Past #31: David Hale - drafted at #7 in the Superdraft - 129 games for NM - traded to HFC in 2010

SB Dan

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Good post. He is doing the job down there. If he kicks 2 or 3 a game, and the midfielders kick a few goals over his head (ala Geelong), that's a good balance. If we can get it happening!
 

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ansonholt

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I think 2-3 goals a game would be fine for Hale, especially if the delivery improves compared to what it has been.

2.5goals/game = 55 goals/season

I think any side would take that from a key forward. The persistence will pay off, especially when Petrie returns and he's not having to do it all himself.
 

FrangaRoo

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He had a crack. Bit hard for the big fella when the disposal coming from midfield was vomit inducing.
Add to that the fact the Saints defenders knew we would be bombing it to Hale and doubled up on him. Gotta wonder where our loose men where the whole game....
 

snrub

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Hale was pretty yes. His only error tonight was wrestling his opponent (successfully on most occasions) but having the third man up jump inside and take marks. We can complain about the double teaming and blame the other forwards, but at the other end, Riewoldt was beating two or three of our guys every time. Bit of a talent difference of course, but ultimately it comes down to mobility. Unfortunately the opposition always knows where Hale's marking contests are going to occur.
 

FrangaRoo

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but at the other end, Riewoldt was beating two or three of our guys every time. Bit of a talent difference of course, but ultimately it comes down to mobility. Unfortunately the opposition always knows where Hale's marking contests are going to occur.
Correct, Hale would be a massive bonus playing the part of a resting ruckman down forward and being the 2nd tall.....he isnt the answer for a full time FF...especially one who is going to have to put up with being double teamed.

Riewoldt can take on our extra man due to him having the entire forward 50 to use his pace to lead into....we should be so lucky as to even get it into the forward 50 fast enough to give a leading forward a chance of a lead.
 
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Can't get too enthusiastic over a player who continually plays from behind.
If you watched last night, he was getting double teamed every time Rawlings bombed it into the forward line. Could have easily kicked 5 goals.

It wasn't Hales fault, he is no Carey or Brown who can beat 3 opponents.

Gilbert and Blake all night were jumping infront of him whilst Dawson was behind.

Hale has been above average in the first two games.
 

breeno

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If you watched last night, he was getting double teamed every time Rawlings bombed it into the forward line. Could have easily kicked 5 goals.

It wasn't Hales fault, he is no Carey or Brown who can beat 3 opponents.

Gilbert and Blake all night were jumping infront of him whilst Dawson was behind.

Hale has been above average in the first two games.
And Gilbert and Blake are some of the best readers of the play going around.

I think last night his 5 shots on goal + 1 for the free kick not paid was a fantastic effort.
 

Krakeour Magic

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It's getting ridiculous seeing the number of times he is shepherded out of the contest when the ball is not within 5 metres of the contest and I hope the club consider having a word with the umpires about it.

There are occasions when he is outright mauled off the ball and he gets nothing for it.

From where I sit it appears that one rule applies to Nick Reiwoldt and another to David Hale.
 

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B-Rock

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He isn't getting any favours from the umps until he starts playing the ball and not the man.

He still uses his hands way too much in marking contests.
 
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You cant touch Riewoldt and Milne.they are protected species and unti they win a Premeirship thats the way it will stay.I was so angry last night but after a day in the Sun and some thought i realise that we are not up 2 it at the moment.I had high hopes this season but now understand that we have to travel down this road to get batter.Does not excuse what happened and atleast Hale kicked a few and he will have a quiet week on here.
 

Zvim

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The problem with Hale is he is far too stationary, if he moves, presents and plays in front more then it is hard for him to be scragged, he just engages in body contact too much and the umps then give a lot of leeway to the defender unless the forward is Reiwoldt.

The problem is Hale has no confidence in the supply or the delivery, he lead so many times only to be ignored by players not taking the first option.

He is no Coleman, but he can be useful if we can get the WWF out of Hale, he has no reason to hold or wrestle or push, he towers over most defenders.

The other problem is we need more options, other than Hale and Warren there is tumble weed blowing across our forward line, this allows the other defenders to focus on the only two guys that look like kicking a goal.
 
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For mine, his biggest problem is a lack of size. For somebody who is playing as a key target, if he is unable to take the contested mark, he should be battering the pack and bringing the ball to ground.....just not strong enough to achieve this I think.
 

