After leading 22-6 at half-time the Dragons scored first in the second period and although Jack Aumuller crossed next for Hawks, Mudgee put any chance of a two blues’ comeback to bed immediately.

The Dragons scored another four tries in the last half hour, Hawks’ cause not helped by Sandon Gibbs-O’Neill being sent off late in the game.

Mudgee jumps up to third with the win, while Hawks drop to sixth.

“I thought we played well across the park, and a number of players stood up as strong parts of the game,” Dragons coach Pete Hickman said.

“The 50-10 scoreline was crucial because we are now gunning for third and Oberon was only six points ahead of us in the for and against, so it sets us in good stead for next weekend.”

Mudgee ran in three tries in the opening 15 minutes to lead 16-0, a deficit Hawks never came back from.

Andrew Laurie, Ben Thompson and Jared Robinson scored those tries, and while Jake Blimka found a gap to cross for Hawks Corin Smith cancelled that out minutes later.

Mudgee held the 16-point lead until half-time, extending it to 22 with Ethen Butler’s try and Sam Wooden’s successful conversion.

Aumuller crossed next, for Hawks, but that four-pointer was the only points Hawks could muster in the second half.

Mudgee snuffed out a potential comeback with four more tries, to Lee Hicks, Nick Harvey, Tim Condon and Nathan Orr.