An undermanned Sydney Swans reserves side suffered a 68-point loss to the Brisbane Lions reserves at Blacktown International Sportspark on Friday afternoon.

After initially being scheduled as a curtain raiser to the Swans’ Friday night clash with Carlton at the SCG, the match was moved to Blacktown following a week of heavy rain across the city and was played at the earlier 2:00pm timeslot.

While the Lions boasted 19 senior listed players, the Swans reserves were reduced to just 11 listed players, with key defender Xavier Richards the latest NEAFL regular to earn a call up to the senior team.

The Lions got away to the better start, kicking the first two goals of the match before a Tim Membrey banana from deep in the pocket put the Swans reserves on the board.

The young Swans defenders battled hard against the more experienced Lions forwards, including Aaron Cornelius, who kicked two opening quarter goals, as well as Patrick Karnezis and Josh Green, who were also lively early.

Heavy rain set in early in the second term, with both teams struggling to adjust to the difficult conditions.

Membrey continued as the hosts’ most dominant forward, with a strong run and mark inside the forward 50m resulting in his second goal for the match and the team’s first for the second term.

Karnezis and Cornelius added more goals to their tallies for the Lions before Dean Towers entered a ruck contest as the third man up and skilfully found Harry Cunningham, who kicked his second goal for the half.

Trailing by 28 points at half time, the Swans opened the second half well with the first two shots on goal, with top-up player Jack Davis’ effort resulting in the first major of the term.

Despite the Swans’ strong start to the third term, the Lions stepped up the intensity in the second half of the quarter and piled on six goals to hold a 59-point lead at the final change.

Two goals to Dean Towers at the beginning of the final term reduced the margin to under eight goals, but the Lions again asserted their authority with four final quarter goals to collect a 68-point victory.

The loss was the second time this season that the Swans reserves have lost to the Lions reserves in Sydney, and was the team’s third consecutive loss over the last month.

The reserves will now turn their attention to this week’s clash against Eastlake on Saturday afternoon in Newcastle.

Brisbane Lions reserves    5.4   9.6   15.8   19.11 (125)
Sydney Swans reserves      3.2   5.2    6.3         9.3 (57)

Goals: Membrey 2, Cunningham 2, Towers 2, Marsh, Lycakis, Davis.
Best: Cunningham, Lloyd, Armstrong, Wray