Weary Hall tells Bulldogs he will retire

WESTERN Bulldogs spearhead Barry Hall will announce his retirement within the next 24 hours after informing coach Rodney Eade of his decision yesterday.

The former St Kilda and Sydney Swans 2005 premiership captain is expected to play out the season, honouring his two-year contract.

Hall was selected by the Bulldogs in the 2009 draft following a number of on-field indiscretions - most notably his seven-week suspension for striking West Coast's Brent Staker in 2008 - that led to his retirement from the Swans in July that year.

He told Eade yesterday that his 283 games (88 for St Kilda, 162 for Sydney and 33 for the Dogs) had taken their toll on his body and he couldn't face up to another season. Hall, 34, kicked five goals and was among his team's best players in Sunday's loss to North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium. That took his tally from nine games to 24. He kicked 80 goals last season - 73 in home and away games - and was runner-up to Richmond's Jack Riewoldt in the Coleman Medal as well as earning his first All-Australian selection since being honoured in 2004, '05 and '06.

?Bulldogs captain Matthew Boyd has faced awkward questioning over footage indicating he targeted Brent Harvey's fractured thumb on Sunday.

Video footage which seemingly showed Boyd taking a swipe at the thumb was played to the Bulldogs skipper on Foxtel's On the Couch program last night.

Asked about the incident, Boyd attempted to deflect it with humour.

"Boomer [Harvey] was just asking me to get some grass off his hand, so I was sort of mucking around," Boyd said. "We were just having a chat, we're old acquaintances from way back."