Is Hall finished?

[liz]

It's a bit ironic really. For years we've been wishing they wouldn't just kick to Hall, without looking for other options. Yesterday they didn't kick to Hall and we're just as frustrated.

[BSA5]

It's a bit ironic really. For years we've been wishing they wouldn't just kick to Hall, without looking for other options. Yesterday they didn't kick to Hall and we're just as frustrated.

Perhaps they got the order to not be so Hall-centric, and took it a little too far...

[Frosty13]

Scarlett has always given Hall a bit of a towelling so it's probably not the right time to write him off. However, he was a genuine liability yesterday. I reckon that we're a 5 goal better side without Hall playing.

[reigning premier]

I'd prefer magic beans.

Take the box... Take the box!!

[reigning premier]

We had one legitimate target up fwd on Saturday and guess what, we didn't kick it to him.

If I was him I'd be pissed off too. Beat Scarlett pretty much all day and could of had 8 or more shots on goal had they kicked it to him.

To say he's finished shows a clear lack of knowledge of the game. Geelong's defence weren't forced to suffocate him, we did it to him instead. Had we started kicking to Hall, suddenly, that loose man in defence becomes the guy that has to be the third man into the Hall contest. Our other fwds get a little more freedom and start running off their defenders as their all worried about Hall.

It's all very well to have a gun in the closet but if you're not prepared to load it, let alone use it, then what's the @@@@ing point?

[Plugger46]

So do you still think he will be a part of our next premiership tilt?

No.

But I also think there's a good chance that Kirk, O'Loughlin, J.Bolton, O'Keefe or Goodes will be around when we're next in contention for a flag. Do you want to get rid of all of them too?

It's not that simple. In the short term, we'll be more competitive with Hall playing.

[johnno]

We had one legitimate target up fwd on Saturday and guess what, we didn't kick it to him.

If I was him I'd be pissed off too. Beat Scarlett pretty much all day and could of had 8 or more shots on goal had they kicked it to him.

To say he's finished shows a clear lack of knowledge of the game. Geelong's defence weren't forced to suffocate him, we did it to him instead. Had we started kicking to Hall, suddenly, that loose man in defence becomes the guy that has to be the third man into the Hall contest. Our other fwds get a little more freedom and start running off their defenders as their all worried about Hall.

It's all very well to have a gun in the closet but if you're not prepared to load it, let alone use it, then what's the @@@@ing point?

I was at the game on Saturday afternoon too and I couldent agree more with that comment, you cannot blame Hall for what happened. I'll point out the differences that I saw on the weekend between Hall and Mooney/Hawkins. Whenever Mooney/Hawkins had just a half metre break on their respective opponents the Geelong midfield would kick to them(most of the time to their advantage) and basically say, "ok you've got the break, I will kick the ball to you and now its up to you to beat your opponent". Our midfielders, unless Hall is at least 3 metres clear of his opponent they wont kick to him. Its like they are saying, "oh no Barry, you're only half a metre clear of your opponent, theres a good chance he is going to spoil you if I dont kick this right and we are going to turn over the ball". No wonder Hall gets frustrated, time and time again he makes leads, gets vital yards on his opponent and the midfield will not honour that lead. In todays game it is nigh on impossible for a forward to get THAT free of his opponent so that the midfield has confidence in kicking the ball to him. What has to be put into our midfields head is if Hall has made a break on his opponent, no matter how big or small that break is, kick it to him(preferebly to his advantage) and let him do, and have faith in him doing, the rest of the hard work to beat his opponent and kick the goal.

[AnnieH]

For ONCE Blind Barry got away from Scarlett and NO ONE kicked it to him. I think in the third Barry was standing all on his lonesome 10 metres out and Mattner (?) kicked it to a Geelong player.
For ONCE it wasn't Blind Barry's fault.
He was pretty pissed off and had good reason.

[Bear]

Yes, the guy is a tool and carries on like a child - often unreasonably - but from a pure football perspective, he is absolutely in our best 18.

If kicked to with some skill and speed he wins far more 50/50s than he loses, or creates opportunities for smaller forwards to crum. But we just don't play that game plan which is so frustrating for him and me.

I would not want to play FF in a team that takes so long to deliver the ball to the forwards.

I reckon even the great #4 (no, not Mathews) would struggle to kick goals with our slow-moving, uncontested style of play. It gives opposition midfielders (and forwards!) way too much time to flood into defence.

[RogueSwan]

The thing that gets me isn't that he kicked 0 goals today - it's the fact he can't keep his temper in check, and loses it often.

I hate playing any sport with people like this, as it destroys team morale, and alot of time is spent building up your teammates confidence after it's torn away by people like this.

Where's the Baz who needlessly gave away the Coleman to prove his commitment to the team?

I get disappointed every time I see him carry on like this. It appears very childish.

[Mr Magoo]

To suggest Hall isnt in our best 22 is laughable. Yes I agree he carries on like a pork chop sometimes but he is one of the most if not the most unfairly treated players in the game and he is leading hard often with no one honouring those leads. I would get a bit annoyed if I this was happenning week in , week out to me and I absolutely hate whingers on a footy field.

Two weeks ago when he and Oloughlin were missing we seemed to have no options in attack and were practically begging for someone of his stature to come back into the side.

Of course he wont be part of our next premiership tilt but in most liklihood , neither will anyone over about 23 years old in the team going on the way the current crop of younger guys are developing.

At the moment there is no one putting their hand up for a key position role in the coming years in the forward line. When I say that , the future key position forwards usually start out as the third tall forward and at the moment that position is at best tenuously held by Grundy who still gets shunted around the field. Rarely does a player go straight from reserve grade to a regular spot at CHF or FF.

[Frosty13]

Yes, the guy is a tool and carries on like a child - often unreasonably - but from a pure football perspective, he is absolutely in our best 18.

If kicked to with some skill and speed he wins far more 50/50s than he loses, or creates opportunities for smaller forwards to crum. But we just don't play that game plan which is so frustrating for him and me.

I would not want to play FF in a team that takes so long to deliver the ball to the forwards.

I reckon even the great #4 (no, not Mathews) would struggle to kick goals with our slow-moving, uncontested style of play. It gives opposition midfielders (and forwards!) way too much time to flood into defence.

I guess the great #4 was lucky to be playing in a side that had the most sublime players in the caper. The likes of Kelly and Frosty are the first that come to mind.

[robamiee]

i would carry on as well if i was delieverd the ball like that on Saturday and then when cleared not at all.
Seriously Bazza was no way accountable for the loss.
Our skills were atrocious..kicking over the head , on the ground, just plain missing targets esepcially when they were open.

[Ludwig]

I have little doubt that Hall is in our best 18, and would do well at Geelong, Carlton or St. Kilda, and perhaps a few other teams as well. Basically, he can do well on a team that can pass well and often into the fwd line. This is not the Swans. By the time the Swans get the kind of midfield that suits Barry, he will be long gone.

As for now, he is only going to get frustrated by poor service and harsh umpiring decisions. He has not adjusted to either fact that he is playing on a weaker team than a few years ago and the umpiring is not ever going to be sympathetic to him. He does push off a lot, and illegally quite often.

Surely Hall will be able to overpower some poor undersized FB from time to time, but this is not the basis for improving the team so we can again challenge for a premiership.

Bazza will never be on another premiership contender. So I think we should just bite the bullet on this issue and make our selection choices with an eye to the future. With Hall yelling and gesticulating all game, it can't be any good for the young players. Let them see the future, not the past.

Perhaps keeping Hall in the team will result in an extra win this season (maybe), but I don't think that balances the downside.

Anyway, I would be very surprised if he in fact gets dropped from the team. There's no point in dropping him for lack of form. I think he's in good form. But it just doesn't lead to goals. And that's the bottom line.

[connolly]

I have little doubt that Hall is in our best 18, and would do well at Geelong, Carlton or St. Kilda, and perhaps a few other teams as well. Basically, he can do well on a team that can pass well and often into the fwd line. This is not the Swans. By the time the Swans get the kind of midfield that suits Barry, he will be long gone.

As for now, he is only going to get frustrated by poor service and harsh umpiring decisions. He has not adjusted to either fact that he is playing on a weaker team than a few years ago and the umpiring is not ever going to be sympathetic to him. He does push off a lot, and illegally quite often.

Surely Hall will be able to overpower some poor undersized FB from time to time, but this is not the basis for improving the team so we can again challenge for a premiership.

Bazza will never be on another premiership contender. So I think we should just bite the bullet on this issue and make our selection choices with an eye to the future. With Hall yelling and gesticulating all game, it can't be any good for the young players. Let them see the future, not the past.

Perhaps keeping Hall in the team will result in an extra win this season (maybe), but I don't think that balances the downside.

Anyway, I would be very surprised if he in fact gets dropped from the team. There's no point in dropping him for lack of form. I think he's in good form. But it just doesn't lead to goals. And that's the bottom line.

He wants to keep playing and he must be frustrated at the ball delivery. It looks increasingly certain that he won't be re-signed. It is really important for Roosey to ensure that he doesn't implode in a game until the season finishes. Next season we must recruit a marque player to build a forward line around.