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Hall talks the talk but doesn't walk
By Richard Hinds
June 3, 2004
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Sydney full-forward Barry Hall is free to play against his former team St Kilda in Sunday's crucial match after being cleared by the AFL tribunal last night of striking the Bulldogs' Chris Grant last Saturday.
The result came as a major relief to the tough forward, who had had six guilty verdicts from his previous nine tribunal appearances. "I'm just pretty happy with the result," Hall said. "Look forward to St Kilda now."
However the outcome is likely to cause some unease among AFL officials who are trying to break down the tribunal "code of silence", where players are traditionally reluctant to give evidence against opposition players.
The charge against Hall was brought after an investigation into an off-the-ball incident 17 minutes into the last quarter of the match at the SCG in which Grant went to the ground holding his face with Hall standing nearby.
With no videotape evidence, and only one eyewitness - the Swans assistant coach John Longmire - the tribunal was forced to rely almost exclusively on the evidence of the two players to reach its verdict.
Grant had told AFL investigations officer Rick Lewis that he had felt contact to the side of the neck or collarbone from Hall as they grappled to take front position, but could not tell if he had been hit with an arm or elbow.
At the tribunal, Grant described Hall's contact as "more of a pushing motion". "He's a big boy and we pushed each other for most of the night," said Grant, who told the tribunal he had been holding his head while on the ground because he was shocked by the force of the push.
With the ball about 45 metres away, Hall said he had simply been trying to maintain front position as he jostled with Grant so that he would be in the best spot to take a mark when the ball came toward him. "John Longmire had got up me a bit at three-quarter-time to stay in front," Hall said.
Hall demonstrated to the tribunal a fending action in which he claimed he could have struck Grant with his shoulder or triceps.
In his statement to Lewis, he had said he was surprised Grant had gone to ground and had said on the night: "You deserve a Grammy. You just dived, you weak c---."
Before bringing the charge, Lewis interviewed several players and officials including Bulldog Rohan Smith who had remonstrated with Hall after the incident, a physio and trainer who had come to Grant's aid and two umpires. However, while one umpire claimed Smith had said on the night that Hall had "whacked" Grant, none of those interviewed except Longmire said they had seen the incident.
In a veiled reference to the code of silence, tribunal chairman Brian Collis said the tribunal was not simply bound by the evidence put before it, but was also entitled to "draw reasonable inferences on the basis of that evidence".
However, while no one was able to reasonably explain why Grant had gone to ground, Collis accepted the evidence of the players. The fact Grant had suffered no serious injury and that the pair were engaged in a genuine battle for front position also weighed in Hall's favour.
By Richard Hinds
June 3, 2004
Page Tools
Email to a friend Printer format
Sydney full-forward Barry Hall is free to play against his former team St Kilda in Sunday's crucial match after being cleared by the AFL tribunal last night of striking the Bulldogs' Chris Grant last Saturday.
The result came as a major relief to the tough forward, who had had six guilty verdicts from his previous nine tribunal appearances. "I'm just pretty happy with the result," Hall said. "Look forward to St Kilda now."
However the outcome is likely to cause some unease among AFL officials who are trying to break down the tribunal "code of silence", where players are traditionally reluctant to give evidence against opposition players.
The charge against Hall was brought after an investigation into an off-the-ball incident 17 minutes into the last quarter of the match at the SCG in which Grant went to the ground holding his face with Hall standing nearby.
With no videotape evidence, and only one eyewitness - the Swans assistant coach John Longmire - the tribunal was forced to rely almost exclusively on the evidence of the two players to reach its verdict.
Grant had told AFL investigations officer Rick Lewis that he had felt contact to the side of the neck or collarbone from Hall as they grappled to take front position, but could not tell if he had been hit with an arm or elbow.
At the tribunal, Grant described Hall's contact as "more of a pushing motion". "He's a big boy and we pushed each other for most of the night," said Grant, who told the tribunal he had been holding his head while on the ground because he was shocked by the force of the push.
With the ball about 45 metres away, Hall said he had simply been trying to maintain front position as he jostled with Grant so that he would be in the best spot to take a mark when the ball came toward him. "John Longmire had got up me a bit at three-quarter-time to stay in front," Hall said.
Hall demonstrated to the tribunal a fending action in which he claimed he could have struck Grant with his shoulder or triceps.
In his statement to Lewis, he had said he was surprised Grant had gone to ground and had said on the night: "You deserve a Grammy. You just dived, you weak c---."
Before bringing the charge, Lewis interviewed several players and officials including Bulldog Rohan Smith who had remonstrated with Hall after the incident, a physio and trainer who had come to Grant's aid and two umpires. However, while one umpire claimed Smith had said on the night that Hall had "whacked" Grant, none of those interviewed except Longmire said they had seen the incident.
In a veiled reference to the code of silence, tribunal chairman Brian Collis said the tribunal was not simply bound by the evidence put before it, but was also entitled to "draw reasonable inferences on the basis of that evidence".
However, while no one was able to reasonably explain why Grant had gone to ground, Collis accepted the evidence of the players. The fact Grant had suffered no serious injury and that the pair were engaged in a genuine battle for front position also weighed in Hall's favour.
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