North hold on for win

AN UNDERMANNED North Melbourne clung on for a 28-point victory over Hawthorn at Etihad Stadium yesterday to climb to third on the ladder.

Up by 57 points at halftime, the Kangaroos kicked only three goals in the second half but did enough to hold off the resurgent Hawks and claim a 14.14 (98) to 11.4 (70) win in front of a 27,981-strong crowd.

Forward Ben Brown (four goals), midfielder Ben Cunnington (30 disposals) and backman Robbie Tarrant (16 marks) played starring roles as the rebuilding Roos made a dominant start.

The complexion changed within seconds when North lost both Shaun Higgins and Ed Vickers-Willis to concussions during the third quarter. A motionless Higgins was taken from the ground on a motorised stretcher and was set to undergo scans in hospital after a nasty head collision with Hawthorn’s Ryan Burton.