Barry Hall is retiring at the end of the season. Apparently he wishes to be remembered as a Dog not a Swan. I will remember him as a thuggish brute. Bitter much? You bet your arse I am.
He's a guy who should have never been allowed to compete in the 2005 Grand Final. He punched Matt McGuire in the guts about 100m off the ball in the preliminary final. Incredibly, he wasn't suspended. It's not a stretch to think we would have won the 05 premiership if Hall didn't play in the ultimate game of the season. In my mind, it not only robbed us, but tainted the league and the tribunal process in terms of objectivity.
It's interesting to consider that if the incident wasn't during the finals if he would have been suspended. How about if he didn't play for Sydney, a franchise in desperate need of success? If it were the Q who had thumped a defender would he have been allowed to play?
I argue 'hell to the no'.
Yet, it was barely mentioned in the aftermath of the Swans victory and Hall's vital performance. It wasn't convenient for the narrative the Victorian AFL media wanted to write: An amazing win by the underdog against a much more talented side. The Swans had great spirit, brilliant coaching...blah blah blah....(Walls holding a book over his pants to conceal arousal.)
Then there was Hall's definining moment in 2008. His K.O punch of Staker. The incident speaks for itself. It was assault, plain and simple. It was brutish and disgraceful.
So whilst the media fawn over 'Big Bad Bustling', I say good riddance to one of the game's most violent, dangerous, sociopathic players.
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