FOR the first time in almost five years, Sydney will be without co-captain Barry Hall this weekend after the Swans' medical staff decided he needed a break from football.

Coach Paul Roos revealed yesterday that a debilitating groin injury had been Hall's problem for the past month.

Although the Swans travel to ladder leader Geelong on Saturday, the decision to leave out Hall, ending a run of 113 consecutive games, was an easy one to make.

"We had a meeting with him and it was really good. We're aware that he was in a bit more pain than he was letting on," Roos said. "If he said he was 90 per cent, we would probably play him.

"I think he feels he's probably 75 to 80 per cent and can't do a lot of things that he would like to do.

"So, from a medical point of view, they have ruled him out this week, which I'm comfortable with … because I want to get him right and get him to be able to play the football we know he can play.

"I can't put any player in a position that they are not capable of fulfilling their obligation to themselves and the team, and after we had the discussions with the medical team, it was an easy decision to make."

Hall said it had been a frustrating time, and he had continued to play because he still felt he was helping the team, particularly by taking the opposition's best defender out of the game.

"I suppose I was kidding myself. But when it's going to affect the team and my performance, it's probably not fair on a lot of people," he said.