The Roos 13.4 (82) went down to the Cats 17.13 (115).
Although the match promised plenty – it was a battle between the competition's two most in-form teams – Geelong proved once again it is the best in the business, even though North Melbourne's endevours couldn't be questioned.
Despite the loss, the Kangaroos are still in contention for a top four berth.
Geelong's second term, when it booted seven goals to two, was ultimately the difference, while the Cats' ability to have multiple goalkickers was also telling. Yet this didn't detract from Hale, who was arguably best-on-ground, even in a losing side.
His previous best was four goals, also against Geelong in round 11 this year, giving him 12 majors for the season against the Cats – an outstanding effort. Hale also finished the match with eight marks.
Defenders Michael Firrito and Daniel Pratt were also among North Melbourne's best, while Daniel Wells was his side's leading ball-winner with 28 touches.
For Geelong, Jimmy Bartel enhanced his back-to-back Brownlow Medal prospects with a brilliant 37-disposal display, while Joel Corey (also 37 touches) continued his vastly-underrated season. Cam Mooney and Paul Chapman also booted four goals each.
Geelong started proceedings via Brad Ottens in an even opening, although by quarter-time North Melbourne had a seven-point edge, largely due to an outstanding period from Hale, who dominated with three goals.
His first opponent was Harry Taylor, before Darren Milburn, who started on the bench, switched onto him. By the time he landed his third for the term, Andrew Mackie was his man.
Hale was in the thick of the action early in the second term when he added his fourth, but when Ottens bobbed up with his second, it was the start of five unanswered goals from the home side.
It took Hale, again, to break the drought and reduce the deficit back – a fine achievement, considering he had only earlier returned to the ground, after hurting his right knee in a marking situation.
The incident occurred after he went too early in the contest, crashing into Mackie.
Still, it was Hale's only blemish in the first half, after he booted five of six North Melbourne goals.
But the Kangas had their concerns at the long break. Not only did they trail by 26 points, they also saw first-year Roo and ex-Bulldog Sam Power suffer a heavy head knock to the head, after Cat Max Rooke crashed into him with his hip-and-shoulder.
Power left the field at the 21-minute mark of the second term, but he was remarkably back on the field after the long break, when initially his day looked over.
North Melbourne registered the first goal of the second half through Lindsay Thomas, reducing the gap back to 21 points. But Geelong soon regained the ascendency, booting three in a row to jump out to a 41-point buffer.
Just as the game was starting to look out of reach for the Kangas, they hit back with two goals in red-time – including Hale's sixth and Hamish McIntosh's first – pegging the deficit back to 30 points, offering a glimmer of hope at three quarter-time.
Hale, who had the game's premier defender Matthew Scarlett as his opponent in the second half, kept the Roos alive with he landed his seventh and eighth early in the final term.
On both occasions he brought the margin back to 24 points, but when Ottens booted his third and Rooke kicked truly, the Cats were back out to a 38-point lead and it was game over.
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs.
MATCH DETAILS
Geelong 3.3 10.6 13.10 17.13 (115)
North Melbourne 4.3 6.4 9.4 13.4 (82)
GOALS
Geelong: Chapman 4 Mooney 4 Ottens 3 Johnson 2 Ling 2 Lonergan Rooke
North Melbourne: Hale 8 Thomas 2 Harris Jones McIntosh
BEST
Geelong: Bartel Ling Corey Mooney Ottens Chapman Ablett
North Melbourne: Hale Pratt Wells Firrito
INJURIES
Geelong: Stokes (general soreness) replaced in selected side by Varcoe. Kelly (general soreness) replaced in selected side by Prismall.
North Melbourne: Nathan Thompson (ankle) replaced in selected side by Scott Thompson. Campbell (hamstring) replaced in selected side by Sinclair.
Reports: Nil
Umpires: James, M Nicholls, McInerney
Official crowd: 24,288 at Skilled Stadium
