The club’s crushing two-point defeat on Friday night against West Coast hit the key defender particularly hard and has been the cause for a few sleepless nights already.
Hansen was lined up on Nic Naitanui when the Eagles launched a desperate last gasp effort in the final term at Patersons Stadium. After receiving a controversial free kick, Adam Selwood bombed the ball in from 70 metres out and Hansen found himself caught behind.
“It didn’t help that I was the one playing on Naitanui at the time…he got the jump on me and was able to mark it. I felt like I had let the team down,” Hansen told NMFC.com.au.
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“I was running as fast as I could to get to the contest and then knew I wasn’t going to make it. You can probably see me in the background with my hands on my head. I was hoping he didn’t mark it but he jumped into the clouds and did. It was disappointing to say the least. It hurt and you always feel bad when something like that happens as a result of something you did or didn’t do.
“I thought it was going to be a ball up out on the wing them and then suddenly the ball was coming in. I was playing on Kennedy and had to do a quick handover with Scotty Thompson when we identified that Nic-Nat was deep. Scotty had been playing on Kennedy all game, we didn’t have a lot of time to switch and the quick kick came in and I just got caught behind him (Naitanui).”
Looking back, Hansen realises what he should have done.
“I should have stood about five metres in front of him and made sure I could impact the contest as well…obviously I know that now. He is such a quick bloke and all game, when I was on him, I was trying to take away his run at the ball. In the dying stages I didn’t do that and now I have to deal with it and be a better player in the future.
“I just have to dust myself off and do better next week and the week after that to repay the boys.
“I didn’t sleep well at all. It was really disappointing. I haven’t felt like that for a long time. I thought we were in control of the game and then that last five seconds…it just took me a while to get over it, like it would have all the boys and our supporters no doubt.”
Following Bad Scott’s lead, Hansen says there's no point debating the Selwood free kick.
“We’ve spoken about it, but once they’ve made the decision, they’re not going to change their mind. We just have to live with what the umpire said on the day, wipe it from out memory and get on with the next opponent in Adelaide this week. There’s no point complaining about it.
“A lot of things happened that day that we need to tidy up on and we need to identify those things and work hard on them.”
While Naitanui’s act will be replayed over and over, Hansen was one of the reasons North was in control for much of the game. Playing down back, the 24-year old pulled in a career-high 15 marks to go along with 20 possessions.
“It was good to get back in defence and have an impact and be able to go for my marks. Most of the time they stuck and I haven’t played a nice game like that for a while so it’s good to get some form back.
“I’ll play wherever, but I probably feel more comfortable down back seeing I played there throughout all my junior footy. When I do play with the back six, it comes more naturally to me than being a forward.”
With Majak Daw and Aaron Black playing well in the forward line with Drew Petrie, Hansen may be used more in defence.
“Sometimes I’m not told until the team meeting a few days out from the game. I might train as a forward all week and end up playing down back. But that’s my role in the team and I enjoy the challenge. It’s also good to be flexible these days.”
Daw in particular is someone Hansen has already had a lot to do with. The pair share some familiar experiences with the weight of expectation a common theme. Hansen, the third pick in the 2006 National Draft, has always been subjected to heavy scrutiny as a result.
“I learnt not to take any notice of what anyone says outside of the club. I don’t care what anyone other than the coaches have to say. In the past,
I probably thought too much about what other people were saying about me and it hindered my footy, but now I couldn’t give a stuff.
“Majak will go through some similar scenarios and he’s just got to focus on the feedback he gets from Brad and the coaches. If he does that he’ll be fine. He’s got a level head, so he will take it in his stride. I have already spoken to him about it and will continue to help him through it if he needs me.”
Fitness-wise, the number 6 is coming off a minor knee injury but says he’s quickly getting back to full strength.
“It’s been really good. I had it taped up until the third quarter and was able to play for the rest of the game without tape. I’m pretty happy with where it’s at right now.”
