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Please Barry ... don't go changing
By Swans coach Paul Roos
June 4, 2004
I WON'T be telling Barry Hall to change the way he's been playing this season just because he appeared at the AFL tribunal this week for the 10th time in his career.
Instead it will the same message as usual before our big game against the red hot 10-0 St Kilda Saints about playing hard, playing physical and playing within the rules like he has been all season.
Just as I'm sure St Kilda coach Grant Thomas won't be telling his players before Sunday to stop playing their physical brand of football.
We talk to Barry regularly about how we want him to perform and how we want him to play because he's such an important part of the team.
I'll be talking to him again this week as part of our normal procedures and not because of his tribunal appearance.
We are very happy with his form this year and we are happy with most things he does and I believe Barry has really turned the corner when it comes keeping his aggression on the footy field under control.
However, both Barry and I know there's plenty of room for improvement in his game and like other players in the team we are constantly working together on his flaws and weaknesses.
But certainly for Barry to play his best football he has to get to contests and he's got to be physical in the one-on-one battles.
He's leading the contested marks this year which is a big improvement to his game and something Barry has been focusing on.
The contested mark is all about body contact and a lot of pushing and shoving and we are really encouraging Barry to play this way.
That body contact between he and Western Bulldogs defender Chris Grant last Saturday night resulted in Barry fronting up to the tribunal.
But as both Barry and Chris Grant stated at the tribunal that contact did not equal a strike from Barry.
If you look at the history of the game physical, aggressive forwards battling with tough rugged defenders have always attracted a lot of attention.
I'm certainly not expecting Barry to change this aspect of his game now and we hope he can take plenty of contested marks against St Kilda and put a lot of pressure on their defenders.
I want Barry involved in a lot of body contact and playing with that controlled aggression like he has all year while sticking to playing within the rules. It gives everyone in the team a boost when he's dominating in that fashion.
Fraser Gehrig is another big, powerful forward and we expect him to be pushing and shoving our defenders in the contest on Sunday afternoon. I think St Kilda has been thriving on his energy this season.
Brisbane's Alastair Lynch plays that way, as does Melbourne's David Neitz and Port Adelaide's Warren Tredrea.
Big forwards are always going to attract a lot of physical contact during a game and providing it's legitimate and within the rules I don't think anyone will have a problem with it.
Players from both teams involved in these physical battles can get a little frustrated at times but I think most potentially explosive situations can be quickly defused if the umpires call the free kicks.
That's all every coach and every player wants from the umpires. Nothing more and nothing less.
The Daily Telegraph
By Swans coach Paul Roos
June 4, 2004
I WON'T be telling Barry Hall to change the way he's been playing this season just because he appeared at the AFL tribunal this week for the 10th time in his career.
Instead it will the same message as usual before our big game against the red hot 10-0 St Kilda Saints about playing hard, playing physical and playing within the rules like he has been all season.
Just as I'm sure St Kilda coach Grant Thomas won't be telling his players before Sunday to stop playing their physical brand of football.
We talk to Barry regularly about how we want him to perform and how we want him to play because he's such an important part of the team.
I'll be talking to him again this week as part of our normal procedures and not because of his tribunal appearance.
We are very happy with his form this year and we are happy with most things he does and I believe Barry has really turned the corner when it comes keeping his aggression on the footy field under control.
However, both Barry and I know there's plenty of room for improvement in his game and like other players in the team we are constantly working together on his flaws and weaknesses.
But certainly for Barry to play his best football he has to get to contests and he's got to be physical in the one-on-one battles.
He's leading the contested marks this year which is a big improvement to his game and something Barry has been focusing on.
The contested mark is all about body contact and a lot of pushing and shoving and we are really encouraging Barry to play this way.
That body contact between he and Western Bulldogs defender Chris Grant last Saturday night resulted in Barry fronting up to the tribunal.
But as both Barry and Chris Grant stated at the tribunal that contact did not equal a strike from Barry.
If you look at the history of the game physical, aggressive forwards battling with tough rugged defenders have always attracted a lot of attention.
I'm certainly not expecting Barry to change this aspect of his game now and we hope he can take plenty of contested marks against St Kilda and put a lot of pressure on their defenders.
I want Barry involved in a lot of body contact and playing with that controlled aggression like he has all year while sticking to playing within the rules. It gives everyone in the team a boost when he's dominating in that fashion.
Fraser Gehrig is another big, powerful forward and we expect him to be pushing and shoving our defenders in the contest on Sunday afternoon. I think St Kilda has been thriving on his energy this season.
Brisbane's Alastair Lynch plays that way, as does Melbourne's David Neitz and Port Adelaide's Warren Tredrea.
Big forwards are always going to attract a lot of physical contact during a game and providing it's legitimate and within the rules I don't think anyone will have a problem with it.
Players from both teams involved in these physical battles can get a little frustrated at times but I think most potentially explosive situations can be quickly defused if the umpires call the free kicks.
That's all every coach and every player wants from the umpires. Nothing more and nothing less.
The Daily Telegraph
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