North Melbourne seized on their advantage in height to upset Hawthorn by 12 points in Sunday night's round-five game at Aurora Stadium.

The Kangaroos led for the first three quarters but lost the lead early in the last quarter, but regained their composure and won 12.10 (82) to 10.10 (70).

Daniel Wells and David Hale kicked three goals apiece for the Kangaroos and Lance Franklin kicked five for the Hawks, who have now lost their past four games.

North's win was their second from five games this season and avenged their defeat in this clash last year, when they were overrun in the final quarter by Lance Franklin.

Franklin was again a thorn in North's side on Sunday night, but the Kangaroos were able to limit the damage of his supporting cast.

Fate also played a role as Hawthorn began the game without a specialist ruckman, as Brent Renouf was ill during the warm-up and was forced out.

That worked in North's favour given Hamish McIntosh, Todd Goldstein and Hale all stand two metres tall, and they all had an impact.

McIntosh and Goldstein dominated the hit-outs, while Hale was a handful early, when he helped establish a 20-point lead before Hawthorn scored.

On the flipside, the loss of Renouf also meant Hawthorn had to take Jarryd Roughead from attack and play him at the centre bounces, while Luke Hodge took a lot of the ruck contests around the ground on top of his midfield duties.

The Kangaroos led by nine points at the final change after Aaron Edwards goaled from a 50-metre penalty late in the third quarter, which gave North the momentum starting the last quarter.

But Cyril Rioli cut Hawthorn's deficit to four points early in the last quarter with an opportunist's goal after a quiet night, and Jarrod Kayler-Thomson put the Hawks in front soon after when he pounced on a bad North kick-in.

Franklin then put Hawthorn eight points up with a signature goal from the wrong side for a left-footer and looked to have again found a way to pip the Roos.

Wells kept the Roos alive with a goal from a free kick from a tough angle, and North regained the lead with a brilliant passage midway through the last quarter, when Leigh Adams kicked superbly into space, and Brady Rawlings marked.

Rawlings kicked the goal and Edwards sealed the win when he booted his second goal with four minutes left, after he was dragged down by opponent Ben Stratton, who went to ground.

Rawlings, skipper Brent Harvey, defender Lachie Hansen and midfielders Adams and Levi Greenwood were also among North's best, while Hodge and Franklin were best for Hawthorn.

Hawthorn are already without ruckmen Simon Taylor, Wayde Skipper and Max Bailey, who are all injured, after Robert Campbell retired last year.

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