Hawthorn have taken control of their AFL Round 12 clash against St Kilda at Marvel Stadium, producing a dominant first-half display that left the Saints reeling.At half-time, the Hawks led 9.7 (61) to 0.

5 (5), with forward Jack Gunston proving particularly damaging, kicking multiple goals as Hawthorn’s forward line sliced through St Kilda’s defence with ease.

The Saints’ night worsened when defender Sam Flanders went off the ground with what appeared to be a serious Achilles injury, adding to their growing list of problems.

St Kilda coach Ross Lyon was forced to shuffle his structure in response, pushing recruits Jack Silvagni and Tom De Koning into forward roles in an attempt to spark a comeback.

The move initially showed some promise in the third quarter, with both players hitting the scoreboard alongside improved ball movement from the Saints, who managed a surge of goals to briefly wrest momentum back.However, Hawthorn continued to respond quickly whenever challenged, maintaining a strong buffer on the scoreboard.There was also controversy when a Nick Watson goal was initially allowed but later ruled out due to an infringement.Despite that, the Hawks remained firmly in control, with their early pressure and efficiency proving decisive.The Saints, meanwhile, continue to battle both injury concerns and defensive lapses as Hawthorn eye a strong percentage-boosting win.