A match against Hawthorn can often be defined by two things – how well a team can defend after turnovers and how it can cut down the Hawks’ uncontested possessions.

In the first quarter at the MCG on Saturday, they were the two key planks which led to North staring at a 46-0 deficit and a 52-6 score line during the first break.

Five of the Hawks’ eight goals were from turnovers, and it enjoyed a +30 edge in the uncontested possessions as it came out strongly after last week’s surprise loss to Melbourne.

“They were smarting off a loss last week, and they responded the way all really good teams do,” Brad Scott explained post-match.

“We were listless in the first quarter but we fought back, and there are some things we’ll take out of this game that will push us forward.”

It was a different forward setup to normal as North entered with only two genuine key-position talls.

The absence of Ben Brown, along with injuries to the likes of Jarrad Waite and Mason Wood, meant it was Drew Petrie and Majak Daw relied on close to goal.

While the duo were amongst the Roos’ best – Petrie with three goals, Daw with six contested marks – the delivery under pressure from further up the field often meant the forwards weren’t in the greatest position.

So if North was unable to maintain possession, it opened the game right up for Hawthorn in transition.

The likes of Brad Hill, Sam Mitchell, Grant Birchall and Isaac Smith were able to influence the game with their score involvements despite only kicking one goal between them.

At the first break, the quartet had already amassed 30 disposals and North had to tighten up all around the ground.

It was able to do so, firstly cutting down the Hawks’ uncontested supply. From 80 possessions in the first quarter, it dipped to 57 in the second. Combine it with only conceding one goal from a turnover for the term and the defensive side of the game from the midfield was looking much more sturdy.

If it wasn’t for some of the backmen’s efforts, the early score could have been much worse. Robbie Tarrant’s All-Australian calibre season continued as he was undoubtedly one of the best players in the game across the full four quarters.

He even pushed up the ground towards the forward half in the second quarter, with three inside 50’s for the quarter as North got back into the game.

With the pressure at ground level increasing, the Roos were able to trap the ball close to home for longer periods and the rewards came at half time drew closer.

Hawthorn went scoreless for the last 17 minutes of the term, with North piling on 4.1 in the same time period. With the deficit cut to 23 points at half-time, the momentum continued through the first half of the third quarter.

But at certain times this season, the inability to capitalise on momentum on the scoreboard has hindered the Roos, and it was again the case at the MCG.

While 2.2 and two rushed behinds don’t look anything like the missed opportunities back in Round 13 against the same opposition, there were a string of near-misses which proved costly. A missed handball here and an overshot kick there eventually added up.

When Luke Breust strolled into an open goal at the 18 minute mark of the third quarter to push the lead back out to 19 points. It appeared to be a momentum changer and was exactly what it turned out to be.

Then the Hawks were able to sit numbers back, protect the lead and hit on the counter, a tactic in some ways not dissimilar to the Bulldogs at times in Round 20. North wasn’t able to seriously threaten again and eventually fell by 39 points.

Up next for the Roos is a Sydney side which has been stingy in recent weeks and owns the mantle of league-leading defence at only 67.1 points per match.