Sydney Swans coach Paul Roos can't guarantee Barry Hall will play again this season after confessing the troubled forward's mental problems were too complex for the club to handle.
The Swans have suspended Hall indefinitely after he was charged by the AFL's match review committee for striking Collingwood's Shane Wakelin during Saturday night's 29-point loss at ANZ Stadium.
He will serve a one-match suspension after accepting the early guilty plea.
The fiery Sydney star was just three games into his comeback from a seven-match ban, imposed following his sickening king hit on West Coast Eagle Brent Staker in round four.
A clearly exasperated Roos revealed on Monday the club's psychologist Grant Brecht had recommended Hall continue anger management counselling away from the AFL spotlight.
"We're not sure how long before he'll play again," Roos admitted.
"During the first process (following the Staker incident) he was pretty honest in telling the media he did have some issues, (but) he hasn't been able to overcome those issues."
"We, as a footy club, just can't put Barry in a position that at the moment he's not capable of handling."
"He's unavailable for selection and he will continue to work with Grant and Grant will determine when he's able to play."
"When's he available (again) I couldn't tell you - I don't have that expertise."
Asked what he had told Hall, Roos replied: "The advice we're getting is we can't play you at the moment and until that changes we won't be playing you."
"It came as a bit of a shock to him but we'll work through it with 'Hally' and make sure we come to a suitable conclusion."
"He's a terrific player - he's done a lot for this footy club - and we need to make sure we do as much for him as we possibly can to get him back on the field."
"The main issue is to try and get himself in a space where he can perform to the best of his ability and we don't see those things that he did on the weekend and he did 12 weeks ago."
"We will support him as we did after the last incident and we certainly hope to get him back playing with the Swans."
Roos denied he was angry with Hall but conceded he was surprised the fiery forward had transgressed so soon after the Staker incident.
"There's been a component he's been working on with Grant and he hasn't been able to overcome that and that over-rides my other emotions at the moment," Roos said.
"Was I surprised at what he did? Absolutely."