SYDNEY last night extended its winning streak against the Brisbane Lions with a typically gritty performance, slowly grinding the Lions into their home turf with a hard-fought 17-point victory.

Swan forward Barry Hall provided further evidence that he was back to something approaching his best form with an influential performance at centre half-forward. He kicked two goals, but had a hand in several others and was a menacing presence all night.

The best news for the Lions was the form of Daniel Bradshaw, whose return from a knee reconstruction has been impressive. He kicked five goals — half the Lions' goal tally — and should have had a couple more.

That aside, the Lions were again unable to find an answer to the Swans' lock-down style of play. The Bloods may be another year older, but they also look fitter and fresher than at perhaps any time last year.

Of course, there has been a "Bloods" transfusion of sorts, albeit a limited one. Newcomers Craig Bird, Jarred Moore and especially Jarrad McVeigh were all shining lights for the visitors, who nevertheless still received important contributions from their old guard.

Apart from Hall, Brett Kirk, Ryan O'Keefe and Michael O'Loughlin all made important contributions, while Craig Bolton was vital in curtailing Jonathan Brown, who had little impact on the contest.

Sydney had the better of the early skirmishes, with Hall having a hand in the Swans' three first-quarter goals.

The Swans were worrying Brisbane out of the contest, thrashing the Lions for contested possession and denying them a straightforward path to goal.

By early in the second quarter, the Swans were already threatening to take the game out of the home side's reach. McVeigh was particularly influential, setting up O'Loughlin's second goal and then finding space inside 50 for another.

But the Lions rebounded strongly thanks to Bradshaw, who led strongly for three second-quarter goals to bring his side to within a kick.

That was until McVeigh again intervened, controversially keeping a ball in play to help Kirk keep the margin to 12 points, and while Brown kept the Lions hungry with his first, Moore made sure that margin was maintained at half-time.

In the third quarter, the Swans began to cut the Lions up. Tireless running by McVeigh saw him collect a second goal, and Moore nailed another on the run to extend the margin to 23 points.

With Brown well-beaten, Bradshaw was left to play a lone hand in the forward line, keeping the Lions in the contest with a fourth goal and increasingly looking like the hosts' only viable scoring option.

With only their three key forwards on the scoresheet, the Lions were again struggling to get enough from their midfielders and flankers around goal, at least until Tim Notting, one of the club's best finishers, slotted his first on the run.

But a big play from the Swans' old guard, O'Loughlin to Hall to a running Amon Buchanan, extended the lead to 17 points at three-quarter time.

The Lions blew early opportunities to get back in the game early in the last quarter, with Jamie Charman failing to make the distance from inside 50 metres and Notting missing a second golden chance on the run.

When Hall outpointed his opponent for his second major late in the last, the Swans were home.

SYDNEY 3.3 7.4 10.6 13.10 (88)
BRISBANE LIONS 1.2 5.4 7.7 10.11 (71)

GOALS Sydney: O'Loughlin 2, McVeigh 2, Moore 2, O'Keefe 2, Hall 2, Kirk, Buchanan, Barlow. Brisbane Lions: Bradshaw 5, Henderson 2, Brown, Notting, Sherman.

BEST Sydney: McVeigh, O'Keefe, Hall, Kirk, Bolton, Goodes. Brisbane Lions: Adcock, Bradshaw, Notting, Black, Charman, Leuenberger.

UMPIRES: McBurney, Stevic, Chamberlain

CROWD: 29,061 at the Gabba.

THE UPSHOT THE Swans are very much still in the hunt, thanks largely to their old firm of Hall, O'Loughlin, Kirk and O'Keefe, refreshed by younger players McVeigh, Moore and Craig Bird.

TURNING POINT AFTER a Bradshaw-led challenge from the home side, Amon Buchanan's running snap in the shadow of three-quarter-time was enough to keep the Lions at bay.

HOT AND COLD JARRAD McVeigh was everywhere for the Swans and seemed to have a hand in almost everything, while for the Lions, Rhan Hooper has yet to rediscover his sparkling form of late 2007.