Sydney coach Paul Roos says the AFL club had no choice but to stand down key forward Barry Hall.

Roos says he can understand that Hall is confused and upset by what happened on Monday.

The Swans have taken the radical step of standing down Hall and it is up to club psychologist Grant Brecht to decide if and when he returns to football.

Asked if it was hard telling Hall, Roos has said he has a lot of time for the key forward, but in the end it was not a hard decision to make.

"In a way, it wasn't a hard decision. It was the only decision we could make as a football club," Roos said.

Hall is already suspended for one game after attempting to strike Collingwood opponent Shane Wakelin and it was that incident which prompted the club's decision not to let him play.

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