Goodbye Mr Hall

The National Rugby League has dismissed Jim Hall as judiciary commissioner.

NRL chief executive David Gallop and chief operating officer Graham Annesley personally delivered the bad news at his bedside at St Vincent's Hospital on Friday.

Hall was in hospital recovering from surgery on his back and was released yesterday.

"I've been sacked," Hall told The League Correspondent yesterday. "They said they needed to tell me before it got out in the media.

"They said the role of the commissioner was being split in two and that I could apply for one of the new roles if I wanted to, but that it would be a waste of time.

"I know that if I did apply I wouldn't get it because I've been sacked from the role I had."

Hall said he was at a loss to understand why NRL officials had to come to the hospital to tell him and could'nt wait until after his discharge.

"I'm upset about that," he said. "They were telling what they were going to do with the judiciary, but I wasn't really taking it in because I was still a bit groggy. I just know they didn't want me."

League Correspondent was informed Gallop and Annesley were loath to give Hall the news while he was still in hospital, but because of circumstances felt they had no choice.

Asked for comment on Hall's sacking yesterday, Gallop said little.

"I'm just going to say we're close to finalising a review of the judiciary and until that process is completed I'm not going to make any further comment," he said. "We expect to be in a position to make an announcement on the judiciary in the near future."

Hall has come under fire for a number of decisions he has made related to charges laid or not laid on players, and it became evident towards the end of last season that he was unlikely to be reappointed this season.

His decision not to charge Gorden Tallis after the Brisbane forward hit Penrith forward Ben Ross with a series of blows in a first-round game last season put him at odds with the league.

The former role Hall filled as commissioner - laying charges and prosecuting at hearings - is to be split following the review. Appointments for the two roles will be announced soon.

"It doesn't matter who does the job. The fact is you can't do that job and satisfy everyone."