THE KANGAROOS' ruck buck stops with an eager David Hale this week and will for the next two months as Hamish McIntosh recovers from a knee injury.

It's an unusual predicament. For many clubs that lose their first-choice big man, another is promoted to show his wares while keeping the transition as smooth as possible.

Such an apprenticeship may be absent at the Roos, but the club is no worse off.

Hale, who offers his ruck talents with forward nous, has played 90 games compared to McIntosh's 55 and has had a longer gestation since joining North Melbourne via pick seven in the 2001 draft.

And this year, the pair has shown a fluency that gives the strongest sense yet of a balanced combination.

"The last six weeks for me have probably been my most consistent footy," Hale said.

Ever since arriving at North, consistency was something for which he had striven.

But Hale said that in previous years "I've played a good game and then didn't play well for a few weeks.

"I've definitely focused on it this year and I work a lot with Greg Buck, the psychologist, and Darren Bewick, who does the midfield stuff. It's something I can still improve on; there's still a long way to go."

Despite not having a mentor in the squad, Hale says that the advantages for him and McIntosh have outweighed the challenges.

"I think I was about 20 when I was put into the spot, and H (Hamish McIntosh) is about the same age," he said. "When Spider (Matthew) Burton and Mark Porter left, we never really had that older battering ram, you could say.

"We probably learned the game a bit quicker, and getting thrown in the deep end you obviously a few tricks of the trade. Obviously Corey (McKernan) helps us out as well and we had Matty Capuano last year.

"It's only going to hold us in good stead for the future and if we get that 50 or 100 games behind us, we get to 25 or 26 and they say you're at your peak.

"Who knows? We [could be] a pretty deadly combination."

Hale also acknowledges that the side's form in recent weeks – which has included losses to Fremantle, Geelong and the Brisbane Lions – rests heavily with what unfolds at the stoppages.

"It all stems from the midfield pretty much," he said. "If [opposition forwards] are getting it lace out, no-one can stop them.

"We've been smashed in the middle, especially last week. Against a guy like (Matthew) Pavlich who gets a clean ball, it doesn't matter who you throw in front of him, he's going to mark it.

"Spud (Michael Firrito) and Gibbo (Josh Gibson) can get put up in lights and bashed about the head but, in the end, it comes down to a team effort.

"If we're pressuring in the middle, then they're getting balls they can spoil."