SYDNEY continued its four-year dominance over Brisbane with a grinding 17-point win over the Lions at the Gabba on Saturday night.
After Ryan O'Keefe kicked the first goal of the match, Sydney never relinquished the lead and got home 13.10 (88) to 10.11 (71).
Despite plenty of fight from the home team in front of its 29,061 fans, the Swans were simply too good.
They won more contested football, were patient when the had it, and provided plenty of options in the forward half.
Swans co-captain Craig Bolton did a superb job on Lions superstar Jonathan Brown, while at the other end Barry Hall (two goals) worked into the contest with a strong second half.
Other multiple goalkickers for Sydney were O'Keefe, Michael O'Loughlin, surprise packet Jarred Moore and tireless midfielder Jarrad McVeigh, who each bagged two.
For the Lions Daniel Bradshaw played a lone hand, giving experienced Swan Leo Barry a beating in booting five of Brisbane's 10 goals.
The Swans took a 17-point lead into the final term, and while Justin Sherman's goal at the 10-minute mark pulled the Lions back within two straight kicks, they never got any closer.
Ed Barlow ran off a clever Adam Goodes handpass to restore the lead, while O'Keefe and Hall put the issue beyond doubt with back-to-back majors.
In the middle of the ground Brett Kirk was outstanding, while Tadhg Kennelly offered his usual run from the back half and Adam Goodes was superb all over the ground.
Sydney had more than 100 possessions more than Brisbane and the weight of numbers eventually told.
With earlier rain in Brisbane disappearing before the first bounce, Sydney got the better of the opening term, going to the first change with a 3.3 (21) to 1.2 (8) lead.
O'Keefe started the scoring in the fifth minute when he scooped up a loose ball and bombed away off a step from outside the 50m arc.
The Lions struggled to penetrate the Sydney defence and O'Loughlin and Hall added goals to give the Swans its 13-point lead.
Hall's goal was particularly well worked - Barlow evaded two Lions defenders and hit the big full forward on his chest. Hall went back and duly converted from 45m.
The home team's only goal came from rookie forward Lachie Henderson who was gifted a 50m penalty by Barry on centre wing for a late challenge.
Sydney jumped out to a 25-point lead after goals to O'Loughlin and McVeigh early in the second, but the quarter belonged to Lions forward Bradshaw who kicked three goals to get his team back in the contest.
The Lions booted three goals in four minutes mid-way through the term to reduce the deficit to seven, with Bradshaw (two) and Brown starting to influence the contest with better quality ball.
Barry gave away another free for Bradshaw's first.
Kirk steadied for the Swans with a left-foot snap after some brilliant lead-up work by an increasingly influential McVeigh, but Bradshaw booted his third for the term after O'Loughlin spilt an easy mark in the defensive 50m, resulting in a turnover and easy mark only 15m out.
However Jarred Moore restored a 12-point lead at the long break, booming home a goal from a tough angle right on the stroke of half-time.
The Swans edged a little further in front in a three goals to two third term and took a 17-point edge into the final term.
McVeigh, Moore and Amon Buchanan all kicked goals to seal the win with Moore's second a brilliant sweeping movement from the defensive 50 that involved slick hands and some great run by Kennelly.
The Swans host West Coast at ANZ Stadium in Sydney next week.
SYDNEY SWANS 3.3 7.4 10.6 13.10 (88)
BRISBANE LIONS 1.2 5.4 7.7 10.11 (71)
GOALS
Sydney: Hall 2, McVeigh 2, O'Loughlin 2, O'Keefe 2, Moore 2, Buchanan, Kirk, Barlow
Brisbane: Bradshaw 5, Henderson 2, Notting, Sherman, Brown
BEST
Sydney: McVeigh, Bolton, O'Keefe, Kirk, Goodes, Kennelly
Brisbane: Adcock, Bradshaw, Macdonald, Leuenberger, Black, Charman
INJURIES
Sydney: Nil
Brisbane: Nil
Reports: nil
Umpires: McBurney, Stevic, Chamberlain
Official crowd: 29.061 at the Gabba
