Past #43: Aaron Hall - Shinboner #1013 retires after 58 NM games - Thanks Aaron

showusyacunningt

Premiership Player
Aug 17, 2010
3,386
3,918
doghouse
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
Haleing goals
His field kicking over the last few weeks is probably the best I've seen since Boomer. Absolutely has it dialled in. His decision making has to be applauded, too.

Credit to him. Being the smooth mover he is and the facts he's only played ~140 games i think we can get a few more years of service out of him.
 

showusyacunningt

Premiership Player
Aug 17, 2010
3,386
3,918
doghouse
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
Haleing goals
Field kicking vastly improved.

I can probably recall max maybe 3 turnovers between the Geelong and Hawks game.

Frightening.

I reckon one last week was an ok kick and the forward got worked under the ball, and then there was the little 10mtr dink this week where the intent was correct.
 
I reckon a few folks forgot about the very good footy he played at GC.
He’s always been capable. He does it on the track. He’s only now doing on the park. His 2021 has been devastating and I never thought in our search to find elite users in the back half he’d be the answer.

I don’t care that it’s his final year of his contract, he’s extracted the digit and playing elite footy and were thankful. Odds on for an extension.
 
We can't play everyone on a half back flank, but his move to that position has been an excellent move. I think what it has done, probably in conjunction with some good coaching to reset his mindset, has rebuilt his confidence in his natural talents.

It is interesting to look back and recall that last year, pre covid, when I and a few others were lucky enough to go to the season launch in Kensington, I noted him sitting on his own, looking to my eyes at least as if he felt he was not a part of it. I went over and said a few words to him and to say how great it was for him to be playing with us. Now that had absolutely nothing to do with his turnaround this year, but I think what it did show then that his form was bound to be below par, because he was down in confidence and needing a change to rekindle his desire for the game. Last years up and down form, in my view reflected where his mind set was then.

Something or someone has changed this in a very major way, and we are reaping the benefits in what is turning into an outstanding season for him. Now I look for him all the time to do his stuff off halfback, repelling opposition attacks and launching the ball forward with generally precision kicking. Great to see as far as I am concerned.
 

Passmore

Brownlow Medallist
May 22, 2001
23,594
75,864
The Gasometer Wing
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
Norf
He’s always been capable. He does it on the track. He’s only now doing on the park. His 2021 has been devastating and I never thought in our search to find elite users in the back half he’d be the answer.

I don’t care that it’s his final year of his contract, he’s extracted the digit and playing elite footy and were thankful. Odds on for an extension.

Noble on 3AW on Sunday talking about said they didn’t want to play him up forward, preferred to get games into LDU and TT in the middle, so he and Blakey told him, as long as he worked on his defence, they give him a chance across half back.
 

Billy Not Really

Norm Smith Medallist
Apr 7, 2018
6,593
17,321
Licking windows at the back of the bus.
AFL Club
North Melbourne
It is interesting to look back and recall that last year, pre covid, when I and a few others were lucky enough to go to the season launch in Kensington, I noted him sitting on his own, looking to my eyes at least as if he felt he was not a part of it. I went over and said a few words to him and to say how great it was for him to be playing with us. Now that had absolutely nothing to do with his turnaround this year, but I think what it did show then that his form was bound to be below par, because he was down in confidence and needing a change to rekindle his desire for the game. Last years up and down form, in my view reflected where his mind set was then.

Something or someone has changed this in a very major way, and we are reaping the benefits in what is turning into an outstanding season for him. Now I look for him all the time to do his stuff off halfback, repelling opposition attacks and launching the ball forward with generally precision kicking. Great to see as far as I am concerned.

He did go through some serious bouts of depression when he came into the club, a lot probably had to do with the weight of expectation at the stage in his career, or maybe at least partially.

Now he plays like a weight is lifted off his shoulders and he's actually enjoying footy again, and the club has embraced him as an important mature head amongst the playing group.
 
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Snojet

Team Captain
Aug 9, 2015
325
1,355
AFL Club
North Melbourne
I’m very pleased to have made the wrong call on Aaron at the end of last year.
Credit goes to Aaron for embracing his new role as a running half back.
Credit also goes to Nobes for trying him in the new role. It’s great to see he is willing to throw the magnets around with a number of players in what really is a year of discovery and development.
 

Themanbun

Brownlow Medallist
Apr 19, 2019
10,033
30,800
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Not sure why people say one year if he keeps this form up. For the first time in his career he has been able to breathe unrestricted. I wouldn't expect him to succumb to the 'turn 30 and fall off a cliff' logic that some people apply.

He keeps this form up and he may find himself in the AA squad at end of year.
 
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