Barry Hall receives double suspension! Out indefinitely

Big Bazza, aka T.H.U.G., also known as Sydney forward Barry Hall, has been suspended not once, but twice for his “attempted” strike of Shane Wakelin in Saturday night’s game between Collingwood and Sydney. The first came from the match review panel who based on orders from the club’s psychologist charged Barry and sentenced him to 2 weeks (which would have been one with a guilty plea):

Hall was today charged by the match review panel for attempting to strike Collingwood’s Shane Wakelin at ANZ Stadium last Saturday night and imposed with a two-game suspension.

Not long after this charge was laid down, Sydney suspended Hall indefinitely based on orders from the club’s psychologist:

“Hally won’t play this week - I’m not sure how long before he’ll play again,” Swans coach Paul Roos told a media conference this afternoon.

“He put it on the agenda that he was working on some personal issues during that first seven or eight weeks (of an earlier suspension),” Roos said.

“The unfortunate side of it is that he hasn’t been able to overcome those issues.”

“I’m not sure when he’ll play again,” Roos said.

So…thoughts on the aftermath? Well the AFL acted as I predicted, failing to step up and make a statement against Hall.

Sydney on the other hand lived up to their team first philosophy acting swiftly, as well as keeping themselves in good stead with the AFL, which will probably come in handy the next time Goodes needs protection by the match review panel.

For the team itself this shouldn’t pose too much trouble considering Hall already missed 7 games this season for his first king hit (from which they managed 4 wins, 2 losses and a draw). Obviously an inform Barry would have helped them with their torrid run home that includes games against Hawthorn, Adelaide, Western Bulldogs, Geelong, Collingwood, Carlton and Brisbane, but we all know he hasn’t been himself since the 2006 Grand Final debacle. These days no Barry simply means no free’s against, no whining, no king hits and best of all, no drama!