Zvim

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For mine, his biggest problem is a lack of size. For somebody who is playing as a key target, if he is unable to take the contested mark, he should be battering the pack and bringing the ball to ground.....just not strong enough to achieve this I think.
Petrie is more of the bash n' crash player, Hale isn't. Not everyone is suited to playing that way.
 
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Petrie is more of the bash n' crash player, Hale isn't. Not everyone is suited to playing that way.
To me Hale just seems to be afraid of a contest, he doesnt chase, he hardly leads he just stands there shoulder to shoulder hoping the ball will land in his hands.

That said he was one of the best this week and earned a spot next week.
 

breeno

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You cant touch Riewoldt and Milne.they are protected species and unti they win a Premeirship thats the way it will stay.I was so angry last night but after a day in the Sun and some thought i realise that we are not up 2 it at the moment.I had high hopes this season but now understand that we have to travel down this road to get batter.Does not excuse what happened and atleast Hale kicked a few and he will have a quiet week on here.
I take the back route to the fish 'n' chip shop.
 

Zvim

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To me Hale just seems to be afraid of a contest, he doesnt chase, he hardly leads he just stands there shoulder to shoulder hoping the ball will land in his hands.

That said he was one of the best this week and earned a spot next week.
I just don't think he has a lot of experience as a forward, he played partly as a foward as a kid but developed at AFL level mostly as a ruckman until the last few years. Tarrant has spent more time at AFL level training as a key forward, albeit not at senior level.

Since he has pushed forward our midfield went into decline, you could stick Brown and Reiwoldt clones in our forward line and things wouldn't be massively better because the way we move the ball forwards doesn't make it easy for our forwards, the last two weeks we have gone around the boundary far too often.

I'd like to see Tarrant given a chance, we only have one genuine tall forward and it is laughable to expect to score a decent score with just one key forward target. The sides that get away with that shit have very good and/or experienced midfields.
 
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To me Hale just seems to be afraid of a contest, he doesnt chase, he hardly leads he just stands there shoulder to shoulder hoping the ball will land in his hands.

That said he was one of the best this week and earned a spot next week.
Sorry, but this isn't Hale's problem. Hale can't do much else when the midfield deliver it straight on top of his head (which seems to be the case recently).....I'll defend him on these occasions.
 

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The problem with Hale is he is far too stationary, if he moves, presents and plays in front more then it is hard for him to be scragged, he just engages in body contact too much and the umps then give a lot of leeway to the defender unless the forward is Reiwoldt.

The problem is Hale has no confidence in the supply or the delivery, he lead so many times only to be ignored by players not taking the first option.

He is no Coleman, but he can be useful if we can get the WWF out of Hale, he has no reason to hold or wrestle or push, he towers over most defenders.

The other problem is we need more options, other than Hale and Warren there is tumble weed blowing across our forward line, this allows the other defenders to focus on the only two guys that look like kicking a goal.
Good Post. I have not been openly critical like some of Hale yet I watched our forward line quite closely at the game last night, in particular our setup and movement for the ball.

Being a forward myself, I have noticed with Hale (as Zvim correctly points out) is the fact he plays as a stationary forward - 75% of the time out of position. Yes - on may occasions he is shepherded out of the contest, but particularly when he plays from behind. I could count numerous times Dawson parking himself in-front of Hale, and Gilbert or Goddard or whomever floating back to the square for an easy uncontested mark.

I would think he would be better advised to play in front and parking his frame in-front of defenders and using his body and strength more effectively. Just my opinion, but I don't think he uses his body well at times.

Although in saying that our delivery to Hale last night was poor due to the fact that not only Hale but most of our forwards were 'very' stagnant. I didn't see many double or triple leads and although the Saints were employing the flood somewhat, our forwards must lead/run the lines and draw the Saints defenders and midfielders sitting in the hole, out of their positional zoning. It forced us into resulting bombs to the goal square where the ball was turned over and the Saints are confident and good enough to run it out of the forward line effectively.
It was disappointing for me to see our forwards stand in the forward 50 and resign to the fact they were not going to get the ball. Well if that's the case, as I am advised to do, do some hard unrewarded team running and work hard at opening space. Of course, better movement of the ball would help. :eek:

We can be better up forward.
 
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