The Bulldogs belted North 20.7 (127) to 7.15 (57), but the clash will best be remembered for Hall threatening to blow his top just before half time.
The former Sydney Swan was booked for wrestling and rough conduct after North defender Scott Thompson, one of the competition’s best agitators, managed to get under the burly forward’s skin.
Thompson is also facing a headbutting charge from the match, with the AFL’s match review panel certain to have a busy job reviewing the clash.
North had few winners, although captain Brent Harvey (28 disposals) and Brady Rawlings (26) tried their best.
The Hall incident sparked a match that until that point was horribly lop-sided.
The Kangaroos had failed to kick a goal to that point as they wasted chances time and again while Rodney Eade’s men seemingly scored at will - and rarely missed - whenever they ventured inside 50.
After the Dogs booted 6.0 to 0.5 in the first term, the trend continued in the second quarter until the game exploded three minutes before the main change.
Thompson continued to grate Hall and when the Bulldogs forward bent down to tie his boot laces, his opponent bumped him, sparking the melee.
Hall grabbed his opponent in a headlock before players converged.
Eade sent his runner to order Hall from the ground. As he left the field, a mob of Kangaroos accompanied Hall from the ground and continued to bait him as he left the field.
The Roos briefly rallied and, with two minutes remaining before the long break, Matt Campbell steered through their first goal.
But the Bulldogs were always in control.
They led by 45 points at the main break and banged through seven more in the third term to march to a 75-point advantage at the last break.
North Melbourne 0.5 2.10 4.13 7.15 (57)
Western Bulldogs 6.0 11.1 18.4 20.7 (127)
GOALS
North Melbourne: Edwards 2, Campbell, McMahon, Wright, Thomas, Ziebell
Western Bulldogs: Hill 4, Hall 3, Cooney 2, Grant 2, Akermanis, Giansiracusa, Griffen, Hudson, Minson, Stack, Hahn, Eagleton, Picken
BEST
North Melbourne: Rawlings, Harvey, Swallow, Grima
Western Bulldogs: Cooney, Griffen, Lake, Boyd, Hargrave, Harbrow, Hill, Grant, Cross, Hall
INJURIES
North Melbourne: Nil
Western Bulldogs: Nil
Reports: Hall (Western Bulldogs) by goal umpire Roffey for wrestling Thompson (North Melbourne) in the second quarter, Thompson (North Melbourne) by goal umpire Roffey for wrestling Hall (Western Bulldogs) in the second quarter, Hall (Western Bulldogs) by boundary umpire Hutton for engaging in rough conduct against Thompson (North Melbourne) in the second quarter, Thompson (North Melbourne) by boundary umpire Hutton for headbutting Hall (Western Bulldogs) in the second quarter, McMahon (North Melbourne) by field umpire Kamolins for engaging in rough conduct against Picken (Western Bulldogs) in fourth quarter
Umpires: Stevic, Kennedy, Kamolins
Official crowd: 30,794 at Etihad Stadium
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the club.
