If a week is a long time in football six is a lightyear.

Brisbane thumped Sydney by 50 points in Round 2 but on Saturday the Swans struck back, a host of players on the verge of AFL selection propelling the red and white to a 16-point victory in Queensland.

Dan Robinson, Dean Towers, Robbie Fox, Nic Newman, Colin O’Riordan, Darcy Cameron and Aliir Aliir paved the way at South Pine Sports Complex as the Swans gritted their teeth in a 10.10 (70) to 7.12 (54) win.

Sydney led Brisbane by just two points at half-time but ran in four third-term goals to the Lions’ one to take an 18-point buffer into the final change.

Rain then began to pelt as 22 saturated Swans pushed on for the Round 8 victory in a goal-less final term.

The Swans lost their first four matches of the season and ahead of Saturday ran eighth. 

But a third win on the trot has lifted the Swans to fourth on the ladder and a cross-town battle with Sydney University awaits.

Development coach Tadhg Kennelly said the reserves were headed in the right direction.

“We’re in some really good form now,” Kennelly said.

“And you really want to cash in and get some wins when you’re playing some good football and you’re confident and up and about.”

Robinson and Fox won a glut of possession and were outstanding at the stoppages in the Brisbane clash, while Towers found plenty of the Sherrin, cycled between the forward line, midfield and ruck and kicked a goal.

Fox also laid a number of brilliant chase-down tackles, while Newman backed up a best-on-ground performance against Southport last week with another stand-out showing in defence and the midfield. 

The elegant left-footer was particularly important to Sydney’s rebound off half-back and followed up last week’s two-goal return with another double.

Kennelly said in the lead-up to the match O’Riordan hadn’t played a bad game this season – and the third-year Swan again starred in defence as he continued to push his case for an AFL debut.

The 22-year-old was strong in the pack, took a number of expert intercept and uncontested marks, was pivotal to the Swans’ ball movement off half-back and collected a goal.

Cameron worked in tandem in the ruck with Towers, Aliir and Joel Amartey in a duel with Lions big man Archie Smith.

Cameron provided his followers with plenty of the football, floated between the ruck and forward line and bagged a goal, while Aliir again showed his versatility in shifting between defence, the forward line and the ruck.

Kennelly was all praise for the senior cogs. 

“Colin was really good, he’s in fantastic form,” Kennelly said.

“He had a really strong last quarter for us when we needed strong leadership, but overall he had a really solid game.

“Robinson was fantastic. His ability to get us going forward and win the inside ball was a real stand-out. He was a clear stand-out throughout the whole game – not just in patches but all day.

“Darcy is backing it up week after week and really knocking the door down and waiting for an AFL opportunity and as long as he continues to produce this form I’m sure he will get an opportunity.

“Our listed players are certainly in really good form, which is putting pressure on the senior team and that’s what we want – putting their names on the board for selection selection." 

The Swans drew first blood through young forward Bailey Stewart at the six-minute mark of the opening term.

A clean tap from Cameron had found the mitts of Towers and Stewart made no mistake from a set shot inside 50 to put Sydney a goal up.

Although the Swans were first to trouble the scorers, Aliir and fellow backman Jack Maibaum had rallied hard in Sydney’s defensive 50 as Brisbane continually penetrated in attack.

Brisbane closed the deficit to three points at the 22-minute mark of the first quarter but Sydney would respond with the next two goals.

Towers slotted the first at the 27-minute mark when he collected a James Rose kick, played on and banged home a goal on the run from just inside 50.

Amartey, who finished with two goals after last week booting four, then joined the party to hand the Swans a 16-point lead at quarter-time. 

The Lions posted the first two goals of the second term but the Swans would strike back eight minutes in, Amartey swooping on an over-the-back Robinson kick sent soaring inside 50. 

It pencilled in Amartey’s second goal of the game and extended the Swans’ lead to 10 points.

Newman pocketed a goal of his own four minutes later and the Swans took a two-point buffer into the main break.

The first third-term major wasn’t registered until the 10-minute mark when Cameron continued to stake his claims as the best goal-kicking ruckman in the competition.

But the Swans would storm to their four-goal-to-one third stanza to put themselves in prime position ahead of the final stretch.

Newman kicked one of the four third-term goals when he unleashed from the 50m arc just moments after Stewart had chimed in for his second.

The Swans will play Sydney University in an AFL curtain-raiser to Marn Grook at the SCG next Friday.

The Round 9 NEAFL clash will bring in Sydney’s match with Carlton.