Former AFL star and notorious hot-head Barry Hall says his violent on-field outbursts during his turbulent career were a result of his failed relationship with his father.
The powerhouse full-forward, who played 289 games for St Kilda, the Sydney Swans and the Western Bulldogs, revealed on Monday he had ‘cut ties’ with his boxing-trainer dad, Ray.
‘He wasn’t a loving, emotional, supportive dad, I was always looking for his approval,’ he told A Current Affair.
Barry Hall (pictured with wife Lauren Brant) has opened up on his childhood struggles, which led to his on-field outbursts
Hall (pictured with wife Lauren and children Miller and Houston) spoke candidly about his tumultuous relationship with his father Ray
Hall grew up in Broadford, north of Melbourne, where his dad wanted him to become a boxer, a sport Hall excelled in as a youngster – both in the ring and the schoolyard.
Desperate for his father’s attention and approval growing up, Hall would pick fights in the playground so he could go home and tell his dad about his brawls.
‘The thing that I would do is have a fight at school and go home and brag about it because I knew he’d be happy about that, and he was rapt about it, you could see the smirk on his face,’ he said.
‘Like any young kid, all I wanted to do is impress dad.
‘It’s mind boggling now, as I sit here as a father and think that was OK, and I thought that was a way of approval from him, it’s bizarre.’
Hall took up boxing as a 14-year-old and would train with his dad after school where he would spar with grown men.
Barry Hall of the Swans and Travis Gaspar of the Eagles get to grips with each other in action during the 2005 AFL Grand Final
Hall threatens Brisbane Lions player Chris Johnson during a match in August 2003. Hall’s aggressive nature on the field was a hallmark of his career
Barry Hall of the Bulldogs celebrates scoring a goal during the round 18 AFL match between the Sydney Swans and the Western Bulldogs in 2011
‘Bloody noses every night, there were some times there when I thought I just don’t know if i want to be here anymore,’ he said.
The pressure became too much and Hall decided enough was enough, and stopped boxing.
He turned his attention to Australian Rules footy, which led to a heartbreaking conversation with his father – and the start of their rocky relationship.
‘(My dad) didn’t speak to me for a long time after that. We’re talking years,’ he said.
Without any backing from his parents, Hall was selected to play for the Murray Bushrangers in Wangaratta when he was 16 before making his AFL debut for St Kilda in 1996.
Hall clips Paul Gallen with a clean left hand during their Code War boxing bout in Melbourne in November 2019
Hall clashes with Travis Gaspar of the West Coast Eagles during the Sydney Swans 2005 AFL Grand Final victory at the MCG
Barry Hall wrestles Michael Martyn of North Melbourne during the pre season Ansett Cup Grand Final in 1998
He kicked 746 goals in his career and captained the Sydney Swans to their first premiership in 72 years in 2005.
But the association of violence and approval was hard to shake and remained with him for much of his career.
His 16-season career was highly controversial, with his aggressive playing style rubbing off into several incidents on the field, including his brutal blindsided punch to Brent Staker in 2008.
Hall was suspended for seven games for belting Staker with a brutal left hook and copped another game on the sideline for an attempted strike at Collingwood’s Shane Wakelin in his second game back.
‘Some of the s*** I did on-field was ridiculous, but when I sit back now it was all about approval. I’d drive up home and [my dad would] have that little smirk – that was his approval,’ Hall said.
In addition to Samson, four months, Barry and Lauren are also parents to sons Miller, four, and Houston, two
AFL star Barry Hall with his wife Lauren Brant who gave birth to their son Samson in the hospital reception area in October last year
Hall was sacked from the Swans in 2009 after his conduct on the field led to a falling out with coach Paul Roos.
He signed with the Western Bulldogs for the final two seasons of his career, where he was treated for depression, before retiring in 2011.
Hall’s mental health and identity struggles only got worse in his retirement.
He credits his wife, Hi-5 presenter Lauren Brandt, with helping turn his life around.
The pair met on the reality show I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here! in 2015.
Lauren and Barry first met on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! in 2015 but didn’t start dating until much later
Within months of debuting their relationship, Lauren announced she was pregnant with their first child. The couple went on to welcome their second child in May 2019 and their third child in November last year
‘Lauren is an amazing mum, amazing wife. She has just helped me so much. We are all pretty lucky,’ he said during a recent episode of SAS Australia.
‘We’re a good team, in all of it, we’re definitely teammates.’
The couple have three children together, four-year-old Miller, two-year-old Houston and baby boy Samson.
He is now determined to break the cycle with his own boys. He said he showers them in love.
‘I probably give too much love to my boys…I dote over them…me and Lauren do they’ve got so much love in this household and that’s how it should be,’ he said.
Hall believes his difficult childhood lead him to understand his anger issues later in life and how to take responsibility for his actions.
Hall and wife Lauren pose during the former AFL star’s training camp for his boxing bout with ex-NRL player Paul Gallen in 2019
Hall with his sons Houston and Miller. He believes his childhood was the genesis of his anger issues in later life
Hall celebrates with Western Bulldogs team mate Ben Hudson in the final match of his career in September 2011
‘You don’t realise you’re in something until you’re out of it, once I got out of it and cut ties, no longer have a relationship I actually feel sorry for him (his dad), actually I felt sorry for him until I had my own children,’ he said.
‘I’m here for my boys, I’m fighting for my family and it can really do great things for us.’
Coming full-circle Hall is set to return to the boxing ring on Wednesday night when he faces off against New Zealand heavyweight boxer and former professional rugby star Sonny-Bill Williams.
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