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Hawks thump Saints, North shoot down Eagles

Hawthorn have produced a professional day at the office to defeat St Kilda by 63 points on Sunday, claiming back-to-back wins for the first time in 2015.

The premiers were barely stretched in their 20.12 (132) to 10.9 (69) victory, earned with 12 individual goalkickers.

Alastair Clarkson’s 150th win as Hawthorn coach came with a minimum of fuss and moved the Hawks to fifth on the ladder.

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Sam Mitchell was proficient in the middle, ably assisted by captain Luke Hodge.

Running machine Billy Hartung turned the Hawks from defence and through midfield well, with Liam Shiels, Luke Breust and Isaac Smith strong contributors.

In attack, Jack Gunston and Jarryd Roughead top scored with three goals.

Despite the loss, there was at least progress for the Saints to report, having slumped to a 145-point loss on their most recent date with the Hawks last year.

Josh Bruce kicked two goals while Jack Steven gathered 38 possessions.

Meanwhile, resurgent North Melbourne hung tough to claim a crucial 10-point victory over West Coast to get their AFL season back on track.

The Kangaroos looked in deep trouble when they were only six points up at the final break and facing the prospect of kicking into a gale at Blundstone Arena in the fourth quarter.

But they made light of the difficult conditions, outscoring the flagging Eagles by four goals to three in the final term to win 13.7 (85) to 10.15 (75).

The third loss of the season for the Eagles saw them slip one spot to third on the ladder, while the inconsistent Kangaroos levelled their win-loss record at 5-5.

A trio of quick goals late in the third term to Ben Brown, Shaun Higgins and Brent Harvey proved crucial for North Melbourne.

But just as important was they fact that they were able to maintain scoreboard pressure in the final term, despite kicking into the teeth of the strong wind.

The ever-reliable Todd Goldstein finished with 47 hitouts for the Kangaroos and also booted an impressive final-term goal kicking across the face.

Higgins was the Roos’ top goal-scorer with four, including a crucial snap late in the final quarter.

Jack Ziebell was valuable with 24 disposals, 11 clearances and a goal.

It was a reversal of form for the Roos who last round let slip a 39-point halftime lead to lose to Collingwood.

And Greater Western Sydney notched a club record seventh win in a season but only sparkled sporadically in a 30-point home victory over a plucky injury-ravaged Brisbane.

The vastly understrength Lions competed well for most of the game, but the Giants slammed on four straight final-quarter goals to set up a 14.13 (97) to 10.7 (67) victory at Spotless Stadium.

The win lifted GWS into fourth ahead of Collingwood, who play on Monday.

GWS led by as much as 46 points in the final quarter, but the Lions kicked the last three goals.

Jeremy Cameron kicked three goals for GWS, with fellow tall forwards Cam McCarthy and James Stewart and midfielder Stephen Coniglio each booting two.

Rohan Bewick and Dayne Beams kicked three goals each for the Lions, with the latter adding 29 touches, two behind Lewis Taylor and Allen Christensen.

Giants co-captain Callan Ward tallied 32 touches and ruckman Shane Mumford rebounded from a rare off day last week by amassing 51 hitouts.

The Lions held a four-point lead at the first change, defending in numbers and forcing the Giants to lay the equal most tackles in a quarter this season.

GWS took control with a six-goals-to-two second quarter which set up a 20-point halftime lead.

They swelled the buffer to 37 in the third quarter before the Lions kicked the last two goals of the term to be 26 behind at the final change.

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