no violence, nobody gets hit. etc. They will need to be exposed to it someday. Its not like they will see this on TV, Then go around beating people up, And if they do, They will learn their lesson. Its hurts too.

[Mont5.0]

i didnt see a knock out punch? I saw a nice jaw shot that put the defender on the ground. (not out cold-but sitting up right) Hall with his boxing experience would have laid that bloke out cold if he had intended to knock him out.

[goldfire]

No matter how much you "Love" barry hall or whatever, the guy meant to with all intention hit staker, and as such should be suspended for atleast 6 months if not whole season.

He's got a major track history of this and yet the afl does little.

Had it been a true "accident" you know eyes on the ball or something ok, mistake and accidents happen. Watch the vid hall turned and swung. Deliberate, calculated and un sportsmanlike. He could've really hurt staker maybe ruining his full season.

[Mont5.0]

And Hall wasnt provoked in any way?

[RG]

I'm trying to figure out how some of you people think that Staker was unsuspecting or that is was behind play? Lets look at the facts;

• Staker was all over Hall like he was in love
• Hall tried to get Staker off him repeatedly
• Staker appears to grab Hall's throat
• Hall wound up from last Tuesday so anyone could see it coming
• Hall is a boxer, so if he wanted to K.O Staker he would have

How was it a "sucker punch"? It was a true left hook, nothing sneaky there and Staker should have expected it the way he was hanging on, something that the Eagles like to do which IMO is just not Football.

[Mont5.0]

Totally agreed!!

[RG]

Just to clarify things I am not a Sydney supporter, in fact I hate Sydney with their ugly slow tactics. I just don't see how it is as bad as some of you make out, Staker is not such an innocent in all of this.

[Mont5.0]

punching is frequent in all forms of football. Hall has admitted his mistake, and will be punished accordingly. As stated previously- it is bad for the game's, but thats what a lot of the fans have come to know and many enjoy the physical contact. I am not defending what he did- but must admit it was good to watch.

[Woz]

In regards to a couple of comments, I'm not a Sydney supporter and am also another one who hates Sydney's style of play over the last three or four years with they're flooding and low scoring. I'm a Geelong supporter, so after Nick Davis popped that goal at the end of the 2005 semi-final to destroy Geelong's chances at a Grand Final, I've got even more of a hatred for the Swans.

My opinion is that of a footy fan, not a Swans or a Barry Hall fan.

The biggest problem with the AFL is that it is now a sport for boys, not the men who once played it, and it is ruled by the parents who complain about rough treatment. The Biffs, Bumps and Brawls videos were successful because people liked to see the hard hits, but once the average age in the AFL dropped like it has, no one wanted to see their precious young'uns copping a tap and everything had to change to suit those people who will eventually destroy the league.

[DirtyHarry]

^^^^^^

Besides which, Staker is a sheila.

[adrianb]

Hall should cop 6 weeks or more for this. A bit of push and shove and physical play (either on or off the ball) is good for the game - flat out swinging punches out of nowhere isn't footy.

Staker wasn't even looking at Hall when he got swung at and definitely wouldn't have been expecting a full-on punch. If blokes fire up on the field and are toe to toe and want to swing then fair enough but to be throwing punches mid-play is rubbish - Hall was not even man enough to size up in front of him but just swings out of nowhere. Man up and punch on like a man, don't swing when the guy isn't looking like a pussy.

What do people want - forget football skills and make it last man standing?

[Scott]

I lost interest in AFL years ago because it just got too soft. Great to see some fire in the game though it would have been nice if it wasn't a sucker punch. Great idea, poorly executed.

[johnnyb]

Originally Posted by MrXhUteMan

And Hall wasnt provoked in any way?

he is a professional footballer

every single player is provoked every game

he is a thug

[pro408]

If the dumb *** Umpires would pay a free kick just one in ten times that Barry hall is being held onto so he can't lead he would not have lost his cool !!!!!

What he did was dumb, but you can see him looking at the umpire when he is being held then when he hits Stacker the umpire is about 3 metres away where was the free kick???

[cuz]

Originally Posted by Russell

I'm trying to figure out how some of you people think that Staker was unsuspecting or that is was behind play? Lets look at the facts;

• Staker was all over Hall like he was in love
• Hall tried to get Staker off him repeatedly
• Staker appears to grab Hall's throat
• Hall wound up from last Tuesday so anyone could see it coming
• Hall is a boxer, so if he wanted to K.O Staker he would have

How was it a "sucker punch"? It was a true left hook, nothing sneaky there and Staker should have expected it the way he was hanging on, something that the Eagles like to do which IMO is just not Football.

