The Sydney Swans reserves have ascended to the top of the NEAFL competition ladder on the back of a 67-point win over NT Thunder on Saturday afternoon.

In a match up of the season’s two best sides to date, the Swans controlled the match from the off and recorded a near-perfect four-quarter performance in chalking up the win. The only dampener for the afternoon was conceding the last four goals of the game and possible injury clouds for Dean Towers and Tommy Walsh.

With the seniors recording a big victory against Geelong on Thursday night, Swans supporters relished the chance to enjoy another footy fix – this time in old-fashioned suburban surroundings at the picturesque Drummoyne Oval. Just hours out from winter, the sun and warmth made it feel more like an early spring afternoon, and the football on display matched that time of year as well.

Speaking to SwansTV at the end of last week, Dan Robinson said the Swans were fired up to host quality opposition, and on Saturday it was the 19-year-old who delivered, standing out in a best on ground performance.

He set the tone in the first quarter with two goals, and continued that through for the rest of the game, showing a strong set of hands in marking duals, hitting targets in congestion and up forward and being one of the strong links in the victors’ midfield.

For his efforts, Robinson was presented with a hoodie by NT Thunder coach Xavier Clarke in a post-match ceremony celebrating the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME).

Following a substitute appearance for the senior side in the win over Essendon at Etihad Stadium, Brandon Jack returned to the reserves side and was another of the young Swans to stand out. He finished with three goals and used his pace to advantage to attack the ball and weave through traffic, avoiding tackles, but laying tackles of his own when the chance presented.

As a whole, the way the reserves where able to shut out the Thunder forwards and then counterattack from the half-back line at times mirrored the seniors’ Thursday night dismantling of the Cats.

Zak Jones and Gary Rohan were often key contributors in that drive, with Jones showing a desire for the contest over four quarters that wouldn’t have surprised many. He spoiled well and shrugged off a knock late in the third term to again improve his game further in the final term.

Tim Membrey again finished as the Swans leading goal kicker with four majors, three coming from deadly accurate set shots, the other a snap out of nowhere following a centre clearance immediately following another of his goals. As the game progressed, he pushed higher up the ground, leaving Toby Nankervis (three goals), Sam Naismith (three) and Patrick Mitchell (one) as the tall targets in the forward line.

When they come through, their numbers might not be as high as in the dominant performance over Eastlake, but the impact of Tom Mitchell and Ryan O’Keefe on the result would be equally as satisfying. Against a step up in opposition and intensity around the ball, the pair again showed their class and were a level above.

Saturday also offered a potential glimpse into the future, with NSW/ACT Rams Under 18 representatives and QBE Sydney Swans Academy members Isaac Heeney and Abe Davis featuring. They both hit the scoreboard, combining for three goals, and won several marking contests against older opponents.

Like the seniors, the Swans reserves fly north to the Gold Coast this weekend to face the Suns reserves in a curtain raiser to the round 12 AFL clash.

Sydney Swans reserves  6.1 12.6 18.8  23.12 150
NT Thunder                          2.3   5.6    8.8    12.11 83

Goals: Membrey 4, Jack 3, Naismith 3, Nankervis 3, Robinson 2, T. Mitchell 2, Hewett 2, Davis 2, Heeney, P. Mitchell