HAWTHORN has recorded successive wins for the first time this season with a 63-point triumph over St Kilda at Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
The 20.12 (132) to 10.9 (69) win was the Hawks' fifth consecutive victory over the Saints.
The Hawks now head into their bye with a win-loss record of 6-4, three wins behind leaders Fremantle, while the Saints are 3-7.
Sam Mitchell was prolific for the Hawks off half-back. The veteran had 18 touches by half-time and finished the game with 35 disposals, a game-high eight clearances and five inside 50s.
Speedster Billy Hartung broke the lines and a gathered a handy 26 disposals, while skipper Luke Hodge had 25 possessions and kicked two goals.
The Hawks had 12 individual goalkickers with Jarryd Roughead and Jack Gunston booting three apiece as they claimed another Blue Ribbon Cup.
In his 100th game, Saints midfielder Jack Steven was outstanding.
The 25-year-old finished with a game-high 38 disposals, seven clearances and five inside 50s and was presented with theSilk-Miller Medal for best on ground after the game.
Steven was well assisted in the midfield by veteran Leigh Montagna, while defenders Dylan Roberton and Jimmy Webster were also solid contributors.
Former Hawk Shane Savage was handed the green vest by Alan Richardson before the game, but came on seven minutes into the third term and had an immediate impact kicking two goals.
The final scoreline wasn't a true representation of the competitiveness of the Saints, who battled hard for three quarters, but were ultimately outclassed by the reigning premiers.
The Hawks led from start to finish but were far from their best in the opening half.
They dominated the clearances (20-16), contested possession (73-58) and had seven more inside 50s but were wasteful with their disposal by foot and inaccurate in front of goal.
Hawthorn kicked 4.5 in the opening term, and the second quarter started in the same fashion with Gunston and Roughead missing set shots and keeping the Saints within reach.
But St Kilda's turnovers proved costly just before half-time with Webster hitting Luke Breust on the chest from a kick-in following a point.
Bruest converted, sparking a burst of three goals in three minutes late in the second term to give Alastair Clarkson's men a 35-point lead at the main break.
Clearly unhappy with his team's first half performance, Clarkson addressed his players on the ground for several minutes at half-time before taking them down into the rooms.
The match opened up in the third term as the Saints struggled to win the ball out of the centre, while the Hawks took their game to another level.
Their more experienced players asserted their dominance in the middle, and it paid dividends with the premiers piling on six goals to four.
The game blew out in the final term with the Hawks kicking six consecutive goals before the Saints finished off the game with three late goals.
ST KILDA 2.3 3.5 7.8 10.9 (69)
HAWTHORN 4.5 8.10 14.11 20.12 (132)
GOALS
St Kilda: Bruce 2, Savage 2, Sinclair 2, Riewoldt, Montagna, Longer, Shenton
Hawthorn: Gunston 3, Roughead 3, Hodge 2, Schoenmakers 2, Shiels 2, Hill 2, Hartung, Lewis, Rioli, Breust, Duryea, Smith
BEST
St Kilda: Steven, Ray, Montagna, Roberton, Webster
Hawthorn: Mitchell, Ceglar, Hartung, Hodge, Lewis
INJURIES
St Kilda: Nil
Hawthorn: Nil
SUBSTITUTES
St Kilda: Shane Savage replaced Tom Hickey in the third quarter
Hawthorn: Angus Litherland replaced Brian Lake at three-quarter time
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Donlon, Dalgleish, Armstrong
Official crowd: 33,886 at Etihad Stadium.
