DAVID Hale is enjoying spending more time up forward this season.

After playing as the Hawks' No.1 ruckman for the bulk of last season, Hale has had a role change this year with Max Bailey's inclusion in the team.

The former Kangaroo has continued to rotate into the ruck, but has spent more time up forward, a structure he said had worked well so far.

"Max has been good; he's played the first four games and has been doing pretty well," Hale said.

"So 'Roughy' (Jarryd Roughead) and I are spending a bit more time down forward, which has helped as well, to have those tall targets down there.

"We've been kicking pretty big scores for the past few weeks, so it's been a good mix."

The dampener for Hawthorn from Saturday's 43-point victory over Fremantle was the anterior cruciate ligament rupture suffered by key defender Ryan Schoenmakers.

The emerging tall will need a knee reconstruction, ending his season.

But the Hawks have a ready-made replacement in recruit Brian Lake, who appears certain to play his first game of the year.

"He (Lake) has had a few games in the VFL and he's been playing well, so I imagine he would come in and fill that role," Hale said.

"But it's unlucky for 'Schoey' at such a young age to have to have a knee reco."

Hale will come up against his old team this Sunday as Hawthorn attempts to continue its recent hold over North Melbourne, which included 13 goals to Lance Franklin in a 115-point thrashing when the teams last met.

Although unlikely to display the same emotion as Brendon Goddard in his first game against St Kilda last Saturday night, Hale said the desire to perform against his ex-teammates was still there after three years away.

"You want to do well and perform well against your old mates," he said.

"I spent a long time there, so I've got some good memories, but I've been at the Hawks for a few years now so it would be good to knock them off again."