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

Angus1

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He needs to move more. Should be making leads all the time.
He stands still far too often. I just don't get why forwards stand still. It's every backmans dream. Hale needs to make some leads and then hold his marks.
If he does this he will be in for a good year as he is the only target at the moment.
 

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shiraz

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It looks like he's got his kicking mojo back, touch wood. I especially liked it when i saw Hale, and many of the forwards to be honest, push up to HBF in the 4th. We were pretty dead on our feet. I'm sure it was coaching shenanigans, but when our forwards started to pick up possies in the backline, it seamed to be the straw that broke WC's back, when they finally lost any momentum. I mean, they were pretty much out of it anyway, their only hope was to overrun tired defenders. When they saw relatively fresh forwards pushing up to help out, that's when they really gave up, and it was a joy to see the game iced before the final siren.

I'm sure everyone is well aware, but I'd like to reinforce...

Hale 3
Anthony 3
Warren 2
Edwards 2
Thomas 2

Great spread of multiple goal kickers. :thumbsu:
 

The Chiefton

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Can be a bit difficult to keep up with the many do's of our David, so thought we should chronicle them.

Seemed to have had a trim around the back and sides this week, but neglected to thin out the thatch. Am expecting better from him next week.

You'd think with all these new facilities down at arden st, they could at least cater for premature baldness!
 

NMFC ALWAYS

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Finally looks to have a bit of hunger in his attack on the ball . We don't expect him to be the Superstar we crave , but what we expect is an effort , and we got it .
 

Chadwiko

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He's getting results, which is great for him and great for the team.

However still needs to work on his leading/marking. I dare say quite a few of his scoring shots have been a result of free kicks, instead of genuine Hale-created chances.
 

blackshadow

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He did reasonably well yesterday.

He still dropped marks he should have taken but he was getting in front and did earn a free for in the back as a result. I loved his rover's goal in the third - not something we've seen too often from David in the past. Seems his confidence is growing and as it grows the results are showing on the scoreboard.
 

DJ Dupree

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He's getting results, which is great for him and great for the team.

However still needs to work on his leading/marking. I dare say quite a few of his scoring shots have been a result of free kicks, instead of genuine Hale-created chances.
Spot on. He seems to have the results, without actually breaking out and making the goals happen.

I'm hoping with continued support down there and the results happening for him anyway, he gets the confidence to see himself as 'the target', get a touch or arrogance about him. He can kick very well, always has been able to. Just needs to break a pack, take some contested marks.
 

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Mr Reliable

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He's playing better and the run in the ruck seemed to sharpen him up a bit.

He still needs a tatoo that says "I'm 6ft 29 and weigh heaps". I couldn't believe it when he was outmarked by Spangher (?) right in front of me. He was in perfect position and is taller and more experienced than the Eagle.

Signs are good though that he's coming back from some very dark place.:thumbsu:
 

RooHooDoo

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I think hes been pretty good.

2 of the games he has played could only be described as a tall forwards nightmare, yet he still managed to kick 5 goals. I think if he can string a few games together on the back of a few good North Melbourne wins we might start to see some more impressive returns.

He is never going to be a world beater but is definitely the best option we have down there at the minute.
 

breeno

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If he's bagging two or three a match it helps our structure, and one would assume he might kick the odd bag of 4,5,6 in there as we develop, shaping up to be a good year for Hale.
 

ApplecrossWC

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I noticed it yesterday too but it's actually his real hair isn't it? Didn't he get one of those transplant things when they take the grafts from the hair on the side of your head?
 

Ashley B

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Personally I think David needs to make a public comment on the situation, a bit like Drew on all his foot injury whispers. All this innuendo must be unsettling the New hairy one, if he won't maybe we can get his Mum Mrs Hale too :eek: The way in which his hair is developing this could be what we will be watching in about round 6 Scary Hairy Hale
 

Tas

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There can be only one...
Hale's performance is a bonus, but if he falls over in form we can bring in Smith and Tarrant, two of the more natural key forwards in our team.
I think we would have faired better had we a Smith or Tarrant at CHF, I still think we need a marking or hit-up target there that has some range. We had a lot of guys try and score from around the 50m area and we ended up kicking 17.14, which wasn't bad but we had more scoring shots than the saints did against us last week but 23.5 just smashed us on the scoreboard and really denied us any remote chance of being in the game.

I think we went a bit wide and a bit too long (Warren leading out to 50m) and we just sprayed a lot of shots. Not having that marking option at CHF can really cause the side to not play as direct or aggressively into the corridor.
 

muttley45

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Can be a bit difficult to keep up with the many do's of our David, so thought we should chronicle them.

Seemed to have had a trim around the back and sides this week, but neglected to thin out the thatch. Am expecting better from him next week.

bit of douggy bollinger there
 

big_e

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I think we would have faired better had we a Smith or Tarrant at CHF, I still think we need a marking or hit-up target there that has some range. We had a lot of guys try and score from around the 50m area and we ended up kicking 17.14, which wasn't bad but we had more scoring shots than the saints did against us last week but 23.5 just smashed us on the scoreboard and really denied us any remote chance of being in the game.

I think we went a bit wide and a bit too long (Warren leading out to 50m) and we just sprayed a lot of shots. Not having that marking option at CHF can really cause the side to not play as direct or aggressively into the corridor.
Assuming he gets over this injury in the timeframe they say he will, Drew Petrie will fill that void quite nicely.
 

Tas

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There can be only one...
Assuming he gets over this injury in the timeframe they say he will, Drew Petrie will fill that void quite nicely.
It can be a problematic injury to recover from, I hope things go well but we should have a good structure in every game we play.
 

r_boy

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If he kicks 60 goals he will have good currency for the GC :thumbsu:. Good on him but not the answer we're looking for in the forward line I'll stick by that.
 
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It is all about confidence for Haley and it is definitely building. Played on Glass for most of the game yesterday - once Drew returns he will probably get the second defender every week and will be even more dangerous.

Expect a bag in the next month.

If he kicks 60 goals it will be the most for North since Carey.
 
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Good on him his efforts and intent this year have been quite good. The pressure is off him a little bit when opposition defenses have to worry about 3 marking targets. Warren/ Edwards & Hale
 
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