Hale will now be with the Hawks until at least the end of 2015 after adding 12 months to his arrangement with the club.
Click here for all our trade and free agency news
"It's good to get another year," he told AFL.com.au.
"The contracts are reduced in length as you get older, but I feel as though the footy I have played in the last couple of years has been good.
"I'm happy to be here for the next couple of years and we'll see what happens after that."
Hale, who turns 30 in May, joined the Hawks at the start of 2011 after nine seasons at North Melbourne, shouldering the ruck duties in 2012 due to Max Bailey's injury and forming an excellent ruck tandem during last year's premiership campaign upon Bailey's return.
His durability at Hawthorn has also been a feature, with 68 games out of a possible 75.
With Bailey now retired, his new ruck partner is Ben McEvoy and Hale is impressed with the former Saint's mobility.
"He covers the ground well and has a big tank," he said.
It could mean more time up forward for Hale.
Most weeks last year, Hale and Bailey would split time in the ruck for the first three quarters. Hale would then assume the ruck duties in the final quarter, with some assistance from Jarryd Roughead, with Bailey subbed out usually to make way for an extra runner.
But McEvoy can clearly play for four quarters, so Hale can play forward for longer and he might need to, given Lance Franklin's departure to the Sydney Swans will necessitate a tweak to the Hawthorn forward structure.
"The forward line has been functioning pretty well so far," Hale said. "We'll get a bit more attention but we still have that good spread of talls and smalls and plenty of goalkickers."
At 201cm, Hale's best work is usually done in the air but his finest moment in 2013 might have come in the clutch moments of the final quarter of the preliminary final when surrounded by a group of Geelong players, he dived on a ball in the centre square to force a stoppage and prevented the ball spilling to a group of unattended Geelong players waiting out the back for the handball receive.
In a final quarter full of bravery from the Hawks, it was a standout moment.
"I haven’t watched it that many times," he said. "It was a spur of the moment thing that I did on instinct. There were so many key contests in that final quarter and I'm just pleased that we got over the line."
The premiership win vindicated his decision to leave the Kangaroos after 129 games. Three preliminary finals appearances, two Grand Finals and a flag mean it has been a great three years. And he believes there is more success in store.
"We think we have a good list and good bunch of youngsters so we should be around the mark. We have to cash in while we have the opportunity," he said.
"I just want to kick a bit straighter (he kicked 20.26 last year), play up forward, help 'Big Boy' in ruck and play in the last game of the year again."
Looking ahead to Saturday's season opener against the Brisbane Lions at Aurora Stadium, Hale said the string of upsets last weekend was timely for the Hawks.
"They just show that anyone can beat anyone and regardless of how we played in the pre-season, we need to be on our game. They were a good wake up call for us," he said.
Meanwhile, the Hawks have upgraded Derick Wanganeen from their rookie list as a replacement for Brendan Whitecross, who was already on the long-term injury list.
