A LATE assault proved futile as the Hawks fell to North Melbourne by 12 points in Launceston on Sunday.

North's Aaron Edwards provided the match-winner from a free kick 30m in front as the Roos hung on for a two-goal win, 12.10 (82) to 10.10 (70).

Champion forward Lance Franklin kicked five goals for the Hawks, who trailed at every change but hit the front for the first time all day when Jarrod Kayler-Thomson goaled early in the final quarter.

Playing only his second game and in the team following Brent Renouf’s last-minute withdrawal due to illness, Kayler-Thomson first missed a set-shot, then nailed a goal on the run from the resulting kick-out to put the Hawks in front for the first time all night.

But the spirited comeback was not enough to prevent the Hawks' downwards slide.

In another low-scoring encounter at Aurora Stadium, the Roos led from the outset; their dogged, crunching style enough to keep the Hawks at bay for most of the night.

The Hawks fought their way to within a kick on several occasions, but were often wasteful in front of goal, particularly in the third quarter where they could only manage 2.5 in response to the Roos’ 3.1.

Tall targets Franklin and David Hale (three goals) were the focal points for their teams throughout while Daniel Wells checked in for three in a telling second-half contribution.

The last-minute withdrawal of Hawthorn’s only ruckman in Renouf created confusion on and off the ground in the opening moments but Jarryd Roughead battled bravely and was assisted by a range of teammates at ruck contests around the ground.

The result leaves Hawthorn with just one win from its opening five games.

Hawthorn                 3.1   5.4     7.9    10.10  (70)
North Melbourne     4.4   6.5     9.6    12.10  (82)

GOALS
Hawthorn: Franklin 5, Roughead, Osborne, Brown, Rioli, Kayler-Thomson
North Melbourne: Hale 3, Wells 3, Edwards 2, Swallow, Warren, Adams, Rawlings

BEST
Hawthorn: Hodge, Lewis, Franklin, Roughead, Sewell
North Melbourne: Rawlings, Wells, Hale, Firrito

INJURIES
Hawthorn: -
North Melbourne: -

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Scott McLaren, Scott Jeffrey, Jacob Mollison

Official crowd: TBC

The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.



Kayler-Thomson, 24, was an eleventh-hour inclusion when ruckman Brent Renouf withdrew after the final teams had been submitted.

The result leaves the Hawks with one win from their opening five games, with Essendon awaiting in a blockbuster clash at the MCG next week.

Full match report and details to follow.