NORTH Melbourne recruit Aaron Hall is looking forward to "proving some people wrong" and insists his reputation as a poor defender is a non-issue.
Hall had a self-confessed "rocky" 103 games across seven seasons at Gold Coast before joining the Kangaroos in the NAB AFL Trade Period in October in exchange for a fourth-round pick.
The 28-year-old came under regular criticism for his defensive accountability as a midfielder, particularly in recent years under Stuart Dew and before that Rodney Eade.
However, Hall's offensive talents and ability to impact a contest with his speed were never in doubt as he graduated from a stay-at-home forward into an inside midfielder.
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He averaged a career-high 27.8 disposals in the 2016 season and 25.6 touches a year later before a serious pectoral injury ended his 2018 campaign in round 11.
"It's probably easy to criticise players league-wide around the defensive side, especially midfielders that are in a team that predominantly loses," Hall said.
"I think some players may get away with it who are in successful sides and that's just the industry, I suppose. Me coming in here, I'll work on all aspects of my game.
"I understand that my offence probably far outweighs my defence, but I'll come in here and buy in on all aspects of the game and look to improve my game in every area."
Hall at Kangaroos training this week. Picture: nmfc.com.au
Hall enters a competitive race for onball spots, with Shaun Higgins, Ben Cunnington, Ben Jacobs, Jed Anderson, Paul Ahern and fellow recruits Dom Tyson and Jared Polec other contenders.
Captain Jack Ziebell and Jy Simpkin, who is going into his third season, will also go through the middle at different stages, on top of their forward duties.
"I want to use my attributes, which is my speed … my penetrating kick, (and) really try and hit the scoreboard and use that speed on the pressure side of things going the other way as well," Hall said.
"(I want to play) more as an inside midfielder. I got pushed around a lot at the Suns and it was probably the (lack of) versatility of other players who couldn't play in other areas.
"My favourite position is to play inside mid, as well as sitting forward (and) sitting on the wing at stages, and I might have to go to half-back, but predominantly (my role is) around playing in the midfield."
Hall arrived in Melbourne at the start of the week and completed some training with North's first-to-fourth-year players ahead of the rest of the squad's return on Monday.
His partner also relocated from Queensland on Thursday.
"(The Kangaroos) are building to become a strong, powerful club and something I want to be part of," Hall said.
"For me, it was to get somewhere where I thought there would be some success, but also in terms of changing something up.
"It sort of felt like a bit of insanity doing the same thing and getting the same result."
Importantly, Hall's injured pectoral muscle is almost back to normal and he expects to be involved in full-contact training in a matter of weeks.
"It's been a really smooth transition in the rehab side of things and I haven't had any hiccups, which has been good. It's an unusual injury," he said.
"I had my surgery done by Dr Peter Rowan from Brisbane, who does all the Queensland Reds and Brisbane Broncos (players), who tend to tear their pecs, so everything was successful and I'm really confident in it.
"I just went to tackle Joel Selwood and I don't know whether he slipped his arm up or not, or whether it was my bad technique – I think it was a bit of both – but it was just one of those uncanny incidents."
