The Tigers kicked two goals late in the second quarter to reduce the margin to 20 points at the main change but five goals to one in the third term ensured the game was safe for the Swans, who went on to win 14.17 (101) to 7.11 (53).
For Richmond, none worked harder than skipper Kane Johnson (28 possessions), while Nathan Foley and ruckman Troy Simmonds were also tireless in their efforts.
Swans debutante Heath Grundy, a late inclusion for Ben Mathews, was superb in his first senior outing, booting three goals and moving well up forward to show he has plenty of senior appearances ahead of him.
Others to shine for the winners included Ryan O'Keefe (11 marks and three goals) and the hard-working Jude Bolton (21 kicks, eight tackles).
Early in the game it looked like fans might be in for a contest, as after a scrappy start it took O'Keefe to get the first score on the board.
The versatile Swan found himself in space on several occasions in the first term, and at the five-minute mark he slipped Andrew Kellaway to run in and kick the game's first goal.
The Tigers answered after 10 minutes when Jay Schulz, playing in front on a night when forwards needed to do the basics if they were to be effective, marked on his chest and kicked truly.
Shortly after O'Keefe again found space, this time as the Swans rebounded from defence, and booted a long goal from on the 50m arc.
The home side was dominating general play but struggled to convert and when Schulz again marked on his chest and goaled Richmond, surprisingly, was just three points down.
But late goals to Barry Hall and first-gamer Grundy gave Sydney a comfortable 15-point lead at the first change.
The Swans looked like running away with the contest in the second term after booting the first three goals to establish a 32-point lead.
O'Keefe continued to be a ball magnet and added his third major early in the quarter, while Adam Goodes was getting on top of the undersized Dean Polo.
He kicked his first and when Hall added his second it looked like it might be a long night for the Tigers.
But they refused to lie down, and with captain Johnson and rugged on-baller Foley working hard they were still a chance.
Despite struggling to find a regular avenue to goal the Tigers did manage the final two of the term to grab some momentum.
Nathan Brown's set shot from on 50 stopped the rot for the Tigers and when Polo side-stepped Goodes, ran inside 50 and drilled a beauty the visitors had grabbed back some momentum.
At half-time it was back to 20 points with the Swans leading 7.8 to 4.6.
Any momentum Richmond might have had at the break was quickly snuffed out in the opening minutes of the third term, as the Swans rattled home successive goals.
After Tiger Matthew White ran too far across the face of his own goal, Grundy was only too happy to accept the set shot from 35m and kick truly.
When the 20-year-old kicked his third a few minutes later it was back to 32 points.
Michael O'Loughlin had been quiet but broke clear to boot two goals and when Simon Phillips crumbed at the top of the square the lead was a massive 52 points.
Patrick Bowden kicked one after the siren to cut the deficit slightly but the game was out of reach for Richmond.
The Tigers did kick the first two of the final term but the Swans answered - with an Amon Buchanan World Cup soccer goal a highlight - and ran out easy winners.
Next week Richmond meets St Kilda at the MCG on Saturday while the Swans tackle Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium that night.
Richmond coach Terry Wallace was obviously disappointed but philosophical after the game, realising his men had been beaten by a better team on the night.
"We came up here to try to find out where we were at, I mean obviously they beat us convincingly last time around, so we really wanted to play them," he said.
"Probably the thing that broke the game open is they had two runs of five goals throughout the game."
"When it came to the physicality and probably just the use of the footy and the style of play that you put in place, they were just better than us."
Sydney coach Paul Roos was pleased his players carried their good form from last week's two-point loss to West Coast over into the Tigers game.
"I thought there were some good signs last week so to come tonight against a team that was on the same number of win-losses and to play as well as we did, and consistently, with some of the young kids as well for a good solid win was pleasing," Roos said.
SYDNEY: 4.3, 7.8, 12.13, 14.17 (101)
RICHMOND: 2.0, 4.6, 5.9, 7.11 (53)
GOALS – Sydney: Grundy 3, O'Keefe 3, O'Loughlin 3, Hall 2, Goodes, Phillips, Buchanan
Richmond: Schulz 2, Brown 2, Polo, Bowden, Meyer
BEST – Sydney: O'Keefe, J. Bolton, Grundy, Roberts-Thomson, Goodes
Richmond: K. Johnson, Foley, Simmonds, Pettifer
INJURIES – Sydney: Kirk (concussion), Fosdike (cork)
Richmond: Nil
CHANGES - Sydney Mathews (soreness) replaced in the selected side by Grundy
Richmond: Pattison replaced in the selected side by Rodan
REPORTS - Nil
UMPIRES - McBurney, Allen, Woodcock
CROWD - 28,371 at the Sydney Cricket Ground
