30 May 2004 Herald Sun
AAP
SYDNEY faces an anxious wait to see if reformed AFL firebrand Barry Hall fell off the wagon and belted Western Bulldogs captain Chris Grant behind the play at the SCG on Saturday night.
The video review should explain why Hall's opponent Grant ended up doubled-over late in the match while play continued at the other end of the ground.
Bulldogs coach Peter Rohde said after his side's 26-point loss to the Swans said that he is interested in viewing the footage.
And he won't be the only one.
If Sydney lose Hall to suspension for its showdown on Sunday with the unbeaten St Kilda it will be a crippling blow to the Swans chances, especially after losing Jason Saddington for the rest of the season to a knee injury.
But it's believed video of the incident is unavailable as the broadcast followed the ball.
That would mean the AFL could call on the players to give evidence and they are usually loathe to implicate each other.
Grant was principally responsible for one of Hall's more forgettable outings this season, restricting him to one goal before the Swans spearhead was forced to the bench under the blood rule with a few minutes remaining.
Before that a few umpiring decisions went against him, particularly when Ryan Hargrave flew high off Hall's head using his knee in a violent marking contest.
His clash with Grant was the last in series of events in the last quarter that had the accomplished boxer doing his best to harness his famous temper of old.
Sydney coach Paul Roos said he could understand Hall's predicament late in the match and admitted to sending out messages to his leading goal kicker to keep his cool.
"As a forward you can get frustrated when you are not scoring - if you are kicking 1.4 instead of 4.1," Roos said.
"At times he did get a bit frustrated.
"He's just got to keep going and normally he does.
"I think he's been terrific at it (controlling his temper), he's certainly learning how to cope with it.
"It's just something that he has to keep putting up with, I guess."
But having said that, Roos couldn't shed any light on the Hall-Grant clash.
"You are not looking behind the play when you are coaching so I honestly don't know what happened."
AAP
SYDNEY faces an anxious wait to see if reformed AFL firebrand Barry Hall fell off the wagon and belted Western Bulldogs captain Chris Grant behind the play at the SCG on Saturday night.
The video review should explain why Hall's opponent Grant ended up doubled-over late in the match while play continued at the other end of the ground.
Bulldogs coach Peter Rohde said after his side's 26-point loss to the Swans said that he is interested in viewing the footage.
And he won't be the only one.
If Sydney lose Hall to suspension for its showdown on Sunday with the unbeaten St Kilda it will be a crippling blow to the Swans chances, especially after losing Jason Saddington for the rest of the season to a knee injury.
But it's believed video of the incident is unavailable as the broadcast followed the ball.
That would mean the AFL could call on the players to give evidence and they are usually loathe to implicate each other.
Grant was principally responsible for one of Hall's more forgettable outings this season, restricting him to one goal before the Swans spearhead was forced to the bench under the blood rule with a few minutes remaining.
Before that a few umpiring decisions went against him, particularly when Ryan Hargrave flew high off Hall's head using his knee in a violent marking contest.
His clash with Grant was the last in series of events in the last quarter that had the accomplished boxer doing his best to harness his famous temper of old.
Sydney coach Paul Roos said he could understand Hall's predicament late in the match and admitted to sending out messages to his leading goal kicker to keep his cool.
"As a forward you can get frustrated when you are not scoring - if you are kicking 1.4 instead of 4.1," Roos said.
"At times he did get a bit frustrated.
"He's just got to keep going and normally he does.
"I think he's been terrific at it (controlling his temper), he's certainly learning how to cope with it.
"It's just something that he has to keep putting up with, I guess."
But having said that, Roos couldn't shed any light on the Hall-Grant clash.
"You are not looking behind the play when you are coaching so I honestly don't know what happened."
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