I agree. Baz only just nicked him anyway. A bloke in Cairns saw it coming and ducked. If Baz had had a real brain explosion, he would have thrown more than one punch.
Yes Hall should and will get suspended for it, punching anyone is unacceptable but please don't do what the media do and beat it up into the cheap shot king hit of the decade. I've been unlucky enough to have watched a fair bit of AFL over the years and its getting softer and softer every year. Having said that, most of the 'old school' footage I've seen, when the 'Real men' played, is just full of off the ball cheap shots and king hits.
I've also see a couple of the charity boxing matches set up between the rugby and AFL blokes... A bit one sided to say the least : :

[prydey]

the afl is one big contradiction at the moment. some of the footage they show to promote the great game is full of hard hitting blokes going at each other and yet any sign of contact now and there's clowns running round with whistles making out they've just saved everyone from world war 3.

i'm surprised anyone even aspires to be a forward or backman these days. all these new rules about hands in the back, chopping the arms etc will ruin the game.

in my opinion, staker had it coming. what eventually came was probably a bit harsh but i'm not sure barry intended it that way. to me it looked like he wasn't even looking where he was swinging. just turned around and threw a blind punch and unfortunately it met stakers head. i wouldn't call it a k.o. either.

the game is full of these nancy cowardly type players who feel the need to hang on to your jumper and niggle you at every opportunity and expect nothing in return. if you want to get all touchy feely then expect some retaliation.

living in adelaide i don't get to see a lot of rugby but one of the sporting highlights of the year for me is state of origin. now thats some real footy played by real men. having spent 13yrs in qld, naturally i barrack for the maroons.

[DoreSlamR]

Staker had it coming.....Yeah Hollyfield had it coming when Tyson bit his ear off too. sheesh.....


It's called tagging you gits. yeah it's a pain in the but that Niggling has been a part of AFL, VFL WAFL, SANFL whatever FL for ever. and it aint gonna disappear. Back in your "hayday" dropping a tagger for ****ing you off may be kosher...but these days its a profession..theres got to be a degree of safety.

Whatever happens..the AFL will make an example out of Hall.... and what they say sticks. And in this case, they're right.

Start getting out the bridge building gear fellas.

[muppet]

Didn't some other guy punch a bloke in the head in another game on the week end. How come no one is calling calling for that guy to be banned for 6 to 8 weeks.

[Woz]

Originally Posted by DoreSlamR

Staker had it coming.....Yeah Hollyfield had it coming when Tyson bit his ear off too. sheesh.....


It's called tagging you gits. yeah it's a pain in the but that Niggling has been a part of AFL, VFL WAFL, SANFL whatever FL for ever. and it aint gonna disappear. Back in your "hayday" dropping a tagger for ****ing you off may be kosher...but these days its a profession..theres got to be a degree of safety.

Whatever happens..the AFL will make an example out of Hall.... and what they say sticks. And in this case, they're right.

Start getting out the bridge building gear fellas.

Mate, what Staker was doing wasn't tagging. It was holding the man. It was making sure Barry wasn't gonna get a run at the ball and it was pathetic. Tagging's a handful of jumper or a lock-up of arms to keep your opponent from getting an early launch towards the play. Not holding both arms around your opponent so he can't move at all.

[Bucket]

I thought it was Hillarious, especially in slow motion, not that I will tell my Girlfriend's Family that (Avid Eagles/Dockers Fans...Hate Swans)...let alone utter it aloud in Perth or the rest of Western Australia for that fact...they don't like it when their team gets walloped and smacked in the face on top of that....salt in the wounds...but Damn funny!!

[prydey]

Originally Posted by Woz

Mate, what Staker was doing wasn't tagging. It was holding the man. It was making sure Barry wasn't gonna get a run at the ball and it was pathetic. Tagging's a handful of jumper or a lock-up of arms to keep your opponent from getting an early launch towards the play. Not holding both arms around your opponent so he can't move at all.

exactly. have a look at some of the best defenders who have played and are playing the game and very rarely do they have to stoop to those sort of levels.

[uranium_death]

Originally Posted by prydey

exactly. have a look at some of the best defenders who have played and are playing the game and very rarely do they have to stoop to those sort of levels.

And that's why Harry O'Brien will never be any good based on his current methods.
He holds the man and grabs jumpers, and gets away with it. The umpires must be blind, or due to politics in sport, are afraid to do squat.

[BZINGA]

Well he gets 7 weeks for that, what a joke. Ben Johnson got 6 weeks late last year for a hip & shoulder bump ( which was high but have seen worse ) and a 1 week difference. Umpires and the AFL tribunal i will never understand.