The 25-year-old showed promising signs in round 14 when he took 10 marks against the Sydney Swans, but struggled to convert, kicking 0.4.

He again performed well the following week in the rain at Launceston when he took nine marks in a heartbreaking loss to Hawthorn.

But he was kept to just two possessions by the Lions at the Gabba last Saturday night as the Roos went down by 41 points.

"When I first took over we felt he had a couple of strong games but didn't get the reward … but last week he had a poor game," caretaker coach Darren Crocker said from Arden Street on Thursday.

"We just want him to go back and capture a little bit of form in the VFL."

Hale looked to be the Roos' answer in attack when kicking 17 goals from the last four games of 2008, including a career-best bag of eight.

Earlier this year he admitted his confidence was down but Crocker suggested the side's inconsistency had also had an impact on Hale's output.

"We haven't performed as well as a team [compared to last year]," he said. "We haven't got the ball inside our forward 50 and given him as many opportunities. I don't think the forward line as a whole has functioned well."

It's been a different story for another of the Roos' tall timber, with ruckman Hamish McIntosh enjoying similar success to his breakout 2007 season.

With growing opinion McIntosh could earn All-Australian selection, Crocker acknowledged his contribution was in the top bracket of a struggling side.

"He had a patch there for a couple of weeks where he was disappointed with the way he was going, but over the last couple of weeks he's really bounced back," Crocker said.

"He's been important to us and hopefully can really finish the year off."

Ahead of Simpson's final training session as a player, Crocker said the veteran had chosen a low key approach to his farewell game.

Simpson will be given opportunities within North's football department from Monday as he prepares for his transition into coaching.

The 33-year-old has undertaken a pilot coaching program this year and Crocker said the club would help him with his development wherever it could.

Dynamic midfielder Daniel Wells trained with the VFL players on Thursday with the view to returning from his groin injury before the end of the season.

North Melbourne Vs Carlton, Round 18
Friday, July 31
Etihad Stadium, 7.40pm

B: Josh Gibson (38), Drew Petrie (20), Nathan Grima (17)
HB: Scott McMahon (42), Scott Thompson (16), Levi Greenwood (24)
C: Sam Power (5), Adam Simpson (7), Gavin Urquhart (14)
HF: Matt Campbell (33), Lachie Hansen (6), Liam Anthony (44)
F: Lindsay Thomas (12), Corey Jones (21), Brent Harvey (29)
R: Hamish McIntosh (1), Brady Rawlings (3), Michael Firrito (11)
INT: Andrew Swallow (9), Todd Goldstein (22), Daniel Pratt (30), Leigh Harding (39)
EMERG: Daniel Harris (4), Ben Ross (15), Josh Smith (18)

In: Grima, Pratt
Out: Ross, Hale