But Hale was a strong target forward in last weekend's loss to Geelong with a couple, and kicked five against Fremantle on Saturday.
The Kangaroos are 12th, but in reality they're in the maelstrom that is the mid-ladder crush and the Fremantle win was vital to keep them in touch with the group.
Hale admitted the early season was frustrating.
"Obviously the year started pretty slowly, so it's good to start kicking them a bit more and get some touch back, to start having a bit more influence up forward with the young guys we've got up there," he said after the match.
"It's been a frustrating start for myself and the team, but with the young guys we've got coming through it's pretty exciting, and hopefully we can string a few together."
The rooms were full of smiles after the game, but it didn't look likely at the first change – six goals to two had the Dockers firmly in control, and Hale said a spray from coach Dean Laidley refocussed the group.
"We set ourselves to come out and play hard, with Freo travelling and the way they perform interstate, we thought we'd get a good jump on them early, but we came out and we were very flat, and got beaten in the contested footy and the work around the stoppages, which is something we focused on before the game.
"Laids came out and gave us a bit of a rev-up, and that sparked a few of the boys into action.
"He just let a few blokes know what he thought of their first quarter and where they stood, and as a group we responded and those individuals responded.
"It was nothing we didn't need, and it probably inspired a few boys."
Josh Gibson was North's best player last week in Geelong, giving significant drive off the half-back line, and after quarter-time was given the job on Fremantle superstar Matthew Pavlich.
"Gibbo's been looking to get up into the midfield for probably the last six to 10 months, and when Pavlich was up there I think he enjoyed it, and obviously when Pavlich went forward, Gibbo's pretty comfortable down back.
"So for Gibbo to do the job he did after quarter-time was pretty good for the team, obviously it went a long way to us winning the game."
Hale's five was his best haul of the season, with four against Essendon in round four his only other bag over two. He said that his job was made a lot easier when the midfield used the ball well.
"That's something I've been frustrated with, and obviously the other key forwards as well, the way we've moved the ball in previous weeks," Hale said.
"You can do what you want, you can run around, but if the ball's not going where you want it, it does get frustrating.
"But today, with the guys we've got, we put Wellsy (Daniel Wells) down there and he was able to isolate and create a bit of space, and the way he uses the ball coming forward ... and guys like Ben Ross and Gav Urquhart coming off half-back, if we can get the ball in their hands, it's going to be better for us."
