Just a week after playing some of their best football of the season against Essendon, the Hawks were thrashed by a hungry Tigers outfit to the tune of 41 points.
Hawthorn's score of 66 was its lowest since round four last year, and it was just the second time in 2013 that Alastair Clarkson's team has conceded more than 100 points.
Describing the effort as the ladder leader's worst since Hawthorn last played Richmond – a 62-point loss in round nine, 2012 – Hale said he hoped the setback would provide a spur in the lead-up to September.
"Last year when we lost against Richmond it was a kick in the pants, and we played some pretty good footy after that," the 29-year-old said at Waverley on Monday.
"Hopefully it'll be similar this year and we take some lessons from it."
Following last year's loss to the Tigers, the Hawks reeled off eight straight wins by an average margin of 81 points, starting with the famous 115-point thrashing of North Melbourne the next week, in which Lance Franklin booted 13 goals.
This week it is St Kilda which must face a Hawthorn side eager to atone.
"I'd say 'Clarko' will probably have us pretty primed from the start this week," Hale said.
"We've got to bounce back.
"A lot of players were down on the weekend, and I'm sure everyone's got a lot of pride in the way they play, so hopefully everyone can bounce back pretty sharply."
Hale conceded there may have been a mental letdown in the wake of the big win over the Bombers, although nothing in the lead-up to the match had suggested it was coming.
He said the game showed that no team could afford to enter a match even slightly off its best.
"The comp is so even this year, that you just have to be off your game by 5 per cent," Hale said.
"The Tigers were up and about, and we were just that little bit off, and that's all it takes.
"You can't be complacent.
"You can't go into a game and just think it's going to happen.
"You have to turn up every week.
"With the stats the way they were after the first quarter, we were lucky to be within three goals."
Hale said he still felt the Hawks, at their best, would be tough to beat.
"If we come with the right mindset every week, we think we can match it with anyone," he said.
"We've got four games now to get the form that we want, similar to the way we played against Essendon.
"We'll try to get that this week against St Kilda and then work on it going into the finals."
Midfielder Liam Shiels, who has missed five matches with an ankle injury, will face a fitness test later in the week as he seeks to regain his place in the line-up before the finals.
Forward Jack Gunston is due to play his 50th AFL match against the Saints.
