SYDNEY has made light work of its crosstown rivals and stormed into the top four with a 73-point demolition of Greater Western Sydney at the SCG on Saturday afternoon.

After a competitive first 20 minutes, the Swans shifted gears and showed little mercy on their struggling rivals, kicking nine unanswered goals at one stage to run out 17.10 (112) to 5.9 (39) winners.

SWANS V GIANTS Full match details and stats

It was their fourth consecutive victory and temporarily moves them into fourth place ahead of Brisbane, who play Richmond on Sunday.

John Longmire could have little to complain about as his men put together a complete performance, harassing the Giants defensively and moving the ball aggressively when they had the chance.

They extended their lead at every break and had contributors all over the field.

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Luke Parker (34 disposals, six tackles and six clearances) was magnificent, winning his third consecutive Brett Kirk Medal, and fifth overall.

Errol Gulden (33 and two goals), Callum Mills (27) and James Rowbottom (23) were all part of a dominant midfield that won the clearance count 44-34 and gave their team a whopping 68-36 inside 50 advantage.

Sam Reid, Lance Franklin and Isaac Heeney kicked three goals apiece among nine individual goalkickers.

Sydney dominated from the early stages, establishing a 19-point lead at quarter-time on the back of suffocating pressure and a willingness to move the ball quickly once they won it.

Paddy McCartin (nine intercepts for the day) and Nick Blakey (11) took intercept marks forward of centre that were the springboard for quick transition and goals to Heeney and Mills respectively.

Tom Papley typified the defensive intent, trapping Callum Brown with a textbook tackle that he then finished with a classy around-the-corner set shot from 40m.

It helped set the tone for a Swans team that won the tackle count 72-49.

Reid kicked two of the Swans' six first-quarter goals, including one from a downfield free kick against Braydon Preuss for a late hit on Rowbottom.

Things got a little better for the Giants in the second term, as the Swans kicked three unanswered goals to continue their domination.

Every time Sydney won the ball back, waves of free men would stream through the SCG corridor calling for the ball.

If it wasn't for Sam Taylor's heroics on Lance Franklin, the margin would have been far greater than the 37 points it showed at half-time.

Despite Franklin kicking three second-half goals, Taylor was magnificent in defeat.

Buddy on the right boot!
Just when it looked like Lance Franklin was going to have a quiet day, the Swans champion produced a little piece of magic midway through the third quarter. After being worked over by Sam Taylor up until that point, Franklin wrestled clear in a marking contest and brought the ball to ground where he then gathered. What happened next was something we've seen very few times in his 1036 career goals – he executed a perfect finish on the right boot from 25m, again proving there's not much he can't do.

The good and bad of Braydon Preuss
As if channeling his inner Shane Mumford, Giants ruckman Braydon Preuss was on a mission to hit as many bodies as he could. He gave away downfield free kicks for late hits on James Rowbottom and Tom Hickey in the first half, that led to a Sam Reid goal and Lance Franklin behind. Between that he took a big pack mark late in the first term and bombed the resulting set shot from 55m for a goal – but in the process split the lip of debutant Leek Aleer who required stitches for the wound.

Rowbottom the tackling terrier
Although many of his midfield mates finished with more gawdy numbers, James Rowbottom's tenacity typified the Swans' ferocity. The rugged onballer finished with 13 tackles to lead his team in that department to go along with 23 disposals. In a midfield stacked with talent – and Josh Kennedy waiting in the wings after two strong VFL games – Rowbottom showed there was no way he's giving up his spot in the team without a fight.

SYDNEY                                   6.2    9.6    13.8   17.10 (112)
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY  3.1    3.5    5.6     5.9 (39)

GOALS  
Sydney: Reid 3, Franklin 3, Heeney 3, Papley 2, Gulden 2, Hayward, Mills, Rowbottom, Blakey
Greater Western Sydney: Greene 2, Himmelberg, Hogan, Preuss

BEST  
Sydney: Parker, Rowbottom, Gulden, Mills, P.McCartin, Reid, Heeney
Greater Western Sydney: Taylor, Kelly, Whitfield, Haynes

INJURIES  
Sydney: Nil
Greater Western Sydney: Nil

LATE CHANGES
Sydney: Nil
Greater Western Sydney: Stephen Coniglio (replaced in selected side by Xavier O'Halloran)

SUBSTITUTES  
Sydney: Josh Kennedy (unused)
Greater Western Sydney: Lachlan Keeffe (unused)