David Hale Biography

David Hale will join Hawthorn in 2022 as an assistant coach after six years at Fremantle.

"Through meeting with David a number of times, we've become acutely aware that we're bringing in someone with a very strong understanding of the game and someone who knows how to get the best out of his players," Hawthorn football manager Rob McCartney said.

Fremantle caretaker coach David Hale hasn't ruled out a tilt at the top job as he prepares to take charge in the club's final game this season against Port Adelaide.

"It's something I'll look at going forward. Obviously in five days it's hard to get your head around and obviously focusing on Port Adelaide," Hale said.

"I'll sit down with Peter Bell and go through that next week. The timeframe to become an AFL coach is not set in stone, so I'll definitely go away and think about it and we'll make a decision going forward."

David Hale will serve as senior coach for Fremantle in their final regular season game for 2019 against Port Adelaide following the sacking of Ross Lyon.

Josh Gibson has poured cold water on former Hawthorn teammate Brian Lake's suggestion that the club was looking to retire two veterans a season as it makes the transition from one era to another.

Lake told RSN that his departure from the Hawks was part of a plan the club had to move on two senior players per season, and that David Hale and he were the first.

"I did want to play on, but you could see with their list what they were trying to do," Lake said.

"I think they were going to go [retire] two, two and two with the older guys, and me and David Hale were probably the guys to go first – and that did happen."

However Gibson queried where Lake had got his information from and said the last thing his teammates were thinking about on the eve of the season was retirement.

"I don't know where Lakey has got that from," Gibson said.

"Maybe he's getting into the coach's box, I don't know. Right now no one is thinking about retirements. We're focusing on having a big 2016 season."

Recently retired Hawthorn premiership player David Hale has made an immediate move into coaching, joining Fremantle coach Ross Lyon's team of assistants for 2016.

The Dockers have made three new appointments, with Hale joined by fellow Hawthorn premiership player Brent Guerra and experienced coach Anthony Rock.

"David, Brent and Anthony each have key football and coaching qualities, and will be valuable additions to our club," Fremantle football manager Chris Bond said.

"They have decades of experience at the game’s most elite level and we look forward to them joining our coaching team and the valuable input they will have at the club."

Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson says the fact Brian Lake and David Hale had shown signs their bodies were breaking down throughout the season led to the decisions for them to retire.

"With 'Lakey' and 'Haley'... the thing that we observed through our testing of our players … we noticed with both those boys they were starting to wane in terms of what they were able to contribute on-field as a result of their physical capabilities," Clarkson said.

Triple-premiership players David Hale and Brian Lake have announced their retirements from Hawthorn.

Both veterans played in the Hawks' premiership trifecta of 2013, 2014 and 2015.

After winning his 3rd premiership with Hawthorn, David Hale says his body is battered and bruised but will wait a few days before making a definitive call on his future.

"I'll sit down with the club and family in the next few days and decide what happens next," Hale said.

"[The body] is pretty banged up now. I can't get much better [than three flags] … but I'll let it soak in for a couple of days."

David Hale signs a one-year contract extension with Hawthorn that will keep him at the club until the end of 2015.

"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," Hale said.

"I'm happy to be here for the next couple of years and we'll see what happens after that."

David Hale signs a new one-year contract with Hawthorn, tying him to the club until the end of 2014.

"I'm getting a little bit older, so it was good to tie in another year," Hale said.

"Hopefully I can keep playing good footy and have some success here in the coming years."

David Hale will play his 150th game against Collingwood in the Hawks' season opener but says he is focussed on getting the win.

"It's probably business as usual," he said.

"The games sort of tick over and you don't really keep count of them. Obviously the milestones are pretty nice to get to, but a win's what I'm after. That would be the best present."

Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson has given ruckman David Hale a ringing endorsement after his first year at the club.

"Hale's recruitment was a godsend for our club - his contested marking was outstanding in the second half of the year and he's obviously a great back-up in the ruck to Max Bailey," Clarkson wrote in an article on the club's website.

"He's emerged as an important part of our structure in our midfield and forward-half of our ground."

Hawthorn has trumped Melbourne by agreeing to send its compensation pick to North Melbourne for ruckman David Hale.

"David is a native Gold Coast footballer and we are extremely pleased that he has decided to stay in Melbourne to further his football career," Hawthorn's general manager of player personnel and strategy Chris Pelchen said.

"As a first-round draft selection in the much-vaunted 2001 national draft, David's ability has been widely recognised and resulted in him being a much sought-after recruit in the 2010 AFL trade period."

North Melbourne's David Hale vows to repay the faith shown in him by new coach Brad Scott after a disappointing 2009 season.

"You obviously want to be playing your best and helping the team out and all that sort of stuff. It wasn't ideal but that's how it goes. How you come out of it is probably the main thing," Hale said.

"With a new coach and everything else, including the new facility, it's obviously a fresh start for everyone."

North Melbourne ruckman David Hale has been dropped from the side to face Carlton due to poor form against the Brisbane Lions.

"When I first took over he had a couple of strong games but didn't get the reward," North Melbourne caretaker coach Darren Crocker said.

"I think he kicked four points against Sydney after taking 10 marks but last week he had a poor game and we just want him to go back and recapture a little bit of form in the VFL."

David Hale says the mark he took with seconds left in the extraordinary draw with Richmond was legitimate.

With the scores level and just 22 seconds remaining in a pulsating match at the MCG, Hale marked strongly in front of Tigers defender Jarrod Silvester on a slight angle inside 50m.

"Was it a mark? Obviously I thought it was a mark," Hale said.

"I haven't seen a replay, but by all reports it was a 50-50 and it didn't go our way."

Kangaroo assistant coach Darren Bewick said David Hale showed good signs against the Swans which was a reward for effort on the track.

North Melbourne considered dropping full-forward David Hale for last week's clash with the Sydney Swans before caretaker coach Darren Crocker decided to give him another opportunity.

"I'm more pleased for David because I've worked with him the whole year and have seen what he's been doing on the training track," Bewick said on Thursday.

"His training form's been as good as any. He's feeling confident about things going into the games, it just hasn't been happening for him.

"I thought last week the things he's been putting in place on the training track and trying to implement into games finally came to fruition for him."

North's David Hale is working his way into some consistent form at full forward.

"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.

"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."

David Hale has been placed out of reach of the new Gold Coast team, with the Roos signing him to a new contract today.

"I'm very happy. I'm obviously settled in Melbourne now and it's a very exciting time with the boys coming through here," Hale said.

"It's good to get the chance to sign the deal with North and put the talk about the Gold Coast behind me."

David Hale may have missed some gettable goals, but the big man was still the difference for the Kangaroos against Essendon on Sunday.

"It would have been good to ice the game with that kick but unfortunately I missed it. I missed one from the goal square as well," Hale said after the game.

"I could have ended up with a couple more so it was a bit disappointing, but it was good to get the confidence up and take some grabs again."