The Sydney Swans reserves have registered their second win from as many outings to start the NEAFL season, leading from start to finish to defeat Belconnen by 109 points at the SCG this evening.

Wet conditions set the tone for a mass of players around the contest for the bulk of the game. The Swans bigger bodies proved too much for Belconnen from the early stages onwards, with the final score 20.18 (138) to 4.5 (29).

Mike Pyke, who returned to the side after travelling to Perth with the seniors last week, was the first to get on the board for the Swans after a long Luke Parker kick to his advantage. Minutes later he marked and converted again after a long build-up started in defence by Lewis Roberts-Thomson’s first possession back.

From there the Swans were able to control the game, with the defence pushing up on every occasion and making it hard for the Belconnen forwards to find any space. Nathan Gordon played as the spare-man off half-back and looked like he had brought his own ball at stages, linking well with Tadhg Kennelly throughout the game.

Parker and Ben Haren each finished with three goals, while Jarred Moore, Trent Dennis-Lane, Kane Murphy and Brett Meredith all contributed two - but it was Pyke who finished as the lead goal scorer with four.

The big ruckman also showed the versatility he picked up from playing a variety of sports in Canada, by soccering through his third goal and then providing some form of unorthodox volleyball dig to Moore who ran past and slotted a goal from 30 metres out.

Moore’s value to the side proved far greater than his two goals, with his attack on the ball and tackling pressure around the stoppages leading to many Swans scoring opportunities. 

Coach Henry Playfair was looking for an improved start from his team after a spate of recent sluggish beginnings, and said he was delighted with the overall performance of the team - especially keeping Belconnen scoreless until the 10 minute mark of the second quarter.

The reserves played with an intensity reminiscent of recent senior performances, highlighted by an 80 metre run into defence from Tadhg Kennelly who saved an almost certain goal. Kennelly was outnumbered by three Belconnen forwards, but did enough to force the ball over the boundary line - although his tap to the boundary was deemed to be deliberately out of bounds, the resulting set-shot only managed a behind.

Lewis Roberts-Thomson completed two quarters of the game, before being rested for the second half.

The Swans will have a bye next weekend before taking on Tuggeranong at the SCG on Friday April 29 as a curtain-raiser to the Sydney Swans v Carlton AFL game.