A ruthless Sydney have plunged Melbourne's hellish AFL season further into the mire with a comprehensive 49-point victory at the SCG.

The Demons headed into the season touted as premiership contenders, but the Swans' 17.7 (109) to 8.12 (60) triumph has left injury-ravaged Melbourne winless and stuck alongside Richmond at the foot of the ladder after five rounds.

In the week leading up to Saturday night's game, Brad Green and Matthew Whelan (both hamstring) were among those who joined key personnel David Neitz (knee), Brock McLean (foot) and Russell Robertson (knee) on Melbourne's ever-increasing injured list.

And the Swans took full advantage, crushing the Demons in every department as they atoned for last week's disappointing loss to Adelaide.

Barry Hall was unstoppable throughout, setting up a number of Sydney's avenues to goal and finishing with four of his own, while Nick Davis also impressed on his return from a foot injury.

Demon Aaron Davey kicked three goals in a promising effort, but Sydney had winners all over the ground.

Goal-kicking was the Swans' main downfall against the Crows, returning a dreadful 5.14, but against the Demons they showed the benefits of a focus on set shots at training throughout the week.

Hall wasted little time getting involved, setting up Sydney's opening two goals.

Nick Malceski was the initial beneficiary and then Jude Bolton indicated it might be Sydney's night after he unloaded from outside 50m for his first goal of the season.

The Demons were being slaughtered at the clearances and when Ryan O'Keefe slotted Sydney's third they had skipped to a handy lead.

Promising youngster Lynden Dunn stemmed the tide when he slotted Melbourne's first from a tight angle, but Hall replied with one of his own before giving a deft handpass to Adam Goodes for another six-pointer as the Swans streaked away.

The slick Swans had little trouble coping with the greasy conditions and they have now surged back into the top eight with a 3-2 record.

Jarrad McVeigh personified the turnaround in Sydney's goal-kicking fortunes late in the opening half.

Nathan Brown's attempted pass to Melbourne debutant Ricky Petterd was cut off by McVeigh, who ran to the goalsquare for his first major for 2007 after starting the year with six straight behinds.

At the long break the Swans led by 37 points and while Melbourne matched Sydney's two goals in a dour third term, the result was never in doubt.

The only worry for the home side were knee injuries to Tadhg Kennelly and Luke Ablett.

Kennelly was on crutches at three-quarter time with his right knee heavily iced, while Ablett also sustained his injury in the third term when he hyper-extended his right knee in an incident similar to Hall's in recent weeks.

Swans coach Paul Roos eased fears Kennelly had ruptured ligaments in his leg, saying Sydney doctors had indicated he had a dislocated knee cap and both players were a chance to play the Kangaroos next week.

"I think he dislocated his knee cap. It's one of those ones players have done before and played the following week," Roos said.

"It really depends on what other damage there is, if any. That's the early diagnosis so we'll have to wait and see."

A glum Melbourne coach Neale Daniher could only concede his struggling side was beaten by a better team on the day, particularly in the early stages.

"The Swans were too good early. They really jumped us. They're just a bigger, stronger team than us and really flew away in the first quarter," he said.

"They really smashed us in clearances and from a coaching point of view, it was good our team didn't give up.

"After then we made it reasonably competitive."

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