THE SYDNEY Swans reserves have plenty to improve on despite winning every game of the season so far, according to Kristin Thornton.

As the reserves go into their mid-season break clearly on top of the AFL Canberra Premier Division ladder, Thornton said the side isn’t resting on its laurels.

"We're happy we're winning, but we're not happy with the way we're going," said the former Peel Thunder junior.

"Although we're winning games, we’re not playing as well as we could.  We have benchmarks for tackle percentages, drop marks and fumbles.  We're still exceeding our limits on those."

The prospect of a berth in the Swans’ senior team is the driving force behind’s Thornton bid to lift the standard.

"If you go from the ressies, the way we've been playing, to a senior game, you'll get found out," said Thornton.  "We're trying to bridge the gap in the ressies games."

Bridging the gap from the reserves to the seniors is particularly important to Thornton, who was listed as an emergency for last week's match against Essendon.

"It was pretty exciting," said Thornton.  "When I found out, I went into Brett Allison's room as he said 'You're an emergency this week.'  I had a big smile on my face."

"It's good, it means I'm getting there.  Still a long way to go, though."

Taken with pick 54 in the 2005 national draft, Thornton joined the Swans weeks after their grand final victory.  He had cheered for their opposition in that match, as his elder brother Ashley is on the West Coast list.

"When Sydney won the grand final, I was cursing them," he said.  "But now that I'm here, I'm enjoying it and glad to be a part of it."

In his second season with the Swans, the midfield moved in with Adam Schneider, which has been a learning experience.

"He teaches me a lot of things… in the kitchen as well as out of the kitchen, which is good," said Thornton

"It is fun, because you have a senior player who's playing footy.  You can muck around and see what they do before games and that sort of stuff."