HAWTHORN utility David Hale has signed a contract extension to remain at the Club until at least the end of the 2014 season.

Hale becomes the fourth player to sign a new contract in the past two weeks, with Captain Luke Hodge, Ben Stratton and Luke Breust all inking new deals.

It is Hale’s second contract since arriving at the Club, after he was traded to Hawthorn in a deal struck with North Melbourne at the end of the 2010 season.

The 201cm ruckman/forward says the move to Hawthorn has been a positive one after his career seemed to stagnate at the Kangaroos.

“It’s been a good change for me, my footy wasn’t going that great at North and I just needed the change,” he told hawthornfc.com.au

“The fresh start has been good, I’ve enjoyed my footy since I’ve come here, we’ve got such a good bunch of blokes and obviously a pretty good team at the moment.

“Hopefully we can go one better than last year and win a premiership which would be nice.”

When he arrived at the Club in November 2010, Hale says he had one focus – winning the respect of his new teammates.

“It was a pretty big decision at the time but in the end Hawthorn was my clear pick and everything worked out in that sense, being able to come from North Melbourne to here,” he said.

“I just wanted to work hard to get the respect of the guys and try and get a senior berth.”

Now in his third season in the brown and gold, Hale has unquestionably won the respect of his teammates and coaches through his professionalism, leadership and ability to respond to challenges faced on the field.

One of those challenges arose in Round 3 2012, when ruckman Max Bailey was out injured and then-back-up ruckman Broc McCauley was a late withdrawal through illness.

That meant Hale was thrown the number one ruck mantle by Coach, Alastair Clarkson.

Such was his ability to respond when his team needed him, Hale became Hawthorn’s best ruck option, forming a formidable partnership with forward, Jarryd Roughead.

He says being the number one ruckman was a role he enjoyed, but says he still has areas to improve.

“I enjoyed it immensely,” Hale said of being the number one ruckman.

“Being able to get up more around the ball and cover the ground and being a bit more involved in the play than you are as a deep forward.

“Everything has worked out so far, I’ve still got a few things to improve on and keep working at but if I keep playing my role hopefully good form and success with the team will continue.”

After falling short in the Grand Final in 2012, Hale hopes the team can go one further in 2013.

“The few years I’ve been here, we’ve been pretty high up and had a pretty good team,” he said.

“Hopefully after the disappointment of last year we can go one further and make all those fans and members we’ve got out there proud of the boys and proud of the club that they support.”

Recruiting and List Manager Graham Wright says Hale has been a consistent performer since arriving at the Club.

David has been an outstanding acquisition for Hawthorn Football Club,” he said.

“He has performed at a high level in his two-plus years at the Club and he has brought a great deal of flexibility, consistency and experience to our side.”