The Brisbane Lions' AFLW premiership defence is back on track after a 68-point thumping of Sydney in the penultimate home-and-away round.
A week after an upset loss to Geelong, the Lions rebounded with a dominant 11.12 (78) to 1.4 (10) victory at Brighton Homes Arena on Sunday.
The result all but locks in a top-four spot for Brisbane and ensures they remain in the top-two hunt ahead of a last-round clash with St Kilda.
Sydney are out of finals contention and suffered a sixth straight defeat.
They were held to their lowest score of the season as captain Bre Koenen led a resolute Brisbane defence.
Belle Dawes (22 touches, two goals), Sophie Conway (25, one), Ally Anderson (23 disposals) and Orla O'Dwyer (22) also shone for the Lions.
Team-leading goalkicker Taylor Smith finished with three majors from 15 disposals as Brisbane spread the scoring load without injured key forward Dakota Davidson (concussion).
It was the Lions' biggest win of the year, wrapped up with a six-goals-to-none final quarter.
"The finish was terrific and we've generated 23 shots to their five and 18 more inside-50s, so all in all that's a good response to last week," Brisbane coach Craig Starcevich said.
"The way our players built the game today was really pleasing.
"You're not going to bust a team open early - sometimes you've got to play the arm-wrestle right to the end and wait for the old dam wall to burst, and then you can start some scoring.
"It was pleasing from that point of view."
Laura Gardiner (26 disposals), Ella Heads (19) and Sofia Hurley (18) fought hard for Sydney, who got off to a good start when Bella Smith kicked the first goal of the game.
But they didn't manage another major as the Lions took complete control, ahead at quarter-time through goals to Smith and Cathy Svarc.
The margin grew to 24 points by the main break, with the dominant yet inaccurate home side adding 2.6 to 0.0 for the second term.
Sydney's day got worse when ruck Giselle Davies went off with an ankle injury.
It was a similar story in the third quarter as Brisbane kicked 1.3 to 0.1, with the match well and truly in their keeping with a 32-point lead at the final change.
Smith and Dawes added two goals each in the final term and the margin blew out.
Swans coach Scott Gowans conceded "the dam wall opened and it was really tough to hang on" in the last quarter.
"We just gave it a crack. Playing the premiers, they're so good," Gowans said.
"The difference is they've been doing it a bit longer than us.
"It's a really good blueprint to where we want to get to, and we had moments in the game where I thought we competed OK.
"But their momentum is so hard to stop, and credit to them, they're going to be hard to beat."
There was late concern for Brisbane when Shannon Campbell went off the ground after a knock to the ribs.
"She's fine. She just got, I think, picked off trying to get a lead," Starcevich said.
"I didn't actually see the whole thing. I've only been told about it, but she'll be fine."
