Hall Watch

[Hartijon]

Hall's 6

Did anyone see Bazza's six? He was very impressive but seemed to have a lot of latitude. He fitted into the CHF role much better than at the Swans. Only once did a team mate spoil him,(happened often at the Swans) and the kicking to him was "silver service". It was fast direct and left him one on one.We never had the players who could do that (except Mac Veigh). I was happy for him as he was so frustrated at the Swans and seemed to be really enjoying the Dogs. What a great joke by Luke Hodge to shove his head under Bazza' arm. It highlighted how "over the top" the umpires were in that game against Hawthorn.Both Luke and Barry had a good laugh but it was really taking the #$% out of the Umpires.Unfortunately it lost us the game!

[Plugger46]

Did anyone see Bazza's six? He was very impressive but seemed to have a lot of latitude. He fitted into the CHF role much better than at the Swans. Only once did a team mate spoil him,(happened often at the Swans) and the kicking to him was "silver service". It was fast direct and left him one on one.We never had the players who could do that (except Mac Veigh). I was happy for him as he was so frustrated at the Swans and seemed to be really enjoying the Dogs. What a great joke by Luke Hodge to shove his head under Bazza' arm. It highlighted how "over the top" the umpires were in that game against Hawthorn.Both Luke and Barry had a good laugh but it was really taking the #$% out of the Umpires.Unfortunately it lost us the game!

It worked very well at the Swans for a while. We played in two GF's and he was the premier forward in the competition.

[hot potato]

He looks a much more relaxed character at Dogs, and a pack mark to win them the game??? Noice Barry, must have a real steady girl now.

HP

[GoSouth33]

Another near BOG for Bazza tonight with four goals in their win against Port. He could nearly have had another two but he passed the ball without having a shot himself. I'm still enjoying his play and would love to see him have a great season. I don't feel any sour grapes at all in his decision to go to the Dogs. And we play the Dogs twice this year: Rd 8 at Manuka and Rd 21 at the SCG.

[ugg]

You know he's going well when he starts taking pack marks.

[RogueSwan]

I just watched the highlights on the afl site and it was a real pack mark, with Bazza taking the Leapin' role and coming in from the side.
I used to be of the opinion of something like "I really hope Eade's role of the dice with Hall backfires."
But now I happy with the ways things worked out and hope that Hall has a great year so that he is remembered for his football and not his fists.
I mean he is part of the reason we have such an exciting team, with enormous potential, right now.
I just hope our boys can kept him quiet when we play the Dogs, the problem is the rest of the Doggies fwd's will probably have a field day.

[mcs]

While I wish that he was doing that still for the swans, its great to see that his head seems to be in the right place and he is back to doing what he does best. He deserves to be remembered for the fantastic footballer he has been, not for his indiscretions. We can't complain- though he caused some problems in the last couple of years at the Swans, he still was integral to us winning the flag and gave us plenty of years of service. He could just be the missing like the Dogs have been looking for.

[Matty10]

I don't feel any sour grapes at all in his decision to go to the Dogs.

The romanticism of a great player getting the chance to play with the club he supported as kid is also a great story. I like the Bulldogs and am happy to see Hall playing well with them. I could not believe that pack mark - although the defence was a bit poor (if Hall didn't mark it, Lake probably would have).

I always thought that it was strange that Chris Judd had the chance to play with the club he followed as a kid (Melbourne) and chose to go elsewhere (Carlton) for whatever reason. Considering how good a player he is and all that he could have offered them, he had the power to almost single-handedly lift them from the brink (on field and off field), but he chose to ignore his childhood passion. Of course he may not have gotten his way in the end, but the romantic in me would have liked to have seen him try.

Hall looks happy, excited and in good form - and maybe, jut maybe, part of that is due to his childhood passion (although it is clearly way too early to make any worthwhile assessment).

[ROK Lobster]

It really is amazing what a coach with good people skills can get out of a player who seemed spent elsewhere.

[satchmopugdog]

It really is amazing what a coach with good people skills can get out of a player who seemed spent elsewhere.

You stirrer ROK. People skills differ with the people and their styles. Some people would get on well with Rocket (not me) and some would get on well with Roosy. Laidley would have a small group I reckon.

On an aside the music to come into class after lunch the other day was "Rock Lobster" and the kids wondered why I burst out laughing.

[conniesorrenti]

Looks all wrong............but then again who cares. Loved him once but the passion is long gone.

[Yuri H]

Glad to see him smiling in the photos, and playing well, and &c &c &c - but as someone who discovered footy & the Swans by catching a game on tv my first visit to Australia in 05, seeing him play and asking "who's that? what's this game?" to my disappointed partner who was trying to get me interested in his game, cricket ... in those colours it looks so wrong. I wish him all the best (except when he plays us, of course). I still can't bring myself to change my avatar/pic ...

[BeeEmmAre]

Don't worry Yuri. I'm sure in most of our eyes (certainly in mine) the premiership players will always be Swans. No matter who they play for.
I can't see myself following Jolly at Collingwood but I do closely follow Schneiderman and Seany at the Saints and will do the same for Bazza at the Dogs and Monty at the Lions.

[ShockOfHair]

From the coach with no team...

Sheedy's latest dig at the Swans, suggesting Hall should've just taken six months off.

HEY SHEEDS - he already did!!!

A Barry Hall tearer for the Swans | Herald Sun

And some helpful coaching tips:

"You have to be a little bit different handling the freakish players," Sheedy said. "We did it with James Hird at Essendon. Everybody wanted to let Hirdy go because he was injury-prone and he was getting agitated with his body.

"We told him to take five months off, we didn't want to see him until January, and in the end he came back and won his fifth best-and-fairest...."

That would be the year Essendon finished... 12th?

Roos, Longmire, are you paying attention?

[beameup]

Bazza was over Swans well and truly, now enjoying his footy in a new scene. Never a champion but a very good player and at CHF for 50% of the season he played in Sydney where the ground is so short CHF is a nothing position. In regards to delivery from the midfield it is well known amongst the young blokes hoping to get drafted that if you have not got a fantastic delivery the Dogs will not look at you.

Heres hoping Baz has a good year (except for 2 games)