Family man Barry Hall is ready for Code War as war of words turns nasty
Barry Hall showed his softer side a day before his Code War boxing bout against Paul Gallen, who says promotion of the fight has turned into hatred after a spiteful weigh-in.
Boxing/MMA
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Former AFL hard man Barry Hall melted hearts as he went from boxer to doting dad after a spiteful weigh-in for Friday night’s “Code War” with NRL villain Paul Gallen.
Chiselled Hall tipped the scales at 102kg — 400 grams heavier than Gallen — in front of family, friends and passers-by on Crown Riverwalk.
The code warriors had nothing to say to each other on Thursday as they squared off in the traditional stare down.
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Gallen arrived for the weigh-in sporting a sponsored “Smash Barry” T-shirt, while Hall turned up in mismatched trackies and a beanie.
Hall’s wife Lauren Brant watched with their two sons Miller and Houston.
Hall refused to buy into any cheap shots or sledges, preferring to let his fists do the talking in the ring at Margaret Court Arena.
“I’m very much one for being humble and respectful and I’m representing the AFL code and I don’t think he realises that he’s doing that for NRL,” Hall said.
“The way he’s been conducting himself is slightly arrogant and I don’t know if the NRL community would be happy with that.
“Not having a beer with him wouldn’t keep me up at night.”
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Hall’s barb was a reference to Gallen goading the Sydney Swans premiership captain and AFL Hall of Fame goalkicker with packets of two-minute noodles earlier in the week. Gallen, a card-carrying Melbourne and AFL hater, brushed off the bad blood.
“It started out that we had an enormous amount of respect for each other and over the past month it’s turned into genuine hatred,” Gallen said.
“We genuinely don’t like each other and to be honest I can’t see us having a beer as it’s gone past the point of us having any kind of friendship after it.
“I’m in there to hurt him and he’s there to hurt me.”
Hall, who stands 14cm taller than Gallen, was upbeat about being able to stop the Cronulla Sharks legend and premiership captain.
“We’ve got some traps to set and the good thing is he will come forward and allow us to do those things,” Hall said.
“The trap doesn’t have to be too good, he’s going to be right in front of me.”