Big Bad Barry

**Cpt. Kirk** · 25th July 2011, 01:20 AM

And I stand by the view that booing is childish. We are taught as children not to boo. I booed Ray Chamberlain last week. I was angry and emotional, but conduct doesn't make it proper and mature. It was still silly, unpractical, unproductive, and yes-childish, based purely on negative emotions.

Top 40, in one of your earlier posts you said that you booed ray chamberlain last week as well.

Isn't it a bit hypocritical to say to others that what they did was wrong when they perhaps could feel just as emotional or angry as you were about the Barry Hall issue.
I honestly don't have a problem with Hall even though he completely disregarded all the things the swans did to make him better as a player and a person, and to get the man a premiership.
He was a great player and the game will be worse off without him, a great power forward who had bad injuries in his last 2 years at the swans and perhaps at the bulldogs.

**BSA5** · 25th July 2011, 01:33 AM

Originally Posted by SwansFan1972

I guess a lot of it is perception, but to me, it seemed that Hally went out of his way to make it clear he is a dog for life. Was that neccessary in the circumstances? Of course his loyalties are curently to the bulldogs (would expect no less), but would it really have hurt him to say 'sure, the premiership was a highlight and he'll never forget it'? That he was at pains to leave all reference to it out indicates that he still harbours bitterness, even with all the public 'i'm fine with him, he's fine with me' namby pamby stuff. The forthcoming book will sure make interesting reading!

As for comparing the situation to Mummy, Shaw or Kennedy - well, as comparisons go, that is real apples and oranges stuff. I doubt anyone could point to many similarities in the circumstances under which each was moved on from their clubs (along with pretty much all the other trades that take place in the AFL). The only comparable situation I can recall in recent seasons is Fevola. In both of these unique cases, neither club really wanted to part with the player, but ultimately the price of keeping them became too high.

Hall was moved on because he couldn't be trusted to keep his hands to himself - if that is what is regarded as his ability to perform. He was damaging the club's reputation, as well as its onfield performance by being a loose cannon and ultimately proving too big a distraction for his presence to be beneficial. Whose fault is that, by the way? He has only half put his hand up for it, and he has had swipes at Roos - a bit like a naughty child who knows deep down it has done wrong, but still wants to blame mum or dad a bit.

There is no doubt - absolutely none - that if Hall had been able to control himself on-field (like nearly every other footballer in the competition), he would have finished his career at the Swans. Maybe he just didn't want to admit he wanted out and so forced the hands of those who ultimately had to fire him? Who would know? Either way, responsibility is clearly not something he fronts up to as fully as he would have people believe.

And memories are short - he had issues when he left St Kilda and he also some early indications after coming to Sydney that managing him was not going to be as easy as it would be for most other footballers. His agression on field was so much of what made him great as a player, but clearly he lost sight of where the line was and ultimately crossed it too many times. Did this create headaches for his club? You bet it did.

Granted, he controlled himself for a large part of his time at the Swans and will be forever remembered, but he was not peter perfect, and if a journo wants to call him out on a few things - especially in a week when it has been all puff pieces, sycophancy and warm and fuzzy romance on his life as a dog - then that is closer to balance than pathetic in my book. And you'd hope Baz would be the first to say it is all water of a duck's back anyway.

Throwing all this around is good fun though and we will all have differing feelings on the enigma that is BBBH, who will always hold a special place as one of only four (so far!) of our beloved club's premiership captains. Good luck to him post footy - hopefully he has a happy retirement and can eventually look back over his whole career (rather than just the last two years) and feel satisfied and fulfilled.

Hall has taken responsibility for what he did! He has said that it was his doing! The idea that he hasn't is a completely media-driven lie! Everybody knows Hall was in the wrong in that situation, it's not like Hall is trying to blame the Swans. He's just trying to move on, and good on him. He shouldn't have to pander to both the Swans and the Dogs. He's a Bulldog, he needs to focus on that. He can talk more about his time at the Swans once his playing days are over.

Journalists are of course entitled to talk about his bad behaviour on field, and they do. But trying to construct some sort of rift between him and the Swans beyond the simple fact that he acted badly and the Swans couldn't rely on him is quite simply pathetic journalism. Rebecca Wilson is by no means the only person guilty of this, but it's certainly one of the worst examples.

**swannielady** · 25th July 2011, 01:55 AM

Sorry but it is not the journalist but Barry himself, he was on the channel nine footy show and spoke about how good the ball was getting to him now with the Bulldogs, that they were most superior to the Swans middle etc. That is unnecessary and uncalled for, his press conference was a great disappointment to me. He is not very smart, but by far and large his own words about the Swans supporters were his worst. I for one stood and clapped him when he did the farewell on the back of a ute at the SCG and had a tear! I always liked him and think he is a great footballer. It was a smack in the face to me as a supporter when he described us all as irrelevant and like the Collingwood supporters. His bitterness goes to far. I didnt boo him not my style. He is responsible for what he says, there were no jounalists translating for him. Very poor behaviour and the book will continue his sulking.

