ST KILDA'S slim chance of playing finals football this year under new coach Ross Lyon received a massive boost last night with a 17-point victory over Hawthorn at Telstra Dome.

The second-placed Hawks struggled to stay in the contest and suffered from costly turnovers, a stagnant forward line for much of the game and a lack of pace through the middle of the ground.

For supporters of both sides, thoughts might have flooded back to when these teams last met, in round eight this year.

On that night at the MCG, just four goals had been kicked by half-time and both teams were criticised for trying to strangle the life out of the match.

When Joel Smith joined other Hawks in chipping sideways and backward last night, sections of the crowd started booing, but fortunately their fears were shortlived.

Lance Franklin, who was held for much of the first half by Jason Gram, threaded a magnificent goal from tight on the boundary line midway through the sluggish first term to put the Hawks in front by a point.

Leigh Montagna, who had looked lively from the outset, answered immediately to pinch the lead back for the Saints.

The pacy Hawthorn midfield has been a major factor in the club's push up the ladder this year, but it failed to fire last night, while the forwards stayed deep and struggled to gain clean possessions.

St Kilda, desperate to keep its finals hopes alive, ran wide, pushed hard into attack and went to the first break five points clear after a Lenny Hayes goal late in the term.

Brad Sewell got Hawthorn off to a flying start with a goal on the run, but as the second term unfolded, his side continued to lack run through the middle of the ground.

Saints defender Max Hudghton, playing his 200th game, sent a floating kick to the goalsquare, where Nick Riewoldt chipped over his shoulder to Luke Ball for the first of his three goals.

Having struggled this year with the weight of expectation and a body that refuses to meet with his demands, Ball had his best match of the season, amassing 13 touches by half-time and finishing with 30 disposals and 11 marks.

His direct opponent, Luke Hodge, also racked up 30 touches, but Ball's influence counted for at least a dozen more prized possessions on the night.

Ball's opening goal of the third term stretched the Saints' lead to 20points and opened cracks in Hawthorn's defence, which had been well served early by Stephen Gilham, Grant Birchall and Campbell Brown.

Before the danger signs began appearing for Hawthorn, a late charge on Robert Campbell midway through the second term by Koschitzke allowed them to push deep into attack. Koschitzke was immediately dragged after conceding a 50-metre penalty and could come under scrutiny this week by the match review panel.

The Hawks did steady soon afterwards with a goal to Dixon, coming after Hudghton kicked backwards across goal and the Hawks veteran drifting in front of Shane Birss to take an easy mark.

When Koschitzke returned late in the term he, too, took an easy, uncontested mark when Aaron Fiora swung the ball back into the corridor. Koschitzke's goal stretched the margin to 16points and the Saints went to the main break 14points ahead.

After trading goals for most of the first half, Hawthorn managed to string two goals together, through Hodge and Ben McGlynn, to pull within eight points 13minutes into the third term. However, Ball's dominance was starting to be matched by Nick Dal Santo.

Riewoldt had just eight touches in the first half, but like those around him in red, white and black last night, he lifted as the match wore on, finishing with three vital goals.

After a plodding start from both sides, St Kilda was the team that lifted the tempo in the third term and showed signs of versatility absent in its opening rounds.

Despite three late goals from Franklin, who finished with five, the Hawks never looked like clawing back the 34-point margin they faced early in the term.

For the Saints, what looked like a frightening repeat of their round-eight loss, could end up being the game that turns their season around.

ST KILDA 3.2 8.4 12.7 14.11 (95) HAWTHORN 2.3 5.8 8.10 11.12 (78)
GOALS St Kilda: Ball 3, Riewoldt 3, Milne 2, Gehrig, Montagna, Hayes, Dal Santo, Koschitzke, Fiora. Hawthorn: Franklin 5, Dixon 2, Sewell, Taylor, Ellis, McGlynn.
BEST St Kilda: Ball, Dal Santo, Hayes, Montagna, Riewoldt, Gram. Hawthorn: Hodge, Birchall, Ladson, Gilham, Young.
INJURIES St Kilda: Birss (eye). Hawthorn: Xavier Ellis (bruised hip). Thorp replaced in selected side by Little
UMPIRES Kennedy, Sully, Head. CROWD 37,847 at Telstra Dome.