Speculation a second straight flag could soon be heading to the harbour city is sure to increase after Sydney recorded its fourth straight AFL victory with a clinical 26-point defeat of the in-form Western Bulldogs at the SCG.

It took 72 years for the Swans to break their premiership drought, but coach Paul Roos will need to hose down expectations of another in 2006 after a 17.14 (116) to 14.6 (90) triumph took Sydney to 5-3 for the season.

It was a case of master and apprentice in the respective coaches' boxes, Roos having served under Rodney Eade before replacing him at Sydney in round 13, 2002.

Both were doing their best cloak and dagger impersonations, with Swans defender Lewis Roberts-Thomson used in the goal-square, Sydney forward Ryan O'Keefe found mostly in defence and Dogs veteran Chris Grant given ever-changing roles across the ground.

Sydney kicked its highest score in 19 years with its 118-point belting of Richmond at the MCG last week, but a repeat performance seemed unlikely in the night's damp conditions.

The Swans made a superb start, however, kicking 5.3 before the Dogs had scored.

But the Bulldogs brought some form of their own into the clash, belting Port Adelaide last week, and they slowly worked their way into the contest.

Eade's men kicked four straight goals late in the opening term to trail by just 15 points after a quality quarter that made a mockery of the greasy conditions.

It was a designated home game for the Bulldogs, a lucrative move for the cash-strapped club, but not one that suggested on-ground success.

The Dogs had lost their past three clashes at the SCG entering the match, without a win in Sydney since 2002.

Brad Johnson did his best to reverse that trend, kicking three straight goals to start the second term and briefly give his team the lead.

Johnson finished with five majors, including his 350th in a stellar career.

But the Swans steadied in the familiar environs, kicking four of the last five majors to take a 13-point lead into the main break.

Sydney then blew the game open in the third term, kicking six goals to two for a match-winning 39-point lead.

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP