The Hawks led at every change before running away with a 19.9 (123) to 10.9 (69) victory with signs they were back to their premiership-winning form of 2008.
Jarryd Roughead and Lance Franklin found their range with nine goals between them although North's Josh Gibson did a good job on Franklin (four goals).
Several times during the match, the Hawks looked to be clicking back to top form as they shook off the Kangaroos challenge with bursts of superb running football.
They fell behind early in both the first and second terms but piled on five consecutive goals to lead by 29 points at the long break.
North booted the first couple of goals of the second half to cut the margin to 17 points before Hawthorn regrouped.
They slammed on three goals in four minutes to snuff out that challenge as well.
By three-quarter time, the Roos had lost touch and were 38-points down. They fell further behind when they conceded two early goals in the last term.
Both sides lost a player to injury before half time.
Hawthorn's Xavier Ellis injured his ankle in the first term while North's problems were compounded when David Hale was knocked unconscious shortly before half time after colliding with the hip of teammate Lachie Hansen. He was carried off on a stretcher but was talking to doctors as he left the field.
Hale was taken to Epworth Hospital for precautionary scans.
In the third term, Hawthorn lost its ruckman Brent Renouf to concussion as well.
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
North Melbourne 2.1 5.5 8.9 10.9 (69)
Hawthorn 4.1 10.4 15.5 19.9 (123)
GOALS
North Melbourne: Petrie 2, Thomas 2, Firrito, Campbell, Harding, Wells, McMahon, Jones
Hawthorn: Roughead 5, Franklin 4, Dew 3, Bateman 2, Morton 2, Williams 2, Mitchell,
BEST
North Melbourne: Gibson, Rawlings, McIntosh, Firrito, Simpson, Swallow
Hawthorn: Mitchell, Roughead, Franklin, Whitecross, Guerra, Rioli, Dew, Bateman
INJURIES
North Melbourne: Hale (concussion)
Hawthorn: Ellis (ankle), Renouf (concussion)
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Rosebury, Kamolins, Ryan
Official crowd: 34,893 at Docklands
