This may not be the biggest punch in AFL history but it’s not 1980 either and if Barry Hall doesn’t get rubbed out for the rest of the season for this, there will be a riot.

Under rules, the tribunal can only suspend him for 6 - 8 weeks if it was a ’king hit’, or a maximum of 4 weeks if it was just a ’normal’ hit - what a joke. Barry Hall should get at least the whole season off, if not banned from playing all together. Anything less than a season will be a laugh - why not just send in a thug to take out the opposition’s best player each game? All you get is a four week holiday.

In a similar incident in 1985, Leigh Matthews coped 4 weeks, and a criminal conviction with a 12 month good behaviour bond when he broke Neville Burns jaw behind the play. That was 20 years ago and the game has changed to be more about skill rather than brute force initimidation.

The stark constrast between the two incidents is not the punch itself but the reaction from fellow team mates. It is absolutely disgraceful that ONLY ONE west coast eagles player stood up for stokes and challenged Hall. In the Matthews incident, there was an all in brawl. The west coast eagles players AND their supporters should hang their heads in shame.

Let’s hope that Brent Staker also makes a formal complaint to police. This sort of behaviour does not belong on streets, let alone the football field.

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