**Bloody Hell** · 25th July 2011, 04:29 AM

I am hoping the title of his book is "I was a failed blood brother"

I keep hearing about this book and would be interested to read it.

**stellation** · 25th July 2011, 08:13 AM

Originally Posted by bloody hell

i am hoping the title of his book is "i was a failed blood brother"

i keep hearing about this book and would be interested to read it.

I'm working on it, I'm working on it! The problem is that every time I sit down to interview Josh Willoughby I get a little flustered and forget what I was there for.

**BSA5** · 25th July 2011, 02:37 PM

I just can't believe people expect him to stay loyal to us while a Bulldog! If somebody asks why he's kicking more goals than at the Swans, he's going to say it's a team effort, and the extension of that is that the ball is getting to him better now than it was at the Swans! Am I the only one not at all bothered by that?

Hall is no longer a Swan, we have to accept that. It's not insult to praise the Dogs. It's no insult to say he has moved on. It's totally, 100% appropriate. I can't believe the petulance of some supporters.

**Go Swannies** · 25th July 2011, 03:00 PM

Originally Posted by BSA5

I just can't believe people expect him to stay loyal to us while a Bulldog! If somebody asks why he's kicking more goals than at the Swans, he's going to say it's a team effort, and the extension of that is that the ball is getting to him better now than it was at the Swans! Am I the only one not at all bothered by that?

Hall is no longer a Swan, we have to accept that. It's not insult to praise the Dogs. It's no insult to say he has moved on. It's totally, 100% appropriate. I can't believe the petulance of some supporters.

Of course he's a Dog. But the complaints were that he said, effectively, the Swans years were blanks in his life though it was when he achieved the highlights of his footy career.

And of course, following your logic, there's no reason why we should have any more affection for Hall than we do for Lloyd or Buddy - they are or were forwards for another team, nothing more and so can be criticised just as much as the player for any other team. So he's just a dog.

There's a good argument to be made that Baz cost his Dogs a flag. Before he arrived they had a very dangerous multi-pronged attack. With him they were a lot more Baz-centric and predictable and less dangerous.

**Flossie** · 25th July 2011, 03:17 PM

Where I was sitting he was only booed when he was taking a shot at goal. (Not by me - ever!!!!) I think it was pretty poor myself to boo him at all. He was a great player for us for a lot of years and was the Premiership captain. It was unfortunate the way his time at the Swans came to an end, but that doesnt take away from the fact he was a champion for us and the Swans fans should show some respect. I cant stand Jolly - even when he played for us - but I would never boo him for the same reason - he was part of the team that gave us a Grand Final.

**Big Al** · 25th July 2011, 03:22 PM

Originally Posted by Flossie

Where I was sitting he was only booed when he was taking a shot at goal. (Not by me - ever!!!!) I think it was pretty poor myself to boo him at all. He was a great player for us for a lot of years and was the Premiership captain. It was unfortunate the way his time at the Swans came to an end, but that doesnt take away from the fact he was a champion for us and the Swans fans should show some respect. I cant stand Jolly - even when he played for us - but I would never boo him for the same reason - he was part of the team that gave us a Grand Final.

Lost me with the Jolly thing. It's in the RWO charter that Jolly be booed and booed loud.

**GongSwan** · 25th July 2011, 04:06 PM

Originally Posted by AnnieH

I'm not prejudice ... I boo Jolly too!!

Should maybe save the booing for Jolls wife???? I noticed Baz wave away the reporters after the game, probably a good idea, so he must be thinking clearer. AND, there is no prejudice here, anyone not wearing a Swans jumper on game day is fair game, much as Iloved Baz when he played for us, he went, I don't really care how, although I do tend to put Scnieds and Dempster in a different bucket because the salary cap forced them out

**swannielady** · 25th July 2011, 05:57 PM

Originally Posted by BSA5

I just can't believe people expect him to stay loyal to us while a Bulldog! If somebody asks why he's kicking more goals than at the Swans, he's going to say it's a team effort, and the extension of that is that the ball is getting to him better now than it was at the Swans! Am I the only one not at all bothered by that?

Hall is no longer a Swan, we have to accept that. It's not insult to praise the Dogs. It's no insult to say he has moved on. It's totally, 100% appropriate. I can't believe the petulance of some supporters.

Petulance is what Barry is doing and saying. I did not say he should not have praised the dogs, of course he should. What I said if you read the post is that what he has said about the Swans and supporters were uncalled for. I was happy he was picked up by the Bulldogs. He has not moved on he is still stuck in bitterness. I could care less what he did but do not knock the supporters, also be spiteful about the players he played with. If you are not bothered good on you, others are. If you have nothing good to say my message is to Barry then shutup!!