The North Melbourne Kangaroos have returned to earth with a 46-point defeat to Hawthorn in Hobart on Saturday afternoon.

The Hawks slotted eight unanswered goals in the first quarter at Hobart's Blundstone Arena on Saturday, with the Kangaroos failing to back up last round's upset over Richmond under caretaker coach Leigh Adams. 

Playing his first match following two weeks off after the sudden death of his father, three-time premiership winner Gunston was a shining light in the 19.7 (121) to 11.9 (75) result.

The 30-year-old fittingly opened the scoring and pointed to the heavens to pay tribute to his father Ray, who was a former executive at the AFL. 

Gunston's best came in the fourth quarter from a set shot from the boundary line, as the Hawks registered their third win on the trot.

Busy Hawthorn midfielder Jai Newcombe picked up two goals, 30 disposals and nine clearances.

KANGAROOS v HAWKS Full match coverage and stats

North Melbourne, which mutually parted ways with coach David Noble less than a fortnight ago, was dealt a late blow when key forward Nick Larkey was ruled out with a heel problem.

Larkey had been under an injury cloud after being subbed out in the drought-breaking win over Richmond but made the trip south to Hobart.

His replacement Aaron Hall picked up an equal team-high 30 disposals.

Tempers flared in the fourth quarter when several Hawthorn players objected to North Melbourne's Jy Simpkin flinging one of their teammates to the ground.

Hawthorn racked up a 49-3 lead at the end of the first quarter, but the Kangaroos clawed back some momentum by winning the second term with two goals to the Hawks' single major.

However, the Hawks got rolling again in the third, with Gunston contributing two goals. 

North Melbourne fans had something to cheer about when 20-year-old Phoenix Spicer kicked his maiden goal in the third quarter.

Skipper Jack Ziebell booted three in front of a crowd of 9713. 

The Kangaroos remain anchored to the foot of the ladder with two wins for the season and next meet Essendon, while Hawthorn plays top-eight hopeful St Kilda. 

Safe passage for Hall in first game back

A revelation for North Melbourne behind the ball last season, former Gold Coast forward and wingman Aaron Hall has this year been frustrated by soft tissue injuries. The 31-year-old missed seven weeks in the middle of the season having been substituted out of the Good Friday SuperClash with a hamstring injury. Having completed his rehabilitation, he featured in three consecutive games on either side of the Kangaroos’ bye. When North Melbourne made the trip to Geelong in Round 16, Hall was forced from the field only minutes into the game with a quad injury, and was visibly distraught. The ex-Sun could be forgiven for lacking trust in his body, but presented again and again and brought his audacious kicking game. In his 50th game for the club, Hall finished with a team-high 30 disposals, seven marks, seven intercepts and 757 metres gained.

'Buckets' the bulwark

Key defenders are often forgiven for having been beaten when the opposition have gone inside 50 at volume. On Saturday afternoon, Roos linchpin Ben McKay needed no absolution. At the final change the Hawks had doubled North Melbourne’s forward entry count (26-52), but the 24-year-old had a game-high 11 intercepts. Hawthorn spearhead Mitch Lewis had kicked 36 goals for the season from only 13 games, including five in the Hawks’ win over the Crows two weeks ago. In Lewis' 50th game, McKay held him to just five marks and a goal. North Melbourne’s No.23 has been frustrated by knee injuries and concussion throughout the season, and his current streak of five games is his longest this year. When he has played, he has flashed the potential of an All-Australian key defender. Fingers crossed both circumstance and his body can allow him to achieve it.

Phoenix rises to the occasion

It was largely a day to forget for the Kangaroos but there was a moment of joy for the battling side when Phoenix Spicer booted his first AFL goal in his second senior game. Taken with pick No.42 in the 2020 NAB AFL Draft, the 20-year-old got his name on the scoresheet with a composed set shot early in the third term, and as is customary, was mobbed by teammates.

NORTH MELBOURNE      0.3   2.5    4.8    11.9    (75)
HAWTHORN                    8.1   9.4   14.5    19.7   (121)

GOALS  
North Melbourne: Ziebell 3, Davies-Uniacke 2, Horne-Francis, Powell, Spicer, Stephenson, Taylor, Zurhaar
Hawthorn: Gunston 5, Breust, Morrison, Newcombe, O’Meara, Reeves 2, Impey, Lewis, Maginness, Mitchell

BEST  
North Melbourne: Davies-Uniacke, Hall, McKay, Ziebell, Scott, Anderson
Hawthorn: Gunston, Newcombe, Mitchell, Scrimshaw, Hardwick, O'Meara, Moore

INJURIES  
North Melbourne: Nil
Hawthorn: Nil

LATE CHANGES
North Melbourne: Larkey (heel) replaced in selected side by Hall
Hawthorn: Nil