Barry’s back ... with finals a chance
HE was a hit when he kicked seven goals for Cygnet in the Southern Football League two weeks ago in what was meant to be a oneoff appearance — and this weekend former AFL great Barry Hall is back for the Port, taking a step closer to meeting eligibility requirements that could see him playing finals football.
BARRY Hall is back, and Cygnet is hoping the former AFL star can qualify for the finals.
Hall played what was thought to be a one-off game against Lindisfarne a fortnight ago, booting seven goals.
The AFL Hall of Fame inductee and 2005 Sydney premiership captain enjoyed himself so much he is returning to take on Sorell at Cygnet, with the possibility of more to come. Hall, 42, said returning certainly wasn’t part of his original plan.
“They shot me an email and asked if I would consider it and I was very much content on never playing again and hanging up the boots,” Hall said.
“But I had a bit of fun and we agreed to play a couple of more games. We are not sure yet [how many more games], we’ll just see how this weekend goes, it is a week-by-week proposition. With the finals coming up, it is a possibility.”
Cygnet (fifth) needs a big win over seventh-placed Sorell to make up the percentage required on fourth-placed New Norfolk.
The Port play the Eagles in the final round next week at Boyer, with the winner most likely to host the elimination final the following week.
Hall would have to play this week and next week in the Derwent Valley to meet the three-game criteria for finals.
Hall said he was impressed by the standard of his previous SFL game, which attracted a crowd of around 2000.
“I was a bit sore, but at 42 you are not going to pull up not sore,” he said. “I had a great time and it was all worth being a little bit sore for a few days.
“It’s obviously a young man’s game now, with a lot of running involved, with these fleet-foot little fellas running around which I can’t catch.
“It is certainly a different game to what I played back in my heyday, but the standard was good, it was quite quick and the skills were really good. I was impressed.”
Fellow former AFL spearhead Brendan Fevola once played for New Norfolk back in 2012 as a then 31-year-old, and kicked an SFL record 18.6.
Hall doubted this record was in any danger. “Probably not to be honest,” Hall said. “It is not about me and how many goals I kick, the guys need some percentage and things to go right for them to get a home final, so first and foremost they’re the boxes we’ve got to tick. It would be nice, but I wouldn’t be banking on it.”