Dean Laidley Speech
Brent Harvey Medal Presentation
Life Membership Speeches
Brent Harvey and Shannon Grant IV's
Adam Simpson Speech
Shannon Grant Retirement Speech
Jess Sinclair Retirement Speech

THINGS started to click for North Melbourne’s David Hale in the gritty win over the West Coast Eagles in round eight.

He says so himself, reflecting on the need to deliver in his sixth season at the elite level which has now earned him fourth place in the club’s Syd Barker Medal.

That game Hale kicked three goals, had 16 touches, 12 hit-outs and took 10 marks. He even laid four tackles.

“I don’t know whether that was just a kick-along or not, but the forwards sort of held on for the second half of the year,” he said.

“It was good to come away, not the way we finished in the end, but we had good development for that six-game period (from rounds 15 to 20) where we played pretty well and hopefully we can take that into next year with the young guys we’ve got.”

The outing against the Eagles obviously gave coach Dean Laidley and his coaching staff a greater reason to persevere with Hale as a key forward, even though there’ll be no pigeon-holing the big man who led the club’s goalkicking with 37.

“I still enjoy playing in the ruck, but obviously if you’re taking marks and kicking goals you’re probably more valuable down forward,” he said.

“Hopefully I can continue that sort of form I had at the end of this year and take it into next year, and get a good pre-season under my belt again and go from there.”

One more convincing performance would have seen Hale, selected at No.7 in the 2001 draft, finish third to Brent Harvey (759 votes) and Drew Petrie (731).

A solitary vote behind Brady Rawlings with 670, it was a remarkable result for the 24-year-old who had never tasted the top 10.

“Brady pipped me by one, so I’ll have to get into (assistant coach) Darren Bewick and ask why he couldn’t give me two more votes,” he joked.

“No, it was a very deserving top three and Boomer (Harvey) had a great year again. And Drewy (Petrie), they were always going to be the quinella so it was a good year.”

Hale saved his best for when the Roos most needed a beacon. Against Geelong at Skilled Stadium in round 21, the Cats’ watertight defence struggled as Hale kicked eight goals – four on young defender Harry Taylor and another four on decorated full-back Matthew Scarlett.

North lost by 33, but so convincing was Hale’s performance that he earned 48 of a possible 50 Syd Barker Medal votes from the coaching staff.

“[I was] two votes shy, so I’ll have to track down anyone who missed me out,” he said, again in jest.

“It was the best game I’ve played and the marks sort of stuck and the ball was sailing pretty well through the sticks.

“I got to the 100-game milestone [against Port Adelaide in round 22], which was a good achievement and started to play a few good games at the end of the year.”

“It was great [for] Haley, and to finish fourth was a super effort,” added Petrie, who combined strongly with Hale in the ruck and attack for a lot of the season.

“He had a great second half of the year and he’s one guy who can make a difference in the next couple of years for us.”