Club President defends Barry Hall 'non-issue'

Labrador Football Club president Nick McGuire has defended Barry Hall after the former AFL star landed himself in hot water by striking two opponents in the QAFL grand final.

Playing for Labrador against Palm Beach-Currumbin on the weekend, Hall lashed out at an opponent who was holding him without the ball, swinging his left arm at the opponent's face, sending him crashing to the ground.

EARLY WIN FOR TIGERS: Hardwick edges Pike for top coaching gong

As Palm Beach-Currumbin players checked on their teammate, one walked over to Hall to question the 40-year-old -- only for Hall to hit him as well.

Hall was hit with a one-match suspension over the incident, and McGuire says footy fans shouldn't blow things "out of proportion".

"It's not necessarily a great look and we certainly don't condone violence but we've also got a responsibility not to blow these things out of proprtion," McGuire told Sunrise on Wednesday.

"In this particular incident it was graded a low impact, open-hand slap so the incident was actually pretty minimal."

Sunrise host David Koch suggested the second Palm Beach-Currumbin player had played up the contact to draw a free kick, with McGuire agreeing.

"So it's a bit of a non-issue."

McGuire also lauded Hall for the way he had handled himself throughout the year, on and off the field.

"One of the best things about Barry is he takes all of this in his stride, he's dealt with a lot of criticism and banter throughout the year and he should be respected for the way he carries himself.

"He's been phenomenal for our football club, he's done a lot of work with our juniors and we couldn't be happier."

The incident was strikingly similar to Hall's infamous punch on West Coast Eagles player Brent Staker in 2008, which Hall earlier this year said he still felt remorseful for.

The then-Sydney Swans star was handed a seven-game ban for the punch after being referred directly to the AFL tribunal.

"It was a confronting thing. You (Staker) shouldn’t have to deal with it a football player,’’ Hall said in June.

"I was going to say it was a one-off incident but it wasn’t. it is something that continually happened through my career.

"If I could take it back I certainly would. I apologised on the phone to (Staker) but if I could take it back I certainly would, a thousand times over.’’