HAWTHORN ended St Kilda’s unbeaten streak in emphatic fashion, booting 10 of their 11 goals with the wind to come back from a goal down at quarter time to keep the Saints goalless in the second half and run out 11.8 (74) to 2.5 (17) winners.

The victory got Hawthorn back on track after losing to Adelaide last week, a performance that coach Daniel Webster said was not enough to test the Crows’ outside running capabilities, however the Hawks turned it around against the Saints.

“I think the biggest thing for us was just our run and being able to move the ball around the ground,” Webster said. “I don’t think we challenged Adelaide last week enough in that facet and that became a contested game on their terms. “I was pleased today that we were able to get the game on our terms nice and early and run the game out really strongly so that was pleasing.”

After keeping the Saints to just one goal in the first quarter against the breeze, the brown and gold stepped it up in the last three, particularly in the second and fourth terms, while also outscoring St Kilda against the breeze in the third. Keeping the Saints to just three behinds in the second half, Hawthorn piled on 7.2, and critically 6.1 in the final stanza to run away with the 57-point win.

Webster credited the Saints’ defensive pressure as well as the breeze as the key factors why the Hawks started a little slowly kicking just two behinds to the Saints’ 1.2 (8) at quarter time.

“I think it was a little bit to do with the wind, it was favouring the left hand side and we were going into it a little bit in the first quarter. It was difficult to score, but even then we butchered a few early in the game,” he said.

“So I think it was more just that and plus you have two teams who like to put pressure on around the footy and they’ve been really good, they’re very good defensively as well. It was always going to take a little bit of time to work through that.”

The Hawks adapted to the conditions far better, running at 67 per cent disposal efficiency and having 20 shots on goal compared to the Saints’ eight, an inside 50 efficiency of 47 per cent. Hawthorn’s ridiculously lob-sided uncontested possession count of 176-85 told a tale of the tape, taking a whopping 56 more marks and 10 more marks inside 50.

There was not much joy for Saints fans who have enjoyed their side’s best start to-date, producing 69 turnovers in the loss. One element that St Kilda did well in was at the centre clearances, winning 11 out of 15, but were only able to generate an inside 50 every third centre clearance.

Hawthorn will now face Geelong on Thursday night down the highway at GMHBA Stadium, a challenge that Webster and the Hawks are looking forward to under lights.

“They’re a very good side,” Webster said of Geelong. “I was there first hand in a prelim final last year and saw how good they can be, so it’s going to be a great challenge for us.

“Midweek footy’s exciting getting our first look at that, it’s obviously bow about recovery so we’ll get started on that straight away.

“I think the reality is in this compressed fixture schedule, you can’t do much to change in this period, so it’s about getting the players feeling good and hopefully being able to run games out and perform.”

St Kilda will aim to lick its wounds and prepare for a Friday evening clash against Fremantle at RSEA Park, with the red, white and black still inside the eight boasting three wins from four games.