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I'm innocent: Hall
By Nikki Tugwell
June 02, 2004
BARRY HALL will plead not guilty to striking Chris Grant when he fronts the AFL Tribunal tonight, with the case resting heavily on the testimony of the Bulldogs' captain.
Should Hall be found guilty, the Swans, already with just 26 fit players on their list, will be left with a massive hole in their forward structure for Sunday's match against undefeated St Kilda at the SCG.
The Swans requested the tribunal hearing be postponed for 24 hours until tonight to build an adequate defence for the star centre half-forward.
The AFL has warned clubs about giving honest evidence in an attempt to stamp out the long-standing culture of players protecting fellow players at the tribunal. Tonight's hearing will test the AFL's crackdown, whereby witnesses now risk suspension for giving unsatisfactory evidence.
Television cameras did not capture the behind-the-play incident and tonight chairman Brian Collis QC will want to know why Grant fell to the turf holding his head in the fourth quarter on Saturday night.
Hall will attend tonight's hearing in Melbourne.
"We'll present the case the best we can and Barry will be pleading not guilty," Swans football operations manager Andrew Ireland said.
The former Saint has not been suspended since a round-15 incident in 2002 when he received a five-match penalty.
AFL investigations officer Rick Lewis interviewed Grant and Hall on Monday after a field umpire lodged an incident referral form over the behind-play clash.
The AFL also summonsed at least one witness, believed to be from the Western Bulldogs, who has also been interviewed about the incident.
The AFL does not intend calling any other witnesses tonight except Grant and Hall, although evidence from the "secret" witness is likely to be tabled.
The Swans had not determined last night whether they would call additional witnesses.
With eight minutes remaining in the Swans-Bulldogs game, cameras zoomed in on Hall standing 1 1/2 metres in front of Grant. When the camera returned seven seconds later, Grant was on the ground on all fours. The field umpire in the background in clear view has his sights fixed upfield throughout the alleged incident. No report was laid by the umpire at the time.
St Kilda's Nick Dal Santo is available to take on Sydney on Sunday after he and Carlton's Simon Wiggins were fined by the tribunal last night for colliding with an umpire.
By Nikki Tugwell
June 02, 2004
BARRY HALL will plead not guilty to striking Chris Grant when he fronts the AFL Tribunal tonight, with the case resting heavily on the testimony of the Bulldogs' captain.
Should Hall be found guilty, the Swans, already with just 26 fit players on their list, will be left with a massive hole in their forward structure for Sunday's match against undefeated St Kilda at the SCG.
The Swans requested the tribunal hearing be postponed for 24 hours until tonight to build an adequate defence for the star centre half-forward.
The AFL has warned clubs about giving honest evidence in an attempt to stamp out the long-standing culture of players protecting fellow players at the tribunal. Tonight's hearing will test the AFL's crackdown, whereby witnesses now risk suspension for giving unsatisfactory evidence.
Television cameras did not capture the behind-the-play incident and tonight chairman Brian Collis QC will want to know why Grant fell to the turf holding his head in the fourth quarter on Saturday night.
Hall will attend tonight's hearing in Melbourne.
"We'll present the case the best we can and Barry will be pleading not guilty," Swans football operations manager Andrew Ireland said.
The former Saint has not been suspended since a round-15 incident in 2002 when he received a five-match penalty.
AFL investigations officer Rick Lewis interviewed Grant and Hall on Monday after a field umpire lodged an incident referral form over the behind-play clash.
The AFL also summonsed at least one witness, believed to be from the Western Bulldogs, who has also been interviewed about the incident.
The AFL does not intend calling any other witnesses tonight except Grant and Hall, although evidence from the "secret" witness is likely to be tabled.
The Swans had not determined last night whether they would call additional witnesses.
With eight minutes remaining in the Swans-Bulldogs game, cameras zoomed in on Hall standing 1 1/2 metres in front of Grant. When the camera returned seven seconds later, Grant was on the ground on all fours. The field umpire in the background in clear view has his sights fixed upfield throughout the alleged incident. No report was laid by the umpire at the time.
St Kilda's Nick Dal Santo is available to take on Sydney on Sunday after he and Carlton's Simon Wiggins were fined by the tribunal last night for colliding with an umpire.
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