Barry Hall sacked by Triple M after vulgar on-air comment

BARRY Hall’s partner, Lauren Brant says she stands by her “gorgeous” man for his “throwaway comment” on radio about Leigh Montagna’s pregnant wife, after the former AFL star apologised for the crude remarks that got him sacked from Triple M.

EXCLUSIVE: SACKED former AFL star Barry Hall has apologised and pleaded for forgiveness over vile comments he made on radio.

The Hall of Famer was yesterday heavily criticised for vulgar remarks he made about the heavily pregnant wife of former St Kilda star Leigh Montagna.

The AFL yesterday distanced itself from Hall and cancelled his media accreditation after the footy great was sacked by Triple M for the comments made on radio on Friday night.

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Barry Hall at a football club north of Adelaide last night. AAP Image/ Brenton Edwards

“I’d like to take this opportunity to apologise for any offence taken from my commentary on Friday night’s Triple M footy coverage,” Hall said.

“It was a silly thing to say and it is not a reflection of who I am or what my views are.

“I am a proud father and dedicated partner and have nothing but respect for women.”

Hall, 41, and his colleagues were talking live on air on Triple M Footy when the topic of Montagna’s wife getting a medical procedure was raised.

“I apologise to the Montagna family for any upset I have caused them and wish them all the best with the exciting arrival of their baby,” Hall told the Sunday Herald Sun.

“I also want to thank those for their support and am disappointed that I have been stood down because of this incident.

“Once again, I am sorry, I should not have said such an inappropriate comment on air and hope I can be forgiven and move forward from here.”

Lauren Brant says she stands by her “gorgeous partner” for his “throwaway comment”. Picture: Jerad Williams

Hall’s partner Lauran Brant also defended his character.

“I want people to know that Barry has an absolute heart of gold,” Brant said.

“He is the most adoring partner and loving and proud father and would never want to offend any person, especially women. I say that as an empowered female myself.

“Unfortunately my little family is facing the upsetting backlash to a throwaway comment on Triple M Footy.

“I completely stand by my gorgeous partner. I love Barry with all my heart.”

Triple M immediately dismissed the former Western Bulldogs, Sydney and St Kilda spearhead, made an on-air apology and reported the controversy to the AFL executive.

AFL spokesman Patrick Keane said the league found Hall’s comments “abhorrent’’ and supported his “immediate removal from an ongoing on-air role with the station’’.

“The AFL agrees with the action the station took,’’ he said.

“Barry Hall was accredited for AFL matches through Triple M. As they have terminated his employment with the station, he no longer has a media accreditation.’’

Hall’s comments about Ms Montagna’s recent visit to an obstetrician were widely condemned, raising questions about how the “unacceptable and inappropriate comments’’ made it to air.

Triple M head of content Mike Fitzpatrick was contacted to explain why the “dump button’’ had not been used to keep the comments off-air, but did not respond.

Former Richmond and Western Bulldogs player Nathan Brown, on-air with Hall at the time, branded the comments “pretty sick’’.

“It was unacceptable and Triple M moved pretty quickly to get Barry out of the box once it happened,’’ Brown said.

“We all felt pretty ordinary.

“It was pretty disturbing.’’

Barry Hall has been sacked by Triple M for vile comments he made on radio. Picture: SBS

Victorian female footy pioneer Chyloe Kurdas said Hall “still doesn’t get it’’.

“It wasn’t silly, it was disgusting, offensive and frightening,’’ she said.

Victoria University sport strategy expert Prof Hans Westerbeek said the “stupid’’ comments could spell the end of Hall’s media career.

“The damage that Barry has done ultimately from such hideous comments could be irreparable,’’ he said.

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Barry Hall after captaining the Sydney Swans to the 2005 flag.

Triple M was forced to issue an apology in 2016 over on-air comments made about journalist Caroline Wilson, but took no further action against the three high-profile commentators responsible.

Eddie McGuire, Brayshaw and Danny Frawley made separate apologies after joking about drowning Wilson during coverage of The Big Freeze charity event.

Hall resigned as a Fox Footy caller last year and moved to the Gold Coast.

State opposition spokesman Tim Smith praised Triple M for taking “such swift action after such a vulgar comment”.

“Triple M has done exactly the right thing in dismissing him immediately,” he said.

Several people took to social media to express outrage over the comment, some labelling it “disgusting” and “reprehensible”.

“Wow Baz. Utterly speechless,” one man wrote.

Another user commented: “Okay, so I never want to hear or see Barry Hall on radio, television, or anything, ever again. Ever.”

Hall is the only AFL player to kick more than 100 goals at three clubs.

He kicked 144 goals from 88 games for St Kilda, 467 goals from 162 games for Sydney and 135 goals from his 39 games with the Western Bulldogs.

He was lucky to play in Sydney’s 2005 premiership after avoiding suspension for punching St Kilda’s Matt Maguire in the preliminary final.

The 2017 Hall of Fame inductee’s career was marred by controversy, including his infamous behind-the-play hit on West Coast’s Brent Staker which earnt Hall a seven-week suspension in 2008.

“It wasn’t great, kids have got to watch that. I’m a father now, I don’t want my boy to see his father do that,” Hall told the Herald Sun last year, of the Staker hit.

Hall, a wild boy from Broadford when he joined St Kilda in 1996, last year explained how it was best he got out Melbourne.

“I was going out drinking, getting in fights and carrying on,” he said.

“I was starting to get recognised and I just didn’t know how to handle it.

Last year Hall revealed he battled depression after retiring.

He appeared on I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here in 2015, where he met former Hi-5 children’s entertainer Lauren Brant.

The couple have a one-year-old son named Miller.

Hall said he didn’t want his son to follow him in to AFL.

“Hopefully he grows up with some brains,” he said in April.

“He could be a doctor or a scientist, so he doesn’t have to get physically battered.

“Yeah, hopefully not (AFL).”

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