THE SYDNEY Swans have moved a game clear on top of the ladder and added to their bulging percentage after belting Gold Coast by 72 points at Metricon Stadium on Saturday night.

But it wasn't all good news for the Swans, losing key forward Sam Reid in the first quarter after he injured his right knee in a marking contest, and star skipper Adam Goodes to what appeared to be a hamstring injury.

While Reid was walking freely at the end of the night, Goodes limped from the field in the final term. Although the injury looked bad, the club later reported it was a corked thigh and was hopeful he would play next week.

Swans coach John Longmire's heart would have sunk as he watched Reid then Goodes hobble from the field. And it is unlikely the 19.12 (126) to 8.6 (54) win - their eighth straight victory - would have changed his spirits.

Reid's right knee was caught under Gold Coast's Josh Caddy as they fell in a marking contest.

Following the match Longmire said he was confident Reid would be back before the finals.

"At this stage we think it's a partial medial tear," Longmire said.
 
"He'll get a scan to make sure that's what it is and if that's the case it's probably a couple of weeks which would in the end be a good result."

The high-flying Swans initially appeared mortal without their young gun and after kicking six goals to two in the first term, their lead was whittled down to 23 points by the main break.

Gold Coast tried to keep the Swans honest in the third before a stunning burst of five goals in nine minutes set up a insurmountable 59-point lead at the final change.

Suns coach Guy McKenna has never hid his admiration for the Swans, even hiring ex-captain and premiership player Brett Kirk as an assistant to help instill a "winning culture".

But Gold Coast received a sobering lesson, ending a promising three-week run that featured a victory over Richmond.

McKenna said the Swans' pressure was too much for his young Suns team.

"I'm not a historian of the game by any stretch of the imagination but to finish 15 possessions up (398-383) and still lose by 72 points, makes you scratch your head.

"I thought our pressure in the first half, we really cracked in. I thought the boys' intent was there, but the margin was like the margin on the premiership ladder.
 
"That's the learning curve for all of us. You back off one per cent, two per cent, and that's what happens."

The Swans' in-form midfielders Josh Kennedy, Ryan O'Keefe and Kieren Jack all found plenty of the ball, while veterans Goodes, Lewis Roberts-Thomson and Jude Bolton booted 10 goals between them.

For the Suns, skipper Gary Ablett worked tirelessly, collecting more than 40 disposals and laying nine tackles.

In the absence of Shane Mumford, Mike Pyke's evolution into AFL footballer continued, with the big Canadian having 47 hit-outs in a dominant ruck display.


GOLD COAST             2.1       5.2       7.4       8.6 (54)
SYDNEY SWANS        6.3       8.7       16.9     19.12 (126)

GOALS
Sydney Swans: Roberts-Thomson 4, Goodes 3, Bolton 3, Jack 2, Dennis-Lane 2, Bird, Hannebery, Jetta, McVeigh,Kennedy
Gold Coast: Matera 3, Smith 2, Ablett, Brown, Lynch
 
BEST
Sydney Swans: Jack, Kennedy, O'Keefe, Pyke, Bolton, McVeigh
Gold Coast: Ablett, Harbrow, Hine, Stanley, Warnock, Matera
 
INJURIES
Sydney Swans: Reid (knee), Goodes (corked thigh)
Gold Coast: Brown (TBC), Swallow (corked leg)
 
SUBSTITUTES
Sydney Swans: Craig Bird replaced Sam Reid in the first quarter
Gold Coast: Liam Patrick replaced David Swallow in the third quarter
 
Reports: Nil
 
Umpires: Fleer, Leppard, Wenn
 
Official crowd: 11,169 at Metricon Stadium
 